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It is when Aether’s body goes completely limp, when his agonising whimpers stop, that the Wanderer lets go of all pretence, fully reaching out, placing one hand against the abyssal wound as he presses down in a desperate attempt to stop the Traveler’s flow of pain. His other hand rests on Aether’s forehead, then his cheek, his neck, checking for his pulse.
The Statue of the Seven is failing against the fatal force of the Abyss, unable to effectively provide the healing desperately needed to survive from the deathly wound.
‘Aether,’ Kunikuzushi says over Paimon’s restless cries. He does not even have the heart to push her away. ‘Wake up,’ he lets out, weakly shaking Aether by the shoulder and receiving no response. His panic starts to rise. ‘Wake up!’ he repeats, trying to hide his disarray behind anger.
‘We need help!’ Paimon uselessly cries out next to him.
‘Go get it then!’ he impatiently yells back.
But they need more than just help. Kunikuzushi needs to make the Abyss pay. He needs to punch Dainsleif in the face; it was all his fault, as well as Aether’s for being too trusting of others in the first place, for constantly giving people second chances when they did not deserve it.
He does not pay any attention to Paimon, eyes fixed on Aether’s dead weight. All colours are draining from his face; the black violet left by the Abyss, mixed with his blood, are the only lights left, as Aether’s elemental energy falters, the soft remains of electro losing in intensity with each passing second.
The Wanderer straightens up, frantically looking around, eyes falling once again on the Statue of the Seven. Another idea occurs to him, the situation so dire that he does not even hesitate and lifts up his arm, hands meeting with the cold surface of the Dendro Archon’s effigy.
Buer, the Wanderer fiercely calls out, focusing all the parts of his mind not fixed in absolute fear into summoning her. Get here now.
There is a horrific moment where he is met with nothing but silence, dropping onto Aether’s motionless body with unbearable dereliction — and Kunikuzushi should have known better than to trust others, this had happened before, it had only been a matter of time until someone else betrayed him —
That is until he hears Nahida’s voice in the back of his mind, soft and unhurried… trying to calm him down, he realises with revulsion.
Wait for me, I’m on my way.
‘I’m not fucking waiting for anyone!’ Kunikuzushi bursts out aggressively. His hand is still firmly pressed against the Statue of the Seven.
Nahida’s next reply comes faster this time.
We need a healer. I’m bringing the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius with me.
She pauses as his heart drops in shame. So she knew about Aether’s predicament, already. Was he being that obvious?
Nahida interrupts his spiralling anxiety with another wave of useless reassurance, Bring him somewhere safe until we arrive. Another pause, and he feels her hesitate before she says, as if she were letting him in on a secret, I’ll help him ease his mind, I’ve done it before.
The Wanderer pretends not to care, instantly breaking the connection between them as he pulls away from the Statue and lifts up Aether’s body with more care than he would like to admit.