Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was cold. Very cold.

He grunted.

His mind wandered through memories. Blurred images of the moments before his sleep: his sister, the intricate marble pillars amidst the clouds, the red blocks.

Those same blocks that took her from him, that separated them! Yes! He remembers!

"Lumine!" the blond boy shouts, panting heavily and quickly blinking. Slowly, shivering from the cold, he raises his hands to his shoulders and looks around, trying to find his way around.

He was in a room with dark walls and freezing cold, extremely cold.

The lighting was so dim that it was difficult to make out any details, except for a single overhead light that flickered from time to time. Looking closer and feeling around with my hands, he appeared to be in the center of the room, lying on a thin, padded surface. A bed? No, it wasn't a bed... it was a gurney!

This wasn't just any room—it was a doctor's office! Thinking about it, it made more sense—just the dim bulb, but above his head was a device with several larger bulbs. To his left, hospital screens with bluish curtains were stored in the corner, and to his right, on another bench, there appeared to be some surgical tools. Wait, what?! Surgical?!

He quickly felt the most exposed areas of his body, his stomach and back, checking for any scars or injuries. He sighed with relief. Okay, he seemed unharmed. Not only that, but he was still wearing the same clothes as always, great.

Looking around again, checking for possible hazards, the young man slowly rose from the gurney. His feet were weak, but with support from the padded surface, he managed to stay upright.

"Okay... I need to know where I am." He steadied his breathing, letting the freezing air enter his lungs and condense his gasps. He frowned, hugging himself tightly. "And why is it so cold."

Taking slow steps, he silently opened the door to the room, only to be met by a male figure. From below, the man wore black boots and pants, followed by a long white lab coat with a belt over a navy-blue dress shirt and tie. Behind him was what appeared to be black plumage resembling raven feathers. What caught the blond man's attention most was the mask — a black raven mask that covered the man's eyes, highlighting his mouth and blue hair.

"No postmortem, chto my zdes' imeyem!" The man put his hands behind his back, communicating in a language the stranger could not identify, his voice was a little hoarse.

The boy backed away, trying to defend himself with his sword...? He didn't have his sword! His golden sword wasn't with him; perhaps it had been stolen or lost when he fell into a deep sleep! But that didn't matter now; the important thing was that he had no means of defense.

He also couldn't feel the flow of his powers.

Great, he had nothing!

Swallowing hard, he tripped over something on the floor, falling flat on his butt onto the cold porcelain tiles, with few places to quickly hide. Next to the man in the lab coat, right behind him, were two other muscular men in military uniforms who, surprisingly, didn't seem to stand out much when masked. Perhaps they were soldiers or servants?

Regardless, they were huge.

His hands were tied, with nowhere to run, no way to fight. He curled up and retreated to the counter against the wall, his back hitting the cold wood of the cabinet. His eyes darted back and forth as he listened to the hard thud of the raven man's boots.

"Davay! Ne nuzhno boyat'sya." The man approached, raising his hands in the air, showing he was unarmed. However, the blond's body was tense, fixed on that unfriendly smile. "Kak milo... zhal', chto ya ne mogu preparirovat' tvoy zhivot."

Before he could react in any way, everything happened extremely fast! The man quickly advanced to the ground, coming face to face with him, and then placed a finger on the blond's lips as a sign of silence.

"Spat'." The masked man made a soft hiss with his mouth.

Quickly, as if with a snap of a finger, all the noises and buzzing that met the boy's ears ceased. Slowly but steadily, his eyes began to close.

The world had gone dark again.

***

"He's sleeping like a baby." The Doctor crossed his arms, leaning his body against the office counter and studying the blond boy's body lying on the gurney, watching his chest rise and fall gently. "I must say, he woke up earlier than I expected. He was confused and startled when he saw me behind the door."

A murmur just nearby. Turning his head, Dottore observed the gray-haired man in a white suit who stood watching him motionlessly, with his constant analytical and uncharismatic scowl.

“And, apparently...” the smile on the doctor's face widened in a funny way. “He doesn't seem to understand our language.”

"Your men were right to report him on the beaches of Mondstadt." Pierro looked away to exchange glances with Dottore, then quickly returned to the blond. "You didn't use a scalpel, did you?"

"Who do you think I am? A maniac?" The doctor snorted, still smiling somewhat disdainfully and returning his attention to the blond's breathing. "I'm not lying when I say I was tempted, but I just continued with the routine checkups, as always. He's stable, he just seems to have fallen into a very deep sleep."

"I see what you mean," Pierro sighed hoarsely and turned toward the door, ready to leave. "Let us know when he wakes up again. As requested by her majesty, the Tsaritsa, we must—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Pierro's gaze fell on the gurney, along with the sounds of the mattress shifting. Slowly, the blond let out a few grunts, his hands trembling as he opened his eyes with some difficulty, like a newborn.

“What...?” He murmured softly, a little groggy, only then noticing the figures of the doctor and the new face.

"It doesn't matter," Pierro commented, turning back to the front and maintaining eye contact with the boy. "He's awake."

Chapter Text

The last month under the wing of this organization, these Fatui , as they called themselves, was unsettling, to say the least. Ever since he woke up and came across those two men, Aether remained in the office for a while longer.

There was a strong language barrier. It was difficult to understand what they wanted or why he was there, especially with the constant questions surrounding his sister and that unknown god in his head.

It was frustrating at first, but he quickly learned the universal language of that world and the regional tongue. Initially from the blue-haired man, Dottore, and later from a few Fatuus officers from time to time. Piecing together the little information he could remember and acquire, he now knew he was on the continent of Teyvat, more specifically in Snezhnaya, the land of eternal ice. It wasn't much use, since he was trapped within four walls, but it was a welcome improvement.

During his time at the office, he had a fairly solid routine: he showered, got food, learned the local language, had medical checkups, and answered simple questions. Without a doubt, the "face" he remembered most during this time was Dottore's, since he was the one who came in every day, or for a good portion of the time he was there.

It wasn't long before he began to work up the courage to make a few requests as well, but nothing that sounded controversial. Mostly, he asked for books! After all, the best way to learn about local culture and language was, without a doubt, through diverse literature.

Amazingly, they accepted his ideas without much trouble. The hobby actually made his stay in the office more pleasant; each time Dottore came in to examine and chat briefly with Aether, he would bring along a random book—fiction, cooking, geography, local history, etc.—which, coincidentally, became a topic of discussion in the next day's question and answer session.

As time passed, a mountain of books accumulated on the bedside table next to the stretcher. Beyond the basics of Snezhnaya's local history and culture, he began to familiarize himself with some external and universal concepts: elements, visions, elemental reactions, archons. Studying truly became a very cozy pastime; it was also the only interesting thing to do there, and it helped to ward off possible morbid thoughts of what had happened to his sister.

***

The blond was lost in thought. With one hand supporting his head, he hummed and moved his fingers through the words of a chess technique book—which, for some reason, had countless volumes available—until he heard a soft knock on the door. At first, he merely raised his head, thinking it was a surprise visit from Dottore; however, his body quickly straightened when he saw the figure: it was the other man he'd seen the first time he'd awakened in that world, the one whose imposing black mask covered the left side of his face. Pierro.

"You seem to have gotten used to the office." The gray-haired man looked Aether up and down, frowning strangely and letting out a murmur. In a sudden movement, he raised an arm in front of him. "Come. You're ready for an audience now."

The blond blinked slowly, understanding the man's words perfectly, but having difficulty reasoning that, apparently, his routine was going to change drastically.

***

He stopped feeling very cold.

He had already adapted to the office's atmosphere and the bedspreads offered to him were actually of good quality.

However, as he rose from the stretcher and accompanied the man to wherever they were going, he was surprised by a quick movement of his arms. Delicately, Pierro had draped what appeared to be a white, hooded cloak over his shoulders. It was adorned with a thick layer of black fur extending from the neck, very similar to the one Pierro himself wore over his white suit, save for a few details and the blue pendant.

Still bewildered, the blond could only shake his head and thank him softly, quite intimately towards the taller figure.

But he wouldn't lie; the robe was quite comfortable and padded inside, making the long walk out of the office much more peaceful. It truly was a different environment. Behind the office door was a long, dark hallway with gray walls, lit here and there by white bulbs that flickered from time to time. A chill ran down Aether's spine, but not from the cold, but from something else.

They walked in silence, the only constant sound of their footsteps echoing against the damp, icy walls. Looking around, Aether could see rusty pipes and other doors scattered throughout, along with other passages and twists in the corridors, but nothing that seemed interesting from Pierro's perspective. They simply continued forward.

He doesn't know how long it was before they ascended onto a platform resembling an elevator. What Aether could tell was that whatever place they were in, it was at least technologically advanced, just from the little he saw. At the end of the trip, he and Pierro found themselves in a dark, circular room. It was a sort of metal platform, a large ring that circled the elevator and extended down a corridor to a double iron door. Below them were layers and layers of excavated rock that seemed to lead to the underground office, wherever that was; if someone wanted to jump and meet death directly, it wouldn't be too difficult. Now, Aether understood why there were no windows down there.

His eyes adjusted as he finally emerged from the darkness and saw the first rays of light. Behind the double doors, another long corridor, this one much brighter and more elegant. It was a chilly corridor with pale walls, lancet windows casting a dim light that cast a bluish hue on the walls, the glass panes clashing with purple, blues, and greens. Between each window, a pair of columns supported and decorated the space.

Walking for a few more minutes, and turning several corridors, Aether's eyebrows rose slightly. In the center of this new corridor, unlike the others with simple doors scattered from one side to the other, lay a gigantic double gate, adorned by a white arch carved with intricate details. The traveler's jaw dropped at the imposing sight. Whatever lay behind that door was something that made Aether's heart pound in anticipation.

Soon, Pierro stopped in front and turned his head to look the traveler in the eyes in another, if not enigmatic, way.

“Welcome,” he cordially pressed each palm against a door and pushed them forward, “to the Zapolyarny Palace.”

The room before them could only be described as vast! A hall that ran straight, each side wall adorned with a set of multicolored glass panes and two columns, giving the space a mystical, varied glow. A set of six blue crystal chandeliers hung by gleaming chains from the ceiling decorated with silver symbols and ornaments, following the path of the dark blue carpet that led from the door to a staircase.

At the top of five marble steps, the room narrowed into a semicircular niche, which was covered by layers of thick blue curtains and whitish veils. It was already quite obvious what this place was: the throne room.

Behind those curtains was probably where she was.

"Your Majesty, he's here," Pierro said, taking a few steps forward and stopping right next to the curtain, one hand behind his back and the other in front of his chest.

"Ah... here you are," a soft, young female voice echoed through the hall. A chill ran down Aether's spine. "Come, come closer. There's no need to be afraid."

Suddenly but gently, a hand slid out from the curtains, beckoning the traveler closer. The hand was covered in long, dark velvet gloves, and no skin tone or distinctive features were visible.

Pierro, without moving his head, turned his eyes to face Aether again. The blond jumped slightly, but quickly moved on, until he was closer to the small staircase. A few seconds of silence permeated the air; he was still tense and open-mouthed, unsure where to begin.

"How fascinating. You're really here," Her Majesty gave a soft laugh, retracting her hand to the curtains again. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, star child."

Aether's eyes widened for a moment, and he jumped again, blinking rapidly.

“Do you know who I am?”

"Of course," she said, maintaining a tone of kindness and understanding, though a bit melancholic. "Many things may seem confusing to you right now, and I'm sure you have many questions. I understand you; I can feel it in your heart. But why don't we start slowly?"

"Hm, I..." Aether was still dumbfounded and a little dazed, trying to formulate words and start the conversation without knowing what to ask first. Before he could say anything, he was cut off by her Majesty's voice again.

"Please tell me. What was the last thing you remember?" she asked.

***

"So, what you're telling me is that while you were trying to leave Teyvat and go to the next world, your path was blocked by an unknown god?" Tsaritsa repeated, seeming to straighten her posture behind the curtains.

"Yes, exactly." Aether nods, averting his eyes and clenching his fists. "And she took my sister! It also seems like some kind of seal was placed on me, and I lost my powers."

"I see. If I may ask, could you describe this god's appearance to me?" The queen continued her inquiry.

"Hm, she was tall and had long white hair. Her eyes were golden, I think..." The blond boy placed a hand on his chin, closing his eyes and trying to capture the image of that woman who prevented his exit from the world. "Her hands, it seemed like there was some kind of energy coming from them, and she could also control crimson cubes! If I'm not mistaken... she called herself the 'Sustainer of the Heavenly Principles'."

After he finished his brief description, a long, long moment of silence passed. Both Pierro and the empress behind the curtains seemed frozen. Then, all he heard was a low laugh. A single, melancholic laugh, like someone letting a funny thought slip through their nose, even if unintentionally. It made him flinch, tensing again.

"Oh, no. I apologize, I'm not laughing at your misery," Tsaritsa's hand appears again, waving repeatedly up and down. "It's just that we probably know who you're talking about."

“You know?!” Aether's eyes widened.

For a moment, another brief silence before her Majesty cleared her throat.

“Would you like a cup of tea? I believe this conversation will be a little long.”

***

"From your description, I believe the god you encountered, and who kidnapped your sister, was Asmoday, ruler of space and one of the shadows of the Heavenly Principles." After Tsaritsa took a sip of her tea, a soft clink sound reverberated beyond the curtains.

“Asmoday?!” Aether settled further into his makeshift chair with the teacup in his hands, staring at the curtains as if he were looking at the archon of eyes “and... shadows?”

"Exactly. Asmoday, Istaroth, Ronova, and Naberius are the four emissaries of the Heavenly Principles you mentioned." She paused for a long time, taking another sip of tea and letting out a sigh. "Whose will govern this rotten world. Of course, the god you described could be any of the other three, but Asmoday seems to fit the profile best."

Another moment of stunned silence. The blond's eyes darted back and forth across the floor, his hands trembling on the handle of his cup. He was already managing to acquire some good answers, but at the same time, it was extremely difficult to let go of the reality or accept easily conclusive hypotheses as more questions arose in his mind.

"You seem tense, but don't worry. We're here to help you, trust me." The queen's voice was soft, like a mother trying to calm a distraught child. "To gain your trust, allow me to ask one more question. By any chance, is your sister's name Lumine?"

Aether turned his head and ended up dragging his chair back, rising from his seat, his eyes flickering rapidly towards the curtain as his eyebrows arched.

“How do you know?!”

The queen gave a faint, solemn laugh. The blond's pupils shifted from the curtains to Pierro, who was still standing at the side of the room, as he heard a grunt from his mouth.

"I believe that I, alone, am not capable of giving that answer," Tsaritsa's hand came out of the curtain again, her palm opening toward the gray-haired man. "Pierro, if you could..."

"It turns out that your sister and I lived together for a while." The man spoke in his hoarse voice, moving closer to Aether and letting both hands hang from his cloak.

“What?” The blond said, choking a little.

"I come from a kingdom outside the continent of Teyvat, Khaenri'ah. It was a nation that had not received the gaze of the gods." He placed a hand on his chest once more, observing the traveler with his piercing sapphire eyes. His voice sounded hoarse and tired, hardly befitting the few wrinkles he had, except for those from his frown. "We were independent people, and I was once a royal mage. I lived alongside your sister in the palace of our ancient dynasty, and when I looked into your eyes for the first time... it was as if I had found her again."

"Khaenri'ah?" The blond repeated the name softly, confused and utterly perplexed, leaning back in his chair and sitting back down. He scanned the floor from side to side. "Wow, that's a lot of information."

"I believe new doubts have arisen in your mind." Tsaritsa gave another weak laugh. "When we first discussed you, Pierro immediately told me about your similarities. Once we deduced your relationship with her, it would be a shame to return you to that beach in Mondstadt in such a situation."

“Hm, I...” the blond tensed, feeling his own chest beat hard and his cheeks heat up in the cold.

"You seemed tired with only a few answers, so we'll stop here for today. We don't want to overwhelm you." The queen extends her hand, making the blond question himself. "Don't worry, your questions will still be answered in time; and, of course, we also have a proposal for you."

“Proposal?”

“An invitation, to be honest.” Pierro said, turning his face to face the curtains.

"In your current state, I'm afraid I can't reveal all the mysteries of this world to you; it wouldn't be ideal." She withdraws her hand to the curtains once more. "I also believe some details would be better understood if you discovered them on your own. But you can be sure that, as much as you do, we want and can help you find your sister."

The blond's eyes widened again, and his posture stiffened, choking a little. It was as if every word and thought was quickly interpreted by the Tsaritsa just by his few gestures.

“What do I need to do?” Aether quickly got up from the chair.

"For now, just stay with us in Zapolyarny. We'll introduce you to the beauties of Snezhnaya and the teachings of the world, and when you're ready, we'll talk again," she said from beneath the curtains, seeming to rise from her throne with the rustle of what must have been layers of fabric. "Of course, if you prefer, the doors are open for you to explore the world on your own. The choice is yours."

Aether swallowed hard. He was a traveler; it was natural that he and his sister would discover the mysteries of the worlds they visited alone after the decimation of their homeland. But here? He'd already received so much useful information and even support! The empress and the masked man's intentions for keeping him there weren't clear, but there were many mysteries to be unraveled, and they seemed to have so much to offer. How could he refuse?

He also had nothing with him. He'd learned from the books that Teyvat's local currency was Mora, and he had none. He also lacked his sword, and his powers were sealed. Not to mention the blizzard visible through the windows. External factors like these could be deadly to him if he decided to venture out alone, especially now.

The most logical plan was to stay, wait, and try to adapt.

“I'll stay!” He nods in affirmation, a little uneasy, but with a determined glint in his eyes.

“Wonderful,” the Tsaritsa says, clapping her delicate hands. “You are officially welcome to Snezhnaya, traveler of the horizon.”

Chapter Text

"Are you okay, buddy?" The ginger put a hand behind his neck, slightly uneasy and unsure of how to start a conversation.

"Yes," the blond nodded, not making eye contact. He remained rigid against the train seat, his hands in his lap. He sighed as he watched the silhouette of the distant mountains shrouded in mist. "Just enjoying the scenery."

“I see...” The other let out a grunt, accepting defeat and just letting that bitterly unsettling silence persist throughout the carriage.

***

It all started in Zapolyarny.

Aether was beginning to adjust to the change of routine again. He moved into one of the palace's many rooms, a room slightly larger than the underground office. It was adorned with white columns with gold accents and walls painted a pale greenish hue. Tilting his head upward, so that his neck ached a little, he could see the arches and designs on the ceiling.

Even for an average room, that must have been a lot of work to build.

Oh yeah, he finally had a bed! It was a double bed tucked into the right corner of the room. Sitting up just to check, he could feel the softness of the mattress beneath the velvety greenish blanket. He rubbed a hand under the fabric, feeling the slight, rough rustle of the material.

There was also a nightstand next to it and a dresser against the wall at the end of the bed. In the center of the wall opposite the door was a space with a semicircular bay window and a resting area with a few decorative pillows.

On the left side of the room were a coffee table, a sofa, and some upholstered chairs, a few bookshelves, along with a few potted plants, and gold or silver ornaments on tables here and there against the wall. There was also a screen with some drawings leaning against the upper corner, but nothing particularly noteworthy.

Furthermore, all this space and furniture were set above a beautiful rug with a similar shade of the walls, if not a bit darker. It was truly exquisite, he couldn't deny that.

He had grown accustomed to the surroundings after his audience with the Tsaritsa—it seemed to have occurred in the afternoon, as the sky was now dark, with snowflakes falling gently in the distance—but he couldn't help but wonder. His mind was so focused on all the sudden information he had received that it was still difficult to process.

Taking a deep breath and knowing that this wasn't the only information he would be able to extract while in Snezhnaya, Aether laid his head against the pillow and began to reason, putting the pieces together and filtering the ideas to see where to start investigating further.

What did he know so far? When he'd tried to leave Teyvat with his sister at that time, his path had been blocked by Asmoday, ruler of space and one of the emissaries of the Heavenly Principles, he remembered; she'd called herself a sustainer. According to the Tsaritsa's words, the Principles seemed to be the supreme rulers of this world, but that was all he knew for now.

There's also the crazy information Pierro provided. Apparently, his sister, for some reason, was in this nation called Khaenri'ah. He didn't know anything about it either, no clear vision at least.

However, something else had caught his attention.

When the masked man spoke of his homeland, Aether couldn't help but notice that he used past tense verbs. 'It was a kingdom.' 'We were independent.' Obviously, this also provided more questions than answers, and it was very, very unsettling not to be able to ask everything at once, especially knowing that this man had met his sister at some point when he wasn't there.

The timeline was confusing, and all Aether could do was grunt and press his hands to his face. His brain was spinning so much with disjointed thoughts and hypotheses based on the little information he had that, before he knew it, the room was bright, and the muffled sound of birds could be heard in the distance.

He blinked and adjusted to the morning light. Rising from bed, he went to the window. Looking through the glass, Aether noticed that the previous night's snow had stopped, and the sky was overcast, but slightly clear, with a hint of blue between the clouds. The muffled sound of nightingales melted the traveler's ears.

"It's cold." He put his hands on his shoulders and suddenly felt the growl of his stomach churn. "And I 'm hungry.”

His worries wouldn't last long. A few seconds after his stomach growled, he heard a gentle knock on the door to his new room.

“Yes?” He turned around, a little perplexed.

"Excuse me, traveler." Opening the door, an elegant man in a suit (he must have been a butler or something) appeared, bowing his head gently. "Follow me. Breakfast is served in the dining room."

The blond man just blinked, his mouth agape, but quickly nodded. Disoriented and still getting used to the size of the blue corridors and colored windows, he passed through a circular room and, before he knew it, as the butler opened a pair of double doors, he was already in another enormous hall.

This time, the hall had a circular ceiling and a chandelier in the center. Columns were deliberately and carefully placed in the corners to support the room. There were a few decorations and portraits here and there; however, what really caught the traveler's attention was the long table and several chairs from one end of the hall to the other.

Above, various appetizers and national foods: pasta, fruits and various drinks, along with silver cutlery sets, napkins, candle holders and decorated porcelain.

“Wow…” He said softly, his eyes widening from one end to the other, when he noticed details even more pronounced than the table itself.

At the end of the table was a strange circular wooden structure, at least lower than the ceiling, like a rod for blue curtains that hung down to the floor, it was completely disconnected from the rest of the room. However, it wasn't just that that caught his attention, but also the smoldering gazes that stared down at him. He wasn't alone.

Two of these figures he already knew: beside the structure, Pierro stood with his eyes closed, finishing a cup of tea; while, standing in a corner of the room, Dottore was smiling, accompanied by a short young man. The new face had his arms crossed and he wore a large hat, with a cautious and equally impatient expression, staring at the traveler with his indigo eyes.

But he wasn't the only one. Turning away from the window leading to the winter garden, a girl with black hair and magenta highlights murmured. Her closed eyes were covered by a semi-transparent lace mask, yet she seemed to watch him with a stoic expression. Next to her, a tall woman with blond hair, one eye covered by a flamboyant black mask, crossed her arms and frowned.

With a clink, he noticed another tall woman with white hair streaked with black. She was sitting at the table, one leg crossed, next to the other two women. A cold, frightening expression on her face, thanks to her piercing, deadly eyes.

At the table, a few nobles and servants who were wandering back and forth stopped to observe him for a moment. Their silent faces varied slightly between puzzled expressions and arched eyebrows.

"O- Oh!" A heat rose in Aether's cheeks, making him put a hand behind his neck. After spending so long without seeing many people, he had grown unaccustomed to so many stares.

“Who...?” The woman with platinum blonde hair was about to start speaking, putting a hand on her waist until she was quickly interrupted.

"He's here." Everyone in the room focused on the solemn, melancholic voice behind the blue curtains. "Did you like your stay in the room?"

"Who? Me?!" The blond looked from side to side, blinking rapidly and bringing an index finger to his face. Then, he swallowed hard and focused on the structure that hid the figure of her Majesty, Tsaritsa. "Well, the bed was comfortable."

He clapped a hand behind his neck. A brief and, for some reason he couldn't quite grasp, tense silence, followed by murmurs and minutely low whispers, permeated for a few more long seconds before the queen continued.

"I'm relieved. Please, sit down, make yourself comfortable." A gloved hand emerged briefly from the curtains, making an expansive gesture over the table. "Join us for breakfast."

Aether's posture stiffened. He sat directly in front of the table, a few chairs away from the woman in the suit. Suddenly, he no longer felt any trace of hunger. It was as if some strange, indescribable weight or sensation weighed down his shoulders, making him lose much of his appetite. He didn't know where to begin, what to say, or what to eat.

It was really a lot.

On the bright side, he managed to calm down quickly. After a few seconds, everyone went back to their usual activities and seemed to tolerate, or even ignore, his presence completely. He was also well received by the servants and paid attention to how the nobles at the table behaved, what they ate, how they used their cutlery. Once he understood the basics of their mannerisms, having breakfast was much easier.

Eventually, most of them had left, including some of the eccentric masked fools. Empty, the long hall seemed even more vast now that it was just him, Pierro, the Tsaritsa, and the occasional noblemen. Even with the commotion, he felt uneasy and couldn't detect any openings that would allow him to ask more questions about the night before.

Pierro's eyes remained closed for most of the time, his frowning expression unchanged, still holding the teacup. As for the Tsaritsa, well, the woman was hidden behind a thick curtain all along, so whether she actually had a warm opening to ask questions was impossible to tell since she remained silent the entire time.

“Well, I think I'll go back to my room.” He gave a sad and defeated sigh, starting to get up from the table.

“Wait.” Tsaritsa asked, making a stop sign with her hand.

“Yes?” The blond stiffened again.

"Remember what we talked about yesterday? About your little tour on Snezhnaya and Snezhnograd?" she asked rhetorically, and even so, Aether nodded. "Well, we were thinking about it, and we thought it would be a good time for you to get to know and familiarize yourself with the capital at least. Our time is short, and we still have a lot to do and explain to you, so we should get started right away."

The queen's way of speaking was so precise and suffocating, yet so subtle and gentle, that it was difficult for Aether to introduce the topic of ' clarify my sister's whereabouts ' without sounding awkward or too rushed. He wanted to, but it was difficult! Before he knew it, Pierro had cleared his throat and continued her monologue.

"Because of this, we thought it was best to introduce you to a good guide. He's very familiar with Snezhnaya and can explain everything about the town to you; I even believe he already arrived." The man's eyes shifted from the pocket watch he subtly held in his hand to the door. "Childe, please come in."

Amidst a creaking sound from the wooden door, a male figure appeared. He was a tall man with messy ginger hair. Wearing a gray jacket and pants ensemble with black boots over a burgundy dress shirt, he hid his hands in his pockets. The jacket was unbuttoned at the bottom, revealing his belt, his Hydro vision, and a brief glimpse of skin. The most striking features of his fashion choice were certainly the scarf and the red mask on his head.

At least the red matched his strangely dull blue eyes.

“You called me, sir?” Childe asked formally, a strange and slightly confused smile on his face.

***

And now, here they were. Sharing a train car in deafening silence.

Although the Zapolyarny Palace was within the Snezhnograd territory, it was in a remote area at the top of the hill, meaning they had to take the train station near the courtyard to descend the mountain to the capital. At least it wasn't a long journey, 15 minutes at most.

Childe, or Tartaglia as they also called him, seemed as surprised as Aether to discover that his current assignment was to show Snezhnograd to the " important visitor from foreign lands." He didn't seem all that bothered, but from the stutters and awkward smiles he gave, along with the rapid blinks, he obviously expected to be called for something more important, or at least different. Being a tour guide wasn't on his radar.

The traveler hadn't initially planned to ask so many questions either. He was restless, and honestly, with all the doubts and queries swirling around in his head, exploring the capital of Snezhnaya at that moment was a bit of a letdown. Especially since he hadn't been able to ask anything during breakfast, his mind was still racing with doubts and eagerness for quick answers.

"You know," Aether was so focused on the scenery that he jumped slightly when he heard Tartaglia's back hit the leather mattress of the carriage seat, "Pierro only usually shows up on important occasions. Not that I care much, of course, but... you must be pretty important for him to ask me something like that."

"Are you uncomfortable being my guide?" The blond made eye contact with the ginger, relaxing his posture a little.

"No, no! Far from it!" Childe gave a weak laugh, shaking his head and hands. "I was just caught off guard. I'm happy with anything her majesty asks of me, and I mean it! I just didn't think it would be like this."

“Breach of expectations?”

“Yeah, I think so.” his smile tilted slightly to the left, shrugging.

"Hm, are you from here in the capital?" Aether's eyes returned to the snow-capped mountains. Settling into his chair, he drew his legs up higher, resting them on the leather seat. Placing his elbow on the windowsill, he rested his head on his hand to continue gazing out the window.

"Oh no, I'm from Morepesok , a coastal village." Childe also turned to face the mountains, calmer now that he'd managed to strike up a conversation. "I actually have an apartment here, but I go there from time to time whenever I can. I have family there."

"Children?" The blond arched an eyebrow, briefly taking his face off the palm of his hand.

"Nah!" The ginger's voice sounded strangely sour with the laugh he gave. "Younger siblings. And you?"

Another long moment of silence sets in again.

“I have a sister. We’re twins.”

“Ah...” Tartaglia blinks a few times and puts a hand behind his neck. “I feel like I asked something I shouldn't have.”

"No, it's okay." Aether shakes his head and lets out a sigh. "You know, you seem pretty relaxed talking to someone you just met."

" Hey, you're a guest of the Tsaritsa herself, aren't you? I think talking about something or other doesn't hurt." He crosses his arms and relaxes in his seat, looking Aether up and down.

“Hm...” Aether watched Childe out of the corner of his eye for a while.

Before they knew it, a hiss of steam began, then stopped, drawing their attention. Taking his hand from his face, Aether watched the door open mechanically into a darker space warmed by lanterns.

"Looks like we're here," Tartaglia grunted, pushing himself up onto his knees. "Come on, I'll show you Snezhnograd."

The ginger turned his head and motioned with his hand for Aether to follow him. Nodding, the blond rose from his seat and followed him out of the train station.

The city was honestly amazing!

Aether was left speechless and awestruck as he walked through Childe's snowy streets and walkways, observing the passersby in their shaggy coats and flowing plumage, and their long, cold-resistant hats.

The architecture was stunning and, to some extent, suffocating. A harsh yet fascinating feeling arose from the reinforced concrete and stone buildings, decorated and stylized with various metal and silver ornaments. It wasn't a bad sensation, but it created a tightness in the chest that matched the hostile aesthetic of the blizzard.

Despite these drawbacks, the cathedrals and other buildings were exquisitely stylized. What struck Aether most at first were the circular domes and columns scattered from one side to the other. The city was also surrounded by a vast wall, with cable car tracks traversing the streets and underground passages here and there.

Most of the buildings featured dark, neutral brick tones, but some were also painted white or blue—the occasional building had more vibrant, colorful hues, but they still didn't clash with the surroundings. The stairway to the theater was quite eye-catching, with a few people sitting on the steps, chatting and eating snacks; incredibly, some even waved to the ginger when they saw him pass.

“You know, sometimes I perform here!” Childe points with a gloved hand to the theater, looking at Aether after returning a wave.

"Seriously?!" Aether turned to face him, raising his voice a little higher than he intended.

"Is it that shocking?" Tartaglia laughed, putting his hands in his pockets again.

"Well, a little, yes. It's just that, looking at your face, it doesn't seem like you're in plays, or that you know how to act." The blond's cheeks heat up a little, involuntarily he puts a hand behind his neck.

“No, I see you. You're not the first one to tell me that, so it's okay.” Even smiling, the ginger couldn't help but sigh and shake his head.

"Now I kinda want to see you perform." Aether couldn't help but put a hand to his chin, extremely curious, giving Childe a soft laugh. "Tell me when the next one will be."

“Got it!”

Tartaglia also introduced some other points of interest and local grocers, explaining some of the region's customs in more depth. From what Aether gathered during his conversations with Childe, the Snezhnayans apparently had a deep connection with loyalty, family, and alcohol, which is evident given the region's extreme climate. According to Tartaglia, drinking together is one way to create connections and deepen bonds in the region.

"And this is one of the capital's restaurants. Some of our soldiers like to take breaks here." The ginger pointed to a slightly smaller building, but with a few people in thick clothing and masks sitting outside. Aether gave a thoughtful murmur. "And of course, I don't mean to brag, but my borsch is much more authentic than the one here."

Between some laughter and more casual conversation, they found themselves near a large, circular open space, with cable car tracks at strategic points and pedestrians passing back and forth. A prominent building in the center of the open space caught Aether's attention.

"This is the central square, and that one over there is the town hall." Childe spread his arms to demonstrate the expanse of the place, then pointed to the prominent building.  “Pulcinella spends most of his time there; he is the mayor, after all. He takes care of minor matters for her Majesty."

“Pulcinella, huh?” The blond tilted his head, which triggered a reaction in Tartaglia's eyes.

"You don't know him?" the ginger asked, with Aether nodding. "Wow, what a surprise. Well, we're kind of coworkers; he helps my family a lot when I'm away too!"

"I see..." Aether replied, a little airy, but his eyes were soon caught by Childe's finger pointing to another building, with an opening outside. A woman in green and brown clothes stared into space, with a smile on her face.

"Ah! And this is the adventurers' guild, a bunch of people work there," he says, crossing his arms briefly. "It was founded here in Snezhnaya, as far as I remember, but they have branches all over Teyvat."

“Impressive!” Aether whistles.

“Ah! And this one here!” The blond's attention was once again captured by the ginger, who enthusiastically went to the center of the square.

Accompanying him, in the center of the square, stood a monumental gray stone statue of a woman above an ornate stone pillar with a gold circlet. The figure held what must have been a scepter in one hand, an orb in the other; her head was bowed, her face hidden by a long veil that fell with her wavy hair.

"This is one of the Statues of the Seven of Snezhnaya!" he said, clutching his chest and a wide smile on his face. "They say it was carved in the image of her Majesty, the Tsaritsa, but everyone in the region who has come face to face with her knows it's a fact. The resemblance is uncanny!"

"So, this is the Tsaritsa...?" Aether's eyes blinked slowly, his eyebrows raised slightly. Although he had spoken to the archon before, it was the first time he had seen her in this form.

"Mm-hmm," Tartaglia crossed his arms and nodded. "The Tsaritsa usually stays in Zapolyarny most of the time and doesn't make many public appearances; but when you can see her face to face, many consider it a sign of blessing and absolute respect. It's an honor!"

Aether let out a low murmur, staring at the statue, especially the orb in her hands. In his mind, he could hear soft whispers, little anecdotes, as if spirits were briefly communicating with him.

Without even thinking, he slowly reached for the golden inscription embedded in the statue's pillar, brushing his fingers against it. Suddenly, a glow erupted from the golden inscriptions, igniting a faint blue radiance!

Soon, a spasm of light lit up from the orb, and a stream of energy, like a magical seal or signature, emerged from within, like a snowflake swirling around pure energy. The energy floated through the air for a moment, before gently touching the diamond ornament on his chest vest; what had been nothing, but a void soon filled with a pale blue light.

Not only the ornament, but other accessories and details of his attire, which had previously been dull black, soon took on light blue hues. It wasn't identical, but the glow briefly reminded him of the white hues he'd possessed when his original powers hadn't yet been sealed.

“What was that?!” Childe blinked rapidly, a surprised smile on his face as he approached Aether.

As he clasped his hands together in front of his torso, Aether's eyes widened, and his jaw opened. A small snowflake began to float gently in his palms. He could feel a burning chill, even through his gloves.

"Wow! I had no idea you could use Cryo!" Childe commented, utterly delighted. With a hand on his chin, he looked Aether up and down to see if he could find any vision, which made his eyebrows arch. The blond had nothing on him.

“Me... me neither.” The traveler repeated, blinking slowly.

Chapter Text

"You mean you felt the elements of the world?!" The Tsaritsa sounded dumbfounded. From the barely discernible shadow behind the throne room curtains, she clearly raised a hand to her chin.

"Yes," Aether nodded and looked at his hands, managing to conjure another snowflake. "I touched the statue and before I knew it, I could do this."

“That's…” Pierro observed Aether's hands, giving a murmur.

"Interesting," Tsaritsa added. "For the people of this world, it's not easy to gain access to elemental powers under normal circumstances."

“I think it's because I'm not from this world.” Aether blows the snowflake forward, watching it breaks into small fragments of ice.

"Hm, that's a good thing. If you managed to acquire cryo powers just from our statue of the seven, then perhaps…" Tsaritsa's voice was low, a whisper followed by a long silence. "Tell me, traveler, you're already quite proficient with swords, aren't you?"

Aether's eyes widened for a moment. He stiffened his spine and involuntarily straightened his posture.

“I- I do, yes I do.” he nodded, a little confused.

“Would you be interested in debuting and practicing with your new powers?”

"Wait, what?!" The blond's eyes blinked rapidly, then he frowned. "But I want answers about my sister's whereabouts!"

"We know. Don't worry, we know." Tsaritsa briefly reached out of the curtain to signal a stop; then, she pointed her index finger upward. "But consider this: even when we provide you with all the information you need, there will come a time when you, on your own, will set out to explore this world."

Her voice was a little stiffer, still soft, but he couldn't help but feel the quick cuts between each melancholy syllable in her tone. It was like someone purposefully speaking in a way that quickly cuts off any remotely plausible arguments to circumvent or prevent an unnecessary or unintended situation.

"Wouldn't you think it would be better to take this opportunity to at least figure out how to better wield your powers while you still can?" she asked.

That was the problem! Aether was more anxious and bristlier than usual. It wasn't like him to be so impatient, but the answers were right in front of him, and he just wanted to clear up the new doubts that were tormenting him!

But she had a good point.

Perhaps there really was information that Tsaritsa and Pierro didn't know, and things they, as they said, purposely wouldn't tell him because it would be better for him to discover it on his own—whatever that information might be. These would depend on his exploration of Teyvat, on his skills, and now, on his new powers.

He already knows that finding his sister won't be an easy task! He knows he won't be able to do it overnight and that it might take years, decades, millennia, who knows, until they leave this world!

If only he knew. If only he could begin to understand the logic of this world, then...

"I," he tried to retort, but to no avail. He just took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll practice. But after that, I'll want the answers!"

"Don't worry, since you already know how to fight with swords, your training will be brief. It's just to test your prowess with your new power. A few sessions for some testing, and then we'll answer all your questions! I promise."

***

Aether wasn't going to lie that, even accepting this training, he was still a little uneasy. Of course, again, the situation he was in was much better than having nothing, but his impatience was still killing him! As mentioned, and for obvious reasons, it wasn't like him to be so impatient; but this time, he had to admit that it was unbearable to have the answers to his questions just a few steps away, yet seeming so distant.

The first time was fine; he was definitely going to be in for information overload, having learned so much in such a short time. But now? It felt like a complete farce, as if Tsaritsa and Pierro were voluntarily—which they were, in a way—choosing not to answer his questions.

"Ah! There you are, buddy," a familiar voice immediately caught the blond off guard. Tartaglia was outside the palace, with his hands in his pockets, his scarf hiding a bit of his chin.

"Childe? You here?" Aether blinked, shaking his head and approaching.

"Obviously. You have a training session, don't you?" The ginger smiled at the corner of his face , narrowing his eyes slightly. "Actually, I'm really curious to know how you do in combat, but I promise to take it easy if it's your first time in a long time!"

"You're going to be my opponent?!" Aether raised his eyebrows and pointed a finger at the redhead and then at himself.

"Of course I will!" His smile was wide but genuine. "Just the Tsaritsa asking me this personally makes me so happy! Come, I'll take you to the Royal Military Academy!"

Looking euphoric, Tartaglia turned, waving for Aether to follow him as he walked toward the mini station near the Zapolyarny yard. Still a bit surprised and spaced out, Aether quickly picked up his pace to follow him to the train.

***

The academy was actually further away from Snezhnograd and in another part of the territory, consistent with the scenarios and descriptions that Aether had memorized from the few books he read about the place.

Like all the visible architecture in Snezhnaya, the academy was sprawling and filled with open corridors and courtyards, its metal structures and foundations giving it an air even heavier and colder than the dining table in Zapolyarny. Aether placed his hands on his shoulders, shivering intensely and perplexed by the ease and casualness Childe seemed to exude.

"Wow, it's been ages since I've been here!" He said with his hands behind his head, waving to some masked soldiers who, cordially but awkwardly, lowered their heads when they saw him.

“Have you ever studied here?” Aether followed right behind, turning his head to see the soldiers, or cadets, now he stops to analyze, returning to follow their path after Tartaglia passed.

“Yeah, but it's been a long, long time! My father brought me here when I was fourteen years old.”

“Fourteen?!” Aether jumped, standing still for a moment before quickening his pace.

“Yup, fourteen!” Childe laughed, stopping right in front of a metal double door and entering a code into a nearby control panel. “Let’s just say I was a… very bad little boy.”

He smiled in a way Aether couldn't quite make out, purring the last words as if to make it seem hyperbolic or playful, maybe even cool or hip, but his dull eyes and the dim light of the freezing room didn't help matters! The blond's few hairs stood on end at the tone of his voice.

“Anyway, we're here!” Tartaglia enters the room and Aether follows right behind.

It was a large, circular indoor arena, similar to the outdoor courtyards. The floor was packed dirt, with tucked boxes, while pipes ran along the walls. Here and there, a few crude metal weapons and advanced technology could be seen tucked into corners. The ceiling above had a compartment separated from the rest of the dome, with curved lines running down the center, like a button that hadn't yet opened.

“Wow! It's big here...” Aether stopped walking, raising his head to observe the ceiling and the metal plates.

"Yeah," Childe said. When the blond lowered his head again, the ginger was already facing away, pulling a bow between his hands. "Shall we begin?"

His smile was wide, and he seemed to delight in simply observing Aether from a distance. Tartaglia moved his fingers around the bow before gripping it tightly. Anyone could see the anxiety and excitement on his grim face. But as they say: a poor man's joy is short-lived.

“Hm, I don't have any weapons.” The blond looked around and shrugged, which made the Childe's eyes widen.

"Wait, seriously?!" Tartaglia jumped and sighed, putting away his bow and returning to the traveler. "Oh, man! And here I am, doing my cool pose to impress you..."

Aether shrugged, closing his eyes and placing a hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh at the guy's youthful disappointment.

"Well, what kind of weapon do you use? Sword? Claymore?" Childe putted one hand in his hair and the other on his waist.

"Sword," Aether replied, managing to hold back his laughter and a small smile plastered on his face, his cheeks slightly puffed out. Before he realized it, he ended up moving away a little on impulse due to the sudden movement of the other's arm.

"Here, you can use it. It's one of the best I have." Childe's voice was soft. In his hands, he held a shining silver sword with a spiral ornament on the hilt.

"Oh! Really?!" Aether's eyes blinked, taking Tartaglia's weapon and sliding a finger along the blade. "Shouldn't it be better if I get one of those over there?"

Aether nodded toward the weapons—among them a few hammers, staffs, and, of course, swords—gathered in the corners of the room. In response, he heard a sigh from Childe's parted lips.

" Pfft, no way! Those over there are nothing. They're good, but not better than mine." Childe puts a hand on his waist, looking at the weapons with a hint of mockery on his face before shifting his gaze to the blond. "Not to mention they have elemental technology embedded in them, so they might end up hindering our learning."

As soon as he handed the sword to the blond, Childe walked back to where he stood and, this time, without ceremony, drew his bow again, staring at the traveler with sharp eyes. An aura of confidence oozed from his posture as he straightened his feet.

"I heard you already know how to handle swords, so I'll skip the boring steps." He smiled and cleared his throat, licking his upper lip. "Just let me know when you're ready and we can begin!"

Aether nodded and took a deep breath, shifting one foot forward, he gave the sword's hilt a light squeeze before relaxing again. Swinging the sword in a circular motion against the wind, he placed it at his side in an offensive pose.

“Ready!”

“Let's go!”

Quickly, Tartaglia places his hand between the bowstring and the hilt, imbuing the arrows with Hydro energy! Aether's eyes flicker, and he unconsciously dodges and moves his body to the side, running and dodging the arrows Childe hits in successive movements. The sound of splashes and shots of water pierces the traveler's ears as each arrow hits and wets the wall.

"See if you can get closer!" The ginger's voice was fast, laughing and seeming to be having fun as he watched the traveler.

Taking a deep breath and keeping his rhythm, Aether simply pressed forward, gripping the hilt of his sword. Just as Tartaglia fired a final shot, Aether pressed his left foot to the ground and gained momentum, quickly swinging his sword in a swift strike that, twisting his torso to the side, Childe managed to dodge.

“Not bad!” Tartaglia says, dispelling the bow in less than a second, replacing it with two sheets of water!

In a counterattack, Tartaglia turns his body and tries to strike with the blade in his left hand against Aether who, with quick reflexes, jumps back, dodging the attack.

"Come on, try to hit me with cryo!" Childe licked his lips and, pressing his foot against the ground, gave a push imbued with Hydro energy, quickly advancing to Aether's side and ready to strike him with his soaked blade.

Aether turned, managing to block it with his sword and then turned to kick the taller man in the stomach, knocking him away. Already breathing heavily, and hearing the other's words, Aether's hands seemed to grow cold! His ears rang with the sharp sound of cracking ice, and looking at the sword, he noticed a thin layer of frost forming from base to tip.

His attention, however, was soon cut off when he heard the sound of an elastic band being pulled!

“Hey, don't get distracted! Pay attention to me!”

Tartaglia screamed hoarsely. Aiming his bow at the ceiling, he immediately fired more arrows upward. At the same time, below Aether, a blue firing symbol seemed to form. Wasting no time, he quickly dodged the three consecutive attacks and, seeing that his sword was coated in frost, decided to test a move. He wasn't sure if it would actually work, but it was worth a try.

With a snarl, he stopped a few feet from Childe and swung his sword above his head in a circle. It was truly magical: from the frost on his blade, icy spikes—almost like daggers—formed and hovered above his head.

“Now!”

Aether thrust his free hand against the wind! Quickly, and to his delight, the Cryo blades positioned themselves and advanced toward Childe. With a euphoric laugh, he was forced to dodge the consecutive attacks with a Hydro thrust against the ground. As they touched the wet ground, the spikes dug in and froze a small portion of the surrounding area.

Aether's heart was pounding, and perhaps because of Childe's infectious energy, he couldn't help but smile. He quickly brought a hand to his mouth to wipe away the sweat and advanced on the ginger, taking advantage of the opening his thorns had created, attacking him from the right. However, he was quickly stopped.

Tartaglia, though holding the bow with one hand, used the other to block the traveler's sword. The expression on his face was mischievous, yet at the same time pure and eager, like a child enjoying a game of tag, or a lion fighting a leopard on dry land.

“You're good!” Childe laughed and licked his upper lip “Very, very good, comrade!”

Feeling a rush of fluids below his feet, which met near Childe, Aether's body convulsed, and he was quickly thrown away by a burst of water as the redhead twisted his body, swiping a finger below his mouth! His smile was wide, but it wasn't scary or frightening, not something that astonished or demotivated. There was truly no other way to describe Tartaglia's face as the most intense, pure euphoria ever seen.

Swallowing hard and concentrating, Aether decided to follow the dance and advanced on Childe again. Drawing the ground with his silver sword, he quickly raised it into the air again and created a circle of ice daggers, which, with his other hand, he advanced on the redhead.

Tartaglia dodged, running towards the wall, he realized that the daggers were guided and were hunting him.

“That's how I like it!” He suddenly turned and went towards Aether who quickly positioned the blade in defense.

However, his eyes widened as he saw Childe make an electro-powered leap above Aether's head, causing the ice daggers to lose their bearings and hurtle toward the blond. Automatically, moving his body before his mind, Aether dragged his foot and kicked against the wind. In the direction of the sweeping motion, spikes of ice formed ahead in a sort of shield that shattered the daggers one by one.

By pure reflex, and sensing Childe's electrifying presence behind him, Aether blocked the spear blade Tartaglia held with both hands. The blond's eyes widened, and, mimicking Childe's movements, he spun out of the blade's reach and quickly propelled himself with Cryo, moving away to the other side of the battlefield.

Taking a deep breath, Aether gripped the sword and adjusted it in his hands, turning to look at the redhead's new appearance. The outfit Childe always wore was now darker grays, with black and red accents. The glaring difference, besides the new weapon, was that his face was hidden by the laughing mask he wore in his hair. On his belt, in place of the Hydro Vision, he now held a similar, yet strangely different, object.

The frame was similar to the vision Tartaglia usually wore on his belt: spiked to the sides with the small Hydro orb in the center; but now, it was a purple orb and had the Fatui symbol in place of the Electro symbol.

The redhead laughed loudly, alerting the blond. Spinning the spear between his hands and adjusting it behind his body, Tartaglia approached at a slow pace, reveling in the adrenaline of battle!

"You're incredible, and you learn so quickly! It's as if you were born with these powers!" His voice was slightly muffled by the mask. "You truly are a formidable individual, being able to stand up to a Harbinger like me. No wonder you're the Tsaritsa's guest of honor!"

With a growl, he immediately bent his legs back and advanced again on Aether, beginning a blade-to-blade clash! As the ginger advanced and tried to strike him, Aether parried the blows, waves and small bursts of energy rippling between the charged and frozen blades. Both were getting closer and closer to the wall, which would be a problem for Aether, and Childe knew it!

"Hey, hey! Can you tell me your name, comrade?!" Tartaglia said between gasps and blows, which ended up taking Aether's concentration a little.

Only now did he realize that, in the short time they had known each other, he had only been introduced as a visitor/traveler, never actually telling Childe his real name, who, at the time, didn't even seem to care about it, only calling him "buddy" and now "comrade".

Repeating the movement from earlier to gain more space, the traveler took a deep breath again, preparing to kick Tartaglia in the face.

"It's Aether!" he shouted, thrusting his foot forward, which, to his surprise, was quickly blocked by Tartaglia's forearm. In a moment the traveler didn't notice, the spear in the messenger's hands transformed into two blades.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Aether!" Childe laughed and spun in the air, narrowly managing to hit Aether in the stomach, who jumped away.

"Ah!" He gasped and lost his balance, putting a hand to his stomach and feeling a tingling sensation, which made his eyebrows arch. "What?!"

Looking at his abdomen, it was just a scratch, no blood! However, what caught his attention was a purple marking. It was a circular symbol, with three other symbols forming something resembling a strangely stylized inverted three-pointed star, all with internal circles.

His attention soon left the mark and turned to the sides, when a circle of energy began to circle his surroundings and tighten like a targeting point, he quickly threw himself forward and was astonished when he saw a thunder strike the point where he was!

“Are you serious?!”

He screamed, but unable to get up, now having to dodge a throw that Childe made with his own spear against the ground, dodging to the other side! Aether began to pant heavily, he was getting too tired to continue like that, but Tartaglia seemed to continue with everything.

Thinking quickly and trying to maintain concentration, while still half-crouched, unable to attack directly, Aether grunted and moved his hand upward, imagining a large ice spike. Sure enough, it was done! In front of him, and next to Tartaglia, the air began to condense on the ground, and in a second, a large ice spike was heading straight for the ginger!

The Harbinger moved away quickly, but not quickly enough! To his surprise, the stalagmite struck him in the face, knocking his mask off and scratching his cheek. Childe stopped moving and stood still briefly, allowing Aether to stand and catch his breath, but only for a moment, tensing as he heard another chuckle from his lips.

"Amazing! Amazing!" Childe said, bringing a gloved hand to his scratched cheek and wiping away a small streak of blood. His smile was wide, and his laugh was loud, too loud. "I want more! More!"

He brought a hand to his face, dropping his weapon and walking directly toward Aether, water twisting and pooling from the ground around his legs. Lightning bolts and sparks also seemed to combine in a bizarre combination, while his hoarse laughter echoed off the metal walls like fiery thunder.

The air was humid and electrified, making Aether's hair stand on end. He blinked rapidly and twisted forward, wasting no time. If his experiences in other worlds had taught him anything, it was that situations like this were not good!

"You need to calm down!" He had his legs crouched down, preparing to gain momentum and strike Childe.

Childe had known something like this could happen and was prepared for the counterattack! With a swift twist of his arms, he grabbed the spear to block the aerial attack. However, he was taken aback when he saw that Aether was not in the air. His fighting stance was further unbalanced when he felt an icy sensation in his legs.

“What?!”

Tartaglia roared, looking down to see the toe of Aether's boot near his legs, and further ahead, between his legs, a thick, diagonal layer of ice pinning him to the ground. In a flurry, the blond stood up and placed his sword inches from the ginger's throat, closing his own eyes and panting heavily.

“Game over.” Aether said with a hoarse and uneven voice, breathing more than speaking.

Childe's eyes blinked rapidly, wide, and his eyebrows were raised to the extreme! Then, what had started as a quick exhale through his teeth turned into a hearty, boyish laugh.

"That was amazing, comrade! Amazing!" He smiled excitedly, also gasping for air, taking a moment to catch his breath, and raising his arms in surrender.

Aether blinked in surprise, but sighed with relief, falling to the ground with a low groan. The ice covering Tartaglia's legs quickly melted away like a block of snow, freeing the ginger from his temporary prison. Childe chuckled a few more times before replacing it with a few hoarse coughs, also falling to the ground just in front of the traveler.

"Are you okay?! " The blond asked, his eyes wide and his hand on Childe’s back. After a few more coughs, he took a deep breath and sat up, filling his lungs with air.

"Yes! I'm fine!" Tartaglia coughed a few more times before shaking his head and inhaling through his nose. Blinking, he pulled out the purple vision from his belt, staring deeply into it.

“I didn't know you had electro vision.” Aether took his hands off the ginger’s back and sat beside him, putting an arm on his knee and letting himself relax.

“It's because it's not a vision, it's a delusion.” Childe clears his throat, showing the object to Aether.

"Delusion? Wow, what an evil name!" Aether let out a sigh, a small smile on the corner of his face.

“Yeah, I think so.” He snorts, hiding the object under his coat before placing his hands on the floor.

"Is there any difference between this and the visions?" The blond boy brought his face closer to his arm, arching his torso. In response, Childe nodded.

"Unlike visions given by the gods, the Fatui and the Tsaritsa are the ones who create the delusions," he chuckles softly and looks up at the closed ceiling. "I received mine when I was appointed Harbinger. It's my medal of honor to her Majesty!"

“Harbinger, huh?”

Aether let out a low breath, quickly turning away when he saw Childe slamming his back against the floor and letting out a hoarse groan, throwing an arm over his eyes. He looked tired and defeated, but he couldn't stop smiling.

"Wow, I've never had so much fun training before! You've got guts, you know that?" The ginger's voice was hoarse from all the shouting, but he didn't seem to be in any discomfort.

"Thank you, you are too." Aether nodded, holding his head in his hand and bringing his knees up to his chin. A moment of calming silence fell over the room, as if the conversation had died away and been swept away by the snow.

“By the way, it's Ajax...” Tartaglia said, still with his forearm against his face.

"What?" Aether asked, taking his head out of his palm.

"My name," he continues. "My birth name is Ajax. Since you told me yours earlier, I thought it would be fair to tell you mine."

The Harbinger swallowed. It took Aether a moment to process the words, due to the fatigue now washing over him, but he nodded and gave him a friendly smile.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Ajax!”

The silence persisted, with Childe removing his forearm from his face to observe Aether, only to turn it to the side, exhaling and drawing more air into his lungs before releasing it again in a heavy gasp.

"Hey," Ajax begins, catching Aether's attention again as he pushes forward, sitting beside him. "If you want, can we train more often? It was... well, I had a lot of fun at least!"

Aether just blinks, eyebrows raised and doesn't immediately show a reaction. Originally, his plan was to refuse and just continue training until it was necessary to test his powers, but he couldn’t help but notice the man’s lowered eyebrows and dull blue eyes that averted eye contact, as well as his gentle smile and flushed cheeks from the rush of blood.

After a few seconds, the traveler gives a long sigh and nods, returning the smile.

“Okay, it wouldn't be so bad!”

Chapter Text

Training with Ajax daily has become a very invigorating experience!

It was part of Aether's new routine to clear his head and hone his Cryo skills in the afternoons. Tartaglia already knew where he was sleeping, so when he knocked three times and then once more on his door, it was because he wanted to and had plenty of time to train.

Of course, training wasn't the only thing Aether did every day. Due to his busy schedule, Childe didn't always have free time to practice. He also used to go to the palace library a lot! After a while in Zapolyarny and began training, he stopped seeing Pierrot and Tsaritsa as often as he had in the early days. This was a bit frustrating, as the conversation they were about to have was dragging on, but at least now he felt comfortable enough to explore the halls.

He found the library by mistake; he was opening a few doors here and there, peeking inside when he came across enormous, countless shelves filled with books! When he was in the office, this was probably where Dottore took his study materials, and now that he had perfected his local language, he had a much wider range of knowledge.

Aether's first thought when he entered the place was to satisfy his curiosity; perhaps he might find something useful or even remotely interesting in those mountains of books. No one asked him not to enter or leave, so he considered himself welcome.

But sometimes, reading all day, holed up at a desk, gets tiring too! So, it also became Aether's habit to take the train and cable cars down to Snezhnograd and browse the shops and window displays. He didn't buy anything! The only Mora he had was what he found in a lost chest here and there in the city, and that’s when Tartaglia wasn't the one buying them things on their regular post-workout outings.

He did venture outside the gates in search of a few more chests, just for funsies – the guards at the entrance were already familiar with him, so getting out wasn't a problem – but the constant fog and occasional snowstorms forced him to stay out of the way, unfortunately.

The good thing about getting used to being out and about is that it's much easier to meet new faces. The small groups of Snezhnayans might seem suspicious and reclusive at first glance—very close to friends and family, but not very open to strangers right away. But appearances can quickly be deceiving; they're very easy to befriend and very welcoming, especially with Childe involved!

Childe was a well-known figure in the region, he already knew that, and he seemed to be highly respected by many. Just being near him, those who occasionally encountered them on the street began to wave and greet Aether as he walked through the capital on his own. The soldiers traveling from Zapolyarny to the city and from the city to Zapolyarny were also included; sometimes he even exchanged small talk with some as they caught the same train.

Although not a fan nor extrovert, chatting with people from time to time was good and made the atmosphere lighter, and that includes breakfast!

The first one had been awkward, but the others followed and followed, until they became part of the routine. Aether knew how to behave, but he also didn't need to walk on eggshells. He ate whatever he wanted and could order as many cups of coffee or tea as he wanted from the staff without feeling overbearing, bothersome, or hungry. The people who drank coffee there no longer whispered about him, if not waved or said good morning!

Only occasionally, both in the dining room and in the corridors, he'd catch sight of some of the people he'd seen on his first day, but with most of them he hadn't found much openness to communicating or conversing, and that was when he actually met them. They were much stiffer and much less warm than the other people and servants in the palace.

One of the biggest exceptions to the rule was Dottore, who was already familiar and known to the traveler. After learning of Aether's elemental powers, he would occasionally knock on his door to discuss certain topics. He continued his office questionnaires, this time focusing more on elemental prowess and reactions, but that wasn't much more than that. He seemed a bit like a mad scientist, but on the surface, at least, he was a calm guy.

Childe explained that both Dottore—the ginger expressed some surprise when Aether said he already knew him—and some others he saw in the dining room were his other coworkers. Thanks to this, the blond was able to capture and memorize some names and codenames, such as the Signora, the Knave, and the Balladeer. He also learned of a few others, but he never saw their faces, such as the Marionette, the Captain, and the Rooster himself, or Pulcinella, as he remembered.

In some of his many training and post-training conversations, mostly lip service, Tartaglia also explained and talked about his work as a harbinger Apparently, the messengers were the Fatui's executive heads, each with a division within the agency—with him proudly claiming to be the head of the debt department— and responsible for, in his own words, helping the Tsaritsa "spread her vision" throughout the world; a bit confusing, but one could get the gist of what he meant from there.

The Harbingers were also politically influential and very wealthy figures, which isn't a huge surprise considering the ginger's popularity. This also explained Ajax's sudden kindness when he told Aether "not to worry about returning the money", or that "it wasn't necessary."

However, Aether couldn't help but notice the way Tartaglia spoke of his colleagues; his voice and mannerisms weren't friendly or zealous, his furrowed brows and averted glances weren't things he seemed to want to hide or disguise, and a strong aura of gossip, slander, and disdain permeated whenever they touched on the subject.

“Just be very careful around them. Don't let your guard down.”

Aether remembers well those words Childe said after a session. It could have been a trivial warning that would have been easily forgotten the next day, but the serious way he looked into his eyes made the blond store it in his subconscious. But it was a bit ironic: if Aether should be careful and alert of the other messengers, shouldn't he be wary of Tartaglia as well?

Aether lay on his bed, swinging his feet in his room, humming and distracting himself with yet another random book he'd picked up from the library. One of the peculiarities of the Zapolyarny library is that it contained numerous copies of books and texts from other nations, so the one he held in his hand was a copy of 'The Pale Princess and the Six Pygmies.' He was really just reading for the sake of reading; the afternoon was chilly, and he didn't have much interest in going out at the moment—that is, until he heard a knock on the door.

At first, he thought it was Tartaglia inviting him to train, but the knock was softly different: just three consecutive knocks. When Aether looked at the door, his eyebrows arched, and he quickly went to answer it.

"Coming!" Jumping out of bed, he walked to the door and opened it, expecting it to be some employee or something. However, his eyes shifted from his perspective upwards, making his jaw drop.

The man before him was tall, very tall, with a broad, robust frame and thick shoulders. Beneath his black winter coat, he appeared to be wearing a bodysuit with gold chains, which matched his pants and boots. However, the real shock was his face, or rather, the ornate helmet that hid it, except for his black hair that flowed down his shoulders and back.

“Who...?” Aether's voice was low, and his blinks were irregular as he kept his head raised.

The size difference was absurd! The blond's head barely reached the man's chest, stopping near his abdomen.

"Are you the traveler from another world?" The man asked hoarsely, lowering his head to examine Aether, remaining silent for a few seconds. "You really do look like her."

As soon as he heard these words, Aether froze, his heart pounding, and he felt a strange sensation in his stomach. He had been so distracted by his training and his time exploring Snezhnograd that he had completely forgotten about the hearing and the questions he would ask the Tsaritsa and Pierro about his sister. How much time has passed?!

"My codename is Captain, but you can call me Capitano," the man said, raising a hand adorned with metal claws to his chest in greeting. "The Tsaritsa personally asked me to summon you."

Aether was slightly disoriented. Time had passed so quickly, and he'd been so focused on his time with Tartaglia and in Snezhnograd that he'd forgotten to ask his questions, especially since Tsaritsa and Pierro had simply vanished! In fact, you could say he'd been putting them away and letting himself calm down. It was just as he'd said, the little spars with the Harbinger were quite refreshing.

All he could do upon hearing Capitano's words was nod and allow himself to be escorted through the icy, empty palace, with him right beside him, just a few steps ahead. As he walked through the new corridors he hadn't yet entered—or if he had, he couldn't quite remember—the questions flooded back into his head, and not only that, but a new one arose: who was this man, and how did he know about his sister?

Okay, his name was Capitano; Childe had already spoken of him with great admiration and respect. He was also a Harbinger, but not just any Harbinger; he was one of the Harbinger alongside Dottore and that other girl, Damsellete. From what the ginger had told him, these three were the most powerful among the eleven, as their hierarchy was based on power level. But that still didn't answer the second question: how did he know about Lumine?!

Before he could ask anything or even think of what question to ask, he heard the man clear his throat, turning and lowering his head, looking at the traveler directly as he slowed his steps to stand closer to his side.

"You must be tense and full of questions about me," his voice was soft and polite. "Honestly, I'm also very curious about you, but for now, that doesn't concern me. We're here to finally answer all your questions."

He turned, looking at the traveler and stopping, his hand on the handle of a rustic door. This time, they were in another corridor, not at all like the throne room. There were few doors in that particular area, and the one ahead was right in the center.

"Come, let's go in," the man said subtly, opening the door and entering, quickly followed by the traveler. "Your Majesty, we are here."

Aether's body shivered as he felt a sudden, chilling cold upon entering the room, involuntarily making him clasp his hands to his shoulders. The room had dark blue walls that contrasted with the pinkish-red carpet. Strategically placed, white pillars ran alongside the arches of the white ceiling—similar to those in his own room.

What stood out were the two large golden columns that extended on thick wooden rods up to the wall, giving way to thick blue curtains that hung in front of what must have been a large double bed. A central chandelier and smaller candlesticks hung from the center and four corners of the ceiling, all bearing thick candles that seemed to burn, rather than flames, by crystal fragments floating above the melted wax. These candles were not only on the ceiling but also scattered across the floor of the room.

Like the blond's room, the room also featured dark blue, and gold upholstered furniture and surfaces. Two chairs leaned against one of the gold columns; in front of the bed, a small table with two armchairs; while on the right wall, there was a sofa, more armchairs, and a smaller table with a tea set. This didn't even include the shelves, nightstands, dressing table, and other chic and refined furniture adorned in gold.

Another thing that caught his attention was a large window jutting out from the wall opposite the bed, much like his own bedroom—except much larger and more furnished—with a padded surface lined with pillows and cushions, along with fine silk curtains that gently fell downward. From there, he could see the view of one of the largest snow-capped mountains in Snezhnaya.

A small noise caught Aether's attention. He noticed that, in front of the bed, sitting in one of the armchairs, Pierro was observing the table, which held a chess set. A white pawn had just moved on its own, under a thin layer of ice, knocking over a black bishop.

“I'm glad you arrived.”

The ethereal feminine voice already embedded in the traveler's head spoke from the bed. The Tsaritsa's silhouette was visible against the dark cloth thanks to the candlelight, her long, wavy hair falling across the mattress. She sat with her hands in her lap, seemingly studying the table before turning her face to the curtain, but—obviously—without removing it to reveal her face.

Pierro nodded, picking up the dropped bishop and placing it on the table, off the board. He turned sideways in his chair, one leg over the other, as he watched Capitano and Aether.

“We were waiting for Capitano to pick you up, please sit with us.” He gestured to the chair in front of him in a friendly manner.

The blond swallowed hard, but nodded, slowly turning to sit next to Pierro and realizing that the curtains facing the bedroom window were also closed, not that that hindered the view of her majesty's silhouette.

“Sorry... for interrupting the game.” Aether said uneasily, putting a hand behind his neck.

"Don't worry, we were just killing time." Tsaritsa seemed to wave a hand, her voice echoing softly through the arches of the vast ceiling. "Sit down, too, Capitano. You don't have to stand."

Capitano nodded, walking to one of the armchairs against the wall and sitting upright, his spine rigid against the cushions. A few brief moments of silence passed before the Tsaritsa let out a small sigh.

"Well, the day has come. I'm sorry for the delay, but it's finally time for this conversation," she whispered, turning forward in bed and gesturing to Capitano with a hand. "I believe the Captain has already introduced himself, yes? I thought it would be interesting to wait for him to return from an expedition so he could join us."

“Wait? But why?” Aether arched an eyebrow, frank.

"I happen to be from Khaenri'ah as well," the man said from behind, placing his elbows on the armrests of the chair. "At first, I was also confused about the invitation, but when Pierro told me you were the princess's brother, I thought I should attend."

Aether blinked and turned to Capitano, frowning.

"Hold on, princess? What princess?!" The blond's voice sounded a little louder than he intended.

"Five hundred years ago, your sister appeared in our lands," Pierro picked up a bishop piece from the table, twirling it between his fingers. "And the ancient king of the Eclipse dynasty saw hope in her, crowning her Princess of Khaenri'ah."

“I remember the ceremony; it was proclaimed that she would be the heir to the throne and savior of our people.” Capitano complemented the Jester’s words, with a slight bitterness in his tone.

"But then it happened... the Cataclysm." Pierro stopped staring at the piece, letting out a long sigh before looking away to meet Aether's. "Our nation and my compatriots were condemned by the audacity of sinners and the pride of the deities, and I was unable to prevent them from this folly."

“And all this... was five hundred years ago?! I didn't know humans on this planet could live so long.” Aether swallows dryly, placing both hands on his knees.

"It's because they don't," Tsaritsa continued, and from her shadow and the sounds, she seemed to lie down on the mattress with her hands below her face. "Do you remember Ronova, the ruler of death?"

“For us of pure blood, a curse of immortality was cast upon as punishment for the error of some.” Capitano's voice sounded hoarse as he clenched his hands.

"That was truly a tragedy for the history of the world. Not only for Khaenri'ah, but for all of Teyvat." Tsaritsa's voice cracked slightly as she sighed, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I am witness. We are all witnesses."

"We? Who’s we? The Fatui?" Aether looked at the three. Suddenly, he felt an intense chill coming from the bed.

"The Seven," the traveler glanced out of the corner of his eye, noticing the edges of the curtains condense into frost along with the Archon's robust words. "After the calamity spread across the continent, they were all summoned to Khaenri'ah. Including the former Archon Cryo."

Pierro glanced at the bed curtains from his peripheral vision before adjusting his posture, clearing his throat and placing the bishop back on the table.

"As soon as Khaenri'ah was destroyed, and the curse was cast upon the pure-bloods, I joined her majesty and became the first Fatuus." The man looked at the pieces on the board. "You could say we are the result of the catastrophe."

"So, Lumine was in the cataclysm?" Aether wondered softly, piecing together the timeline with the memory of the two leaving Teyvat.

“During the cataclysm I can't say, we couldn't find her anywhere.” Capitano retorted, placing great emphasis on 'during'.

“So, when we tried to leave here...” Aether put a hand to his chin, reflective.

"It was precisely around this time that you found Asmoday," Pierro nodded. "In her early years in Khaenri'ah, your sister didn't speak of the past, didn't even seem to remember it. That was until she told us she had memories of a lost brother but couldn't find him anywhere."

"Still, she remained in Khaenri'ah until that moment." Capitano bowed and leaned on his knees, clasping his hands together. "The last time I saw the princess, she was traveling through Teyvat after the catastrophe."

"After?!" Aether's eyes blinked slowly, and his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. He lowered his head, staring at the ground before clapping a hand over his mouth. "If she was traveling in Teyvat after the cataclysm and the last time we saw each other was during the confrontation with Asmoday, then I... I've probably been asleep for five hundred years."

He leaned back against the chair, lifting his head and staring at the intricate patterns of the delicately ornamented snowflakes on the ceiling arches. His mind and body were in a jumble of emotions.

On the one hand, he now knew a lot, a lot indeed! During the time they arrived and were in hibernation, Lumine had lived for a time in Khaenri'ah; when she discovered and awakened him, the cataclysm had begun, and when they tried to escape, they were stopped by Asmoday, ruler of space. As soon as they were separated, Aether fell into another deep sleep, while his sister explored Teyvat on her own.

Aether's mind felt clear now, but at the same time, he felt a knot and butterflies in his stomach that involuntarily made him hug his own stomach. If Lumine explored Teyvat, then she must still be somewhere, right?

"Do you know where Lumine is now?" Aether turned his head to look at the three, but an awkward silence remained.

“Her whereabouts are inconclusive,” Tsaritsa whispered from behind the curtains. “However, I need to be frank with you, Aether, so you can hear our proposal.”

“Proposal?” The blond repeated.

"Our corporation is not and never will be ideal. We have flaws and adopt methods that may indeed be considered vile by most." The sovereign seemed to wave a hand. "Tartaglia must have already told you about my Harbingers. We are not saints, nor heroes, and we are far from it. Our actions can be considered worthy of repudiation. I don't want to scare you, and that's why I speak these words with an open heart."

Aether merely watched, nodding and straightening his posture once more. Her Majesty the Tsaritsa's voice was more imposing and measured, like that of a true sovereign, even with the notes of regret and sadness in the back of her throat.

"But my goal, our goal, is to end the injustice of this world, to free it from the corruption of usurpers and reshape it for a new era of peace, where both humans and gods, where all beings, can live without wars, without the injustices proclaimed by higher powers, and without the terrible and bitter feeling of impotence. My allies and I will spare no resources to help you find her." As Tsaritsa continued her monologue, Pierro and Capitano straightened their postures, rising from their chairs and placing a hand on their chests. "That is why I need you to tell me: Aether, child of the stars and interstellar traveler, do you accept to join our cause and destroy those who forcibly separate you from your own flesh and blood?"

Aether stared blankly at her for a moment. In his perception of the Fatui, some people seemed quite rude, and he could sense a disturbance in the air, but other than that, what bad things had they done that he knew of? The Tsaritsa sheltered him in the palace; he receives food every day and has every right to explore if he wishes. The soldiers he's interacted with on the few occasions he's met have been kind to him. The blond has never been threatened, mistreated, or abused in any way.

Not only that, but they were also willing to help him find his sister. The Tsaritsa's words, even if hidden behind the curtains, seemed genuine. He couldn't detect any vile or cruel intention to stab him in the back.

Honestly, this was the easiest route. They had people, information, and resources—far more than he would have had if he'd tried to find his sister alone. It's almost plausible that, in this single conversation, Aether may have saved himself months or even years of searching for information.

Of course, they seemed to be in some mad rebellion against the Heavenly Principles and those shadows—including Asmoday—or at least, wanting to start one. It was never Aether and Lumine's nature, as travelers, to get involved in the individual controversies of the planets or nations they entered. When there were chaos and conflict permeating the air, they simply flew to the next. It had always, always been this way since the destruction of their homeland.

But this time? Well, this time he had reasons to be angry.

He had reason to demand answers directly from the heavens.

Yeah. Weighing the pros and cons, he really had no logical reason to refuse. Anyway, if he wanted to, he could just leave; it wouldn't be the first time they'd turned their backs on the world's problems anyway.

Aether rose from his chair, standing in front of the curtains, raised his head, and exchanged glances with the ghostly silhouette of the Cryo Archon, who solemnly rested her hands in her lap. He nodded. A golden, determined, and concise gleam in his eyes.

He would get his sister back and they would get off that world, no matter what the cost.

“I accept.”

Chapter Text

“Comrade, I'm going in.”

Tartaglia knocked on the traveler's room door three times, followed by another. Pushing the handle, he blinked a few times, adjusting to the sunlight before gasping for air. He stood frozen in front of the door, his mouth open, as if all the air in his lungs had simply been sucked out, his blinking briefly slowing.

“Wow...!” His voice was low, almost an imperceptible murmur.

The traveler sat on the cushioned surface of the bay window, resting his back against the cushions and gazing at the sky with a monotonous but indecipherable gaze, as if pondering things he didn't want to tell everyone. But what stood out was the long, wavy golden locks that fell over his shoulders and back!

Aether's hair was unbraided and much longer than it looked, the golden-yellow waves falling gently and naturally down his back, reaching the window mattress in a larger clump. The boy played with a strand on his shoulder, sliding it through his fingers before turning his head, giving Tartaglia a gentle smile when he saw him in the doorway.

“Good morning.” The blond threw his hair back, joining it with the other glorious locks.

“Day.” Childe blinked a few more times, shaking his head and unceremoniously entering the room.

"What kind of dumb face is that?" Aether teased, chuckling softly and placing a hand on his chin. "Did you see a ghost?"

"Did you take out your braids?" The ginger clenched his fist, biting the inside of his cheek to avoid touching the striking locks.

“Yes, my hair was already very tangled, sooner or later I would have to wash it.” He sighs, looking back at the window with his hands in his lap.

"You seem a little downcast, is something wrong?" Tartaglia blinked a few times, scratching the back of his neck.

"It's nothing, it's just..." Aether sighed again before continuing, playing with one of the strands again. "Well, my sister was the one who did my braids for me, I never learned how to do it on my own."

Childe blinked a few more times, taking a deep breath before exhaling through his nose. An unusual, solemn, almost imperceptible glow reflected from his sclera, giving a brief sign of life in the dull, opaque blue. Removing his hand from the back of his neck, he quickly ran it through his hair and held it out to the traveler.

"Well, if you want, I can braid your hair for you!" The ginger swallowed, trying to sound as natural and calm as he could in the face of such ethereal beauty. "I mean, I've braided Tonia's hair a few times, so I think I can handle it! That is, if you want, of course."

Arching an eyebrow, Aether looked Tartaglia up and down again, grabbing the strand of hair and bringing it closer to his face. He murmured, seeing traces of confusion in the man's expression, along with the faint blush on his cheeks—a tiny, barely perceptible pink.

Honestly, one issue for Aether was physical touch. For him, touches or hugs from strangers or people he wasn't very close to made him uncomfortable; it felt like a tightness in his chest and a piercing pain in his stomach whenever they got too close to him. However, it wasn't just his body that mattered; his hair was also something he treated with the utmost care; it was one of his greatest prides; not just anyone had the right to braid his hair.

This made him wonder: what was his situation with Childe? Initially, he was one of the Tsaritsa's employees and the one responsible for acting as his tour guide. However, after they began training together, he saw more sides of him that, as he himself claimed, could only be seen through war. Tartaglia was direct, proud, and confident, perhaps even bloodthirsty and naive, but he was also friendly and playful. He helped him with his training, never once underestimated his strength, and always took him out to eat, regardless of the return on his money.

He certainly had his dark side; you could see a fragment of it just by his constant obsession with battle and conflict, but he was still charismatic and entertaining. Even if he might have had a hint of evil—something Aether didn't underestimate, just to be clear—the blond could still see the man's ardent love for his family, his affection for his homeland, and his devotion to his Archon. He was loyal, very loyal.

Tartaglia was not a bad guy, not to him at least.

But could that be considered close enough for just the few weeks they'd spent together? Well, he'd been here for about a month, a month and a half at least. Could he already trust such a significant part of himself to him like that?

Looking back at Childe, Aether noticed his expression was a little nervous, as if he were trying to sound natural. He wasn't the first to be enchanted by his hair; some human species from other worlds he'd visited had acted the same way. Aether might not be as communicative or expressive as Lumine, but he wasn't a fool nor naive either.

"Hm," the blond pondered, his head tilted to the ceiling, considering his possibilities. Sighing, he nodded, rising from the surface. "Okay, but if it gets bad, I'll ruin your pretty face."

“You won't be disappointed!” Childe winked, making an 'okay' sign with his hands.

“It's silky…” the taller spoke at the same speed as a snail, settling himself in bed and sliding his hands carefully through the soft strands, already separating the locks to curl them.

"Thank you." Aether nodded, straightening his spine and bringing his hands to his toes. Tartaglia hadn't lied when he said he'd be careful; at least he didn't feel any hair pulling.

"Hey, comrade... no, Aether." Tartaglia seemed to shake his head, already starting to braid. His voice was a little hoarse, which forced him to clear his throat. "Can I ask you a question?"

The traveler just nodded, giving a murmur.

"I was just hearing some whispers around the palace, you know, subordinates talking about their shifts and stuff," the ginger was careful not only with the golden hair, but with his words. "I remember you told me you were a guest, and I thought you wouldn't stay long; but I wanted to know: is it true you're joining the Fatui?"

Aether's posture stiffened slightly. He couldn't tell if it was the other man's strange tone, but he felt his heart sink a little, making him nod and swallow hard.

"Yes, I accepted," Aether murmured, as if he wanted to keep a secret from the world. He turned his head and eyes slightly to get a better look at Tartaglia's face. "Why? Shouldn't I?"

"What? No, no!" Childe shook his head, managing to finish half of the blonde beauty's braids. He sighed, lowering his eyes and letting a smile take over his face. "I really don't know why, but... actually, I'm really glad you're not leaving."

When he finished, Tartaglia placed the ornament that held back the remains of Aether's hair and ran a hand through his own honestly well-done work, feeling the gaps and curves of the shiny strands. He let himself bite the corner of his cheek and rest his head in the curve of the blond's neck, his ginger hair blending against the blond strands. The sudden contact made Aether jump in surprise, but incredibly, he didn't pull away.

"I really don't know why, but I'm so happy! I think it's because I like training with you," he repeated, his voice soft and low, as if he hadn't expressed a similar feeling in decades. "I guess that makes us real comrades, doesn't it?"

“I think so...”

Aether just let Childe stay for a few more seconds, looking down at his own blanket and his own hands on his feet, pressing his fingers against the tips of his shoes.

With a deep breath, the ginger stood up again and removed his hands from the traveler's now tidy hair, making it gently fall against the exposed part of his back.

"Well, anyway, it's ready!" He cleared his throat. "How did it turn out?"

Aether blinked and quickly picked up Childe's braid, bringing it forward to examine. He felt no pain in the process, and indeed, the strands seemed to have been treated delicately. As he ran his hand through it, he felt the softness and silkiness of his own hair.

"Yeah, it turned out well." The traveler turned to face the ginger’s dazed expression, smiling gently in return. "Thank you."

"Nah, it was nothing!" Tartaglia's first reaction was to put a hand to his chin and look away, placing his other hand on one of his crossed knees. He looked away for a few long seconds, before bringing his hand back to his neck and exchanging eye contact with Aether again. "But you don't look bad with your hair down either!"

"Really? I guess it's okay if I let it loose every now and then." Aether gave a soft laugh, which made Tartaglia stare at him a little longer for a few more seconds.

"So, have you received a mission already?" Tartaglia relaxes on the mattress, controlling his breathing better.

Aether shakes his head, bringing his elbows to his legs to support his head.

“No, not yet, but the Tsaritsa said she wants to propose a kind of test to me.” The blond looked at Tartaglia's boots, his mind in another corner of the world.

***

Aether was back in the throne room, facing the sovereign who sat on the glacial throne, still mysterious and dreamlike beneath the thick layers of curtains covering her face. Pierro, as always, remained nearby.

“Since you accepted our proposal, I would like to propose a test.” The queen whispered.

“A test?” Aether's tone was curious, which triggered a nod from her Majesty.

"Yes, there's a lot we can't tell you yet, things that need to remain secret for now. However, you will witness an event, and what I'm about to explain to you is risky for us, but a risk I'm willing to take to maintain your trust."

In a rustle of the curtains, the royal highness held between gentle fingers what appeared to be some kind of object, it was like a chess piece, with golden ornaments and a jewel in a light blue tone, similar to a jade or an agate.

"This is a Gnosis," the queen continued her monologue, a bitter note in her words. "More than a vision or a mere ornament, they are the symbol of an Archon's authority, the proof of their ascension. Every Archon of every nation in Teyvat possesses one, and they are directly linked to the Heavenly Principles."

Aether blinked a few times and frowned before nodding, trying to follow the sovereign's train of thought when he saw her retract the object into the curtains again.

"I need them. They're one of the key elements to my plan." She pauses and takes a deep breath, clearing her throat. "To that end, I assure you we will spare no effort or means necessary to obtain them, and that's where you come in."

"Me?" Aether lifted his head on impulse. The monarch's figure settled into the throne and seemed to nod.

"I want you to watch and draw your own conclusions about our methods. Be an observer and follow your heart," she seemed to mix tones of voice that were both a request and an order. "Only after you glimpse the anecdotes of our plan, our purpose, and draw your own conclusions, only then can we be certain that you are the missing piece in our scheme against the world."

Aether swallowed, unable to help but feel his own heart pound. Frankly, creating mysteries and too much expectation wasn't his cup of tea. Regardless, he nodded.

"Great, I'm grateful," Her Majesty rose from the throne, returning the gesture. "As soon as the time comes, we will officially summon you. Until then, know that your journey will begin in Mondstadt."

Before Aether could leave the throne room, he was stopped by a cough from Pierro.

"And if you can, keep the Gnosis information secret for now." The man glanced at the blond out of the corner of his eye, placing a hand over his mouth. "Not all Harbingers had access to this information yet."

***

"Mondstadt, is it?" The ginger raised a hand to his chin.

“Yes, but they didn't tell me anything other than that.” Aether tilted his head, which made his cheeks stick out a little over the palms of his hands.

"I know how it is; they haven't told me everything yet either! But I already know a good part of the scheme, at least!" Tartaglia nodded. "I know it's something big, really big, and it involves the Seven Nations! Probably the Seven Archons too."

Aether nodded, straightening his spine and shaking his head, making his neck crack.

"Probably." He looked up, his back thumping against the mattress. His eyes flickered back and forth rapidly as he thought, already knowing that the Tsaritsa's scheme against the divine involved these Gnoses, but not yet fully understanding the whys or the methods she would use to obtain them from the other Archons.

There was still much Aether didn't know, much he hadn't been told, but one thing rang almost certain: these were the first scribbles of the beginning of Tsaritsa's rebellion against the old world. As he pondered for a moment, the traveler's mind was cut off by the sound of something jumping off his bed and a grunt from the ginger, who leaped out.

"Honestly, I can't explain it, I really don't. But my heart won't stop pounding!" Childe exclaimed, stretching his back and stretching his arms, a wide, genuinely enthusiastic smile on his face. He turned to Aether, clutching his jacket to his chest. "I just need to calm down, comrade!"

As soon as he said this, he looked Aether up and down and took a deep breath, offering him a warm hand without saying anything else. Of course, he didn't need to say anything else; his wide smile and agitated eyes were already good signs. The traveler was already familiar enough with the ginger to understand most of his mannerisms: "I'm very stimulated, let's fight!"

"Me too," Aether chuckled again, accepting Tartaglia's help to get up, even though, honestly, he didn't need it. "Comrade."

Chapter Text

Aether walked with two soldiers from the Zapolyarny Palace. Their boots stomped against the hard wood of the grand harbor in one of Snezhnaya's coastal towns. His ears were filled with the sound of the tide lapping and the muffled words of workers who, even at this late hour, either continued to pace or sat on the edge of the docks, chatting by starlight.

The odor of the place was strong and dense, a blend of different sources, from sea salt to nets filled with tons of dead fish, to the eccentric notes of smoke and coal from the distant factories and the drunken smokers who came and went. The blond's nose and lungs burned not only from the chaotic, vivid smell, but also from the eternal cold.

Even though it wasn't snowing that particular night, the icy winds still blew across the sea and the dark sky adorned by stardrops and the silver moon, as well as the undulating beams of light that danced in the distance in a beautiful aurora borealis.

This wasn't the first time Aether had seen one. He'd seen them on other planets of pure ice and snow he'd visited with his sister in the past, so it wasn't necessarily a new sight. However, this was the first time he'd seen them alone.

Well, “alone” wasn’t quite the right term.

It happened just the night before.

***

"Come here, I want to show you something!" Childe laughed and pointed to the top, climbing a small hill away from the walls of Snezhnograd, their footsteps crunching the frost on the soft grass.

"What's up, seriously?" Aether chuckled back. When they stopped climbing, his eyes widened, and his eyebrows arched as he took in the night sky. "Wow!"

Just ahead of them, beams and curtains of greenish light danced in harmony, gliding through the air and moving toward the horizon with the purest tuning and beauty imaginable. The strong, vivid hues blended, mingling with the sea of stars in the dark blue blanket, further accentuating the glow of the silvery moon.

“This time of year, Snezhnaya’s snowfalls ease a bit." Tartaglia's eyes, as opaque as ever, seemed to resonate with the cosmic glow. He turned to look at the blond, his eyes narrowing and his smile widening with a warmth that could melt a glacier. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes." Aether nodded, sitting down on the frigid grass to gaze at the floating lights. He adjusted one leg closer to his torso, admiring the greenery and the shades of purple and pink that also clung to the celestial figure. "I think they're magnificent."

"This isn't the first time you've seen one, is it?" The ginger leaned his face against his shoulder, still smiling gently as he sat down next to the traveler.

“I've seen it a few other times...” the blond sighed, lowering his head to his knees “with my sister.”

A moment of silence fell over them both, ghostly lights illuminating their bodies against the deadly breeze and the astral spectacle. Tartaglia simply watched the blond, frowning at his obvious melancholy, and breathed heavily. Suddenly, he slid a hand over the traveler's, briefly startling him.

“Childe?” Aether straightened his spine, but without removing or pushing away the other's hand, even though it was a common impulsive habit.

“You know, there's a reason why I brought you here.”

The ginger averted his eyes, still smiling softly, a small blush on his nose and cheeks from the cold. Even knowing him a little better over the past few weeks, Aether couldn't help but sense a more youthful air about Ajax. He just continued to stare at him, blinking, his gaze fixed on his solitary figure.

Placing his hand on the grass and moving a little closer to the blond, Tartaglia summoned it between his hands and slid it down his back, the movement so smooth and gentle it was as if time had slowed and the icy winds had subsided. Aether felt a light weight, a press of something warm and cozy that hit his shoulders and gently fell to his exposed back.

"I know you've gotten used to the cold," Childe cleared his throat, lowering his voice to a zealous tone. "But Snezhnaya’s sea is even harsher than dry land, so I wanted you to take this with you. I don't want you to get sick in any way."

Aether ran his hand over the material. With a slight gasp, he adjusted his eyes and body, which adapted to the object that was so suddenly placed on his shoulders.

“Ajax, this is...” He began to speak.

"Well, we don't know how long you'll be gone, so consider this a 'see you soon' gift!" Tartaglia grunted as he stood up, quickly offering a hand to the traveler, chuckling softly. "Have a safe trip, comrade."

***

As he walked along the frigid, creaking wooden planks, the traveler reached his destination. Beside the dock, and a few meters away, stood a large metal boat—not immense, but large enough to hold at least a fleet of fishermen. His eyes blinked, and his hands clutched the gift the ginger had given him as he felt a dense, coagulating, almost supernatural chill course through his body.

Childe's gift? A jacket. From what Tartaglia had said, it was a beastskin jacket—it must have cost an arm and a leg, but the traveler didn't dare ask. It was a bit loose for his body, making it hang low on his shoulders, but short enough to fall to his waist. It was black with brown accents, shades very similar to the clothes he already wore daily, and with whitish feathering on the neck cap and sleeves. The fabric was soft and fluffy on the inside, yet elegant, and even gave off a certain sense of grandeur on the outside.

The traveler's knuckles tingled with the firm grip on the garment as his eyes dropped from the wooden boards and rose to observe, just ahead, his new traveling companion.

"So, you're the guest of honor?" The refined woman's tone, standing a few meters in front of the boat, was harsh and venomous.

Her posture didn't help matters. She exuded a rigid, brutal energy with her sharp, crystalline eyes and elegant, yet cruel and impetuous-looking dress. Her posture was intoned and refined, yet sharp, with a gloved arm below her bust supporting her elbow; forearm raised slightly in front of her face. However, what stood out the most was not only her funerary mask, which covered the right side of her face, but also the marble object hovering just inches away.

Aether blinked and felt a shiver run down his spine. He remembered her.

"You were that woman in the dining room!" He stated before thinking, which made her eyes widen subtly.

"Oh my! It seems you remember me too," she huffed, crossing her arms and lowering her gaze to maintain eye contact with the younger man. "That's good; it makes official introductions easier. I'm Signora, the Eighth Harbinger of the Fatui. You don't need to worry about yourself; I've already been briefed on your background."

“You’ve been... briefed?” The traveler repeated, dropping his head to his shoulder.

"The Tsaritsa and the Jester told us about the traveler from faraway lands who would be accompanying us on this journey." Signora rolled her eyes and turned away, making Aether jump with the sudden, jerky movement of her crimson cloak. "Come, we’re about to set sail. I will explain everything you need to know inside."

All Aether could do was swallow hard and adjust his sights.

The ship's inner chamber was somewhat dark and had a distinct woody smell, with a yellowish window offering a view of the sky and a tiny sliver of the harbor. Above their heads, they could hear the heavy footsteps of soldiers walking across the upper deck, along with the creaking of wood and muffled shouts.

The Fair Lady and the traveler sat opposite each other, each on one of the red sofas attached to the walls. Signora crossed one leg over the other, resting her hands on her knees and adjusting her spine to the cushions. Aether, for his part, remained somewhat stiff, fidgeting with his hands, almost covered by the sleeves of his jacket, and trying his best not to tap his foot. He avoided eye contact, remaining fixed on his shoes.

“You look nervous” she said with a thin sarcastic smile on her face.

Aether didn't respond, remaining quiet with his head slightly lowered. Those few minutes of silence were enough for a muffled shout, or rather, a hoarse, intelligible command from a deep voice, to be heard outside, and a shaking sound filled the ship. The sound of the water lapping against the hull of the vessel, sending the vibrations echoing through the cabin. The traveler raised his head and looked out the window, watching the dock rocking and the harbor begin to recede.

"And our trip has begun," Signora murmured, also turning her head to look out the small window for a moment. "The itineration will take a few hours. With luck, we'll arrive at Dornman Port shortly after dawn."

Aether nodded with a murmur, showing no interest or desire to engage in conversation with the woman whose personality seemed as rough as sandpaper. She simply waited a moment longer before sighing and rolling her eyes.

"Well, it seems you're not very interested in talking. This saves me time." Crossing her arms, she continued to maintain unilateral eye contact with the traveler. "Let's take this opportunity to explain your involvement in our plan and your stay in Mondstadt."

The blond blinked, finally turning his head to look back at her. His eyebrows arched in curiosity at the heavy, negative way the woman referred to Mondstadt. She simply spat the word out in pure disdain, as if a heavy weight or cruel memory were attached to the place.

"Before anything else, I think we should start with context," Signora waved a hand, sighing, and relaxing her shoulders. "Are you already familiar with the Mondstadt region?"

"I've read a little about it," Aether nodded, still maintaining his rigid posture. "I know they have no rulers and that their god hasn't appeared in centuries."

“Great, great. I won't need to give you geography lessons. Her Majesty has already explained the concept of Gnosis to you too, yes? Then I'll be frank, our current goal is to recover the Gnosis of Barbatos.”

One thing caught the traveler's attention. When she spoke Barbatos's name, Signora's tone was husky and malevolent, just as she had used when referring to the City and region of freedom, but even deeper, much more toxic. He noticed her brows furrow and her lips curled into a scowl that tried her best not to sound furious, as if she were trying to hide whatever was going on in the back of her mind.

“Right. She explained to me that she intends to use them to confront the Heavenly Principles, but how are you going to catch her if Barbatos doesn't appear in public?”

"Although Barbatos doesn't rule the City of Mondstadt like other Archons and has decided to... abandon his duties," it was a mixture of expressions and feelings on her part. Signora tried to sound professional, but she was clearly disdaining and mocking the Anemo Archon. "He still has the wonderful ability to appear when his little town is in a moment of crisis, which is precisely what’s happening now."

“What do you mean?” The blond blinked, dropping his head to his shoulder.

"I don't believe you know but are you familiar with the name 'Stormterror'?" she asked, crossing her arms again, to which Aether quickly shook his head. "I figured. He was one of the ancient Four Winds of Barbatos, Dvalin, a former guardian of Mond. However, as reported by some of our subordinates, he revolted against humanity and has been tormenting the city for some time now."

“And the Fatui think that Barbatos will return... because of him?”

"It's one of our hypotheses, considering his modus operandi. We, as a diplomatic organization, have an important role to play in bringing him into the spotlight." She nodded, taking a deep breath and managing to regain her professional demeanor. "We'll support our friends in Favonius. After all, we don't want this internal conflict to reach a global scale, do we?"

"The Knights of Favonius? I read about them." The blond lowered his gaze and placed a hand on his chin, remembering reading the story of the heroine Vennessa and the end of the aristocracy. "Even if Barbatos isn't the ruler of Mondstadt, they are the entity that governs the nation, aren't they?"

"Very good! You're a more knowledgeable young man than I thought," she snorted, raising her head. "Barbatos entrusted the region to their 'very' capable hands. Even though on paper we are political allies and have a friendly relationship, they’re very wary of our actions in the region. Let's just say that providing support regarding the dragon it's just a way to divert focus and get his attention.”

Aether was not innocent, much less foolish. He could tell from Signora's mocking and sarcastic tone that the Fatui had no friendly intentions toward that nation. However, this wasn't a huge shock, as the Tsaritsa had already warned him about the various methods of operation of the Fatui and their Harbingers.

"I see. You want to put pressure on the knights and use that to lure Barbatos and steal his Gnosis." He nodded and shrugged. "I won't say I think it's right, but I have no reason to oppose."

Signora arched an eyebrow, looking genuinely surprised by the traveler's abrupt response.

"Very well... since you brought it up, then let's talk about the main point: you." She uncrossed her legs, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. "The Tsaritsa must have already told you that this trip is a test to see how you'd react to our methods. Well, there's not much to explain, really. You have the right to come and go around the region as much as you like and observe as much as you wish, including our progress up close if you're interested. That is, of course, as long as you don't get in our way."

She closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a low growl.

“If you do, that will already be considered an answer.”

The blond nodded and murmured. Now that he'd gotten used to Signora’s personality in the few minutes they'd been together, her harsh tone didn't seem as alarming as it had the first time.

“Don't worry, I have no reason to interrupt or become a declared enemy of the Fatui.”

"I'll keep those words in mind," she cleared her throat. "Oh, and one more thing. Although you don't have any explicit role, the Tsaritsa asked me to make you a recommendation."

“Recommendation?”

"She would like you to interact with one of the Statues of the Seven in Mondstadt." Signora placed her hands on her lap again. "She didn't go into much detail with me about why, but I think you should know."

Aether's eyes blinked slowly for a moment. He already knew that all nations had Statues of the Seven and had unlocked his Cryo powers by interacting with a statue of the Tsaritsa. It was easy to understand what she wanted: 'If interacting with my statue unlocked your Cryo powers, what will happen if you interact with a Statue of the Seven of another element?'

“I'll do it when we get there” he closed his eyes briefly and nodded positively.

“Wonderful,” she returned, opening her hand and summoning a small black box. “First of all, here is a gift from Your Majesty.”

“What is it?”

Aether's eyes widened slightly, gently taking the box and placing it on his lap. With a careful hand, he opened it to find, on a red velvet cushion, a black mask with small gold details. It was like a carnival mask with a small beak for the nose and golden triangles decorating the sides of each eye.

"A mask?" He picked it up, looking at it from side to side in surprise.

"You are not currently registered as a Fatuus, and we prefer to keep that information to ourselves for now. The other nations are also unaware of your existence yet, and we don't know how you might affect us in Mondstadt. Just consider this a gift in case you decide to infiltrate and report any interesting facts, just in case."

Signora rested an arm on the back of the room’s seat, using her hand as a headrest. She gave a wry laugh, placing a finger just above her lower lip. Her air of arrogance was evident in her rigid, shrewd posture.

"I'll consider it," the blond nodded, putting the mask back in the box. "Anything else I should know?"

Signora's eyes darted back and forth for a moment, until her eyebrows arched briefly. She straightened her posture once more, placing one leg above the other once again.

“Be alert for Diluc Ragnvindr” the lady looked Aether seriously in the eyes, fixing her crystalline irises on the traveler's.

“Diluc...?”

"He owns the Dawn Winery and is a hindrance to us." She grunted and clenched her jaw slightly, crossing her arms. "Whenever he can, he's on our trail. He won't know about you yet, and as long as you keep your identity secret, all the better. Even if you're not an official affiliate or a contractor, if they think you're with us, it could end up making things difficult."

“I'll try” Aether nodded once more, staring at Signora for a moment.

He was still indifferent to many worldly affairs, but he remained a curious traveler. The way she spoke of the city, and especially of the Anemo Archon, never ceased to intrigue him. Signora didn't seem to detest or despise the city like some haughty aristocrat from the north, seeing them as poor or inferior. In her own words, she truly harbored and exuded a deep resentment for that nation and its idea of freedom—or, more accurately, for the god who represented it.

His curiosity, however, was not unnoticeable. The woman looked the blond boy up and down, stiffening her posture, frowning, and sighing.

"You look like you want to ask something," she rolled her eyes. "What do you want to know?"

“I wanted to know more about Barbatos” Aether swallowed dryly, a little shy.

"What's there to know about that sewer rat? He's always crawling around Mondstadt in human form to avoid his own responsibilities, that is, when he doesn't decide to disappear for millennia." She snorted, banging her spine against the seat cushion and raising her hand to her brow. Her voice rose, growing stronger and deeper. "He's probably already showing his paws and is wandering around. Since he hasn’t governed his own nation for ages, the Tsaritsa mentioned the possibility of his being weakened. What can one expect from such a shameful god?

"The way you talk about him..." The traveler continued, seeing the obvious stress on the diplomat's face. "Did he do something to you?"

"It's none of your business!" She spat in a hoarse verbal slap, making Aether flinch back in his seat.

"Ah! Sorry, I didn't mean to..." He swallowed. His cheeks began to heat up, while his body tingled. "I shouldn't have asked."

Yes, now it was quite obvious. Barbatos had indeed done something to Signora that deeply embittered her, but what was it? She would probably never tell him, but Aether's curiosity—even with the Harbinger’s rudeness—continued to blossom, prompting random thoughts: what could the god of freedom, described as peaceful and pious in the literature and poems he had access to, have done to make her so resentful?

A long moment of silence permeated them throughout the journey. The sound of the sea and the water crashing against the wood of the hull echoed again through the cabin walls. Beyond the window was a view of the completely dark sky, with only the sea of stars and a faint, almost imperceptible, shadowy silhouette of Snezhnaya in the distance.

Signora looked Aether up and down, noticing the blond man clinging once more to the coat that, in her eyes, was a novelty. He pulled his sleeves forward, as if trying to embrace the piece of clothing, and pressed the collar closer to his face, adjusting and trying to comfort himself against the seat. To her, his expression seemed so youthful and naive that she couldn't help but bite the inside of her cheek and inhale deeply.

"Ah... no, don't worry," she straightened her posture, sighing and softening her brow. "I think I got a little carried away."

She cleared her throat, bringing a hand closer to her mouth, and closed her eyes, breathing in and out once more. Softly and gently, she brought both hands to her legs, regarding Aether with a gentler gaze? No, not a gentle one; she still seemed cold, but certainly less harsh. It was as if she had returned to her professional mien, hiding her airs of pride and arrogance with a thin veneer of eloquence and integrity.

"Anyway, the trip will take a few more hours." She got up from her seat, heading for the door. "Get some rest, we'll arrive in Dornman at dawn."

“Right.” Aether nodded, watching the door creak and the Signora's figure disappear.