The events surrounding The Crux Clash had spread throughout Mondstadt faster than Aether had expected.
By the time he returned to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, nearly everyone seemed to know that the blonde traveler had challenged—and defeated—a Fatui Harbinger.
But Aether himself paid very little attention to the rumors.
After returning from Liyue, he had gone straight to his room.
For an entire day and night, he did nothing.
He slept.
His body had recovered remarkably quickly from the battle with Childe, but his mind needed considerably more time.
When the morning sun finally entered his room through the window, Aether slowly opened his eyes.
For several seconds, he simply stared at the ceiling.
Then he sighed.
"Another day."
He sat up and stretched his arms.
The memories of the battle returned almost immediately.
Childe's arrows.
The Hydro whale.
The lightning.
The transformation.
The final exchange.
And then—
Capitano.
Aether's expression became serious.
"That man..."
He had no idea who the masked warrior truly was.
Yet something about him had been different.
There had been no unnecessary hostility.
No attempt to continue the battle.
He had simply intervened, protected Childe, and forced Aether to withdraw.
Aether shook his head.
"Whatever."
He stood up.
There were too many unanswered questions in his life already.
He didn't need another one.
A New Day
Aether returned to his duties as an Outrider of the Knights of Favonius.
The familiar routine was strangely comforting.
Patrolling.
Checking roads.
Investigating suspicious activity.
Helping travelers.
Dealing with monsters.
For the first time in several days, Aether felt as though his life had returned to something resembling normality.
He was walking through the outskirts of Mondstadt when he heard hurried footsteps behind him.
"Aether!"
He turned around.
Amber came running toward him.
She stopped in front of him, breathing slightly heavily.
"There you are!"
Aether raised an eyebrow.
"What happened?"
Amber pointed toward the western forest.
"Jean just sent word. There's been an Abyss Order attack in Wolvendom."
Aether's expression immediately changed.
"The Abyss Order?"
Amber nodded.
"Yes. And apparently, there's something unusual happening there."
"How unusual?"
Amber hesitated.
"Something big."
Aether sighed.
"Then let's go."
Amber smiled.
"That's the spirit!"
The two Outriders immediately began moving toward Wolvendom.
The Great Wolf of the North
The forest gradually became quieter as they approached.
The usual sounds of nature had disappeared.
Aether stopped.
Amber looked around.
"Something's wrong."
Aether nodded.
"I know."
A strange energy hung in the air.
Then they heard a roar.
It shook the trees.
Amber immediately drew her bow.
"That came from ahead!"
They rushed forward.
Aether's eyes widened.
A massive wolf was lying among the trees.
Its body was restrained by several dark bindings.
Standing before it was a strange figure covered in dark armor.
An Abyss Herald.
Nearby, a young boy was desperately attempting to defend the giant wolf.
"Get away from him!"
The boy swung his weapon toward the Herald.
The Abyss Herald easily avoided the attack.
"You cannot defeat me."
Aether stepped forward.
"Hey."
The Herald turned.
Amber raised her bow.
"Step away from the wolf."
The Herald stared at them.
"Mm...."
Aether drew his sword.
The Herald's gaze fell upon Aether.
For several seconds, it remained completely silent.
Then its expression changed.
"...You."
Aether narrowed his eyes.
"Have we met?"
The Herald stepped backward.
"You are the one."
Amber looked at Aether.
"The one?"
Aether said nothing.
The Herald suddenly opened a dark portal.
"Not today."
It stepped backward.
Amber fired an arrow.
The Herald disappeared into the portal.
The arrow struck the ground.
Amber lowered her bow.
"What was that about?"
Aether stared at the place where the portal had disappeared.
"I have no idea."
The young boy approached cautiously.
Amber smiled.
"It's okay. We're friends."
The boy looked at her suspiciously.
Amber pointed toward Aether.
"And this is Aether."
The boy stared at him.
"Aether?"
"Yes."
The boy nodded.
"I'm Razor."
Aether smiled.
"Nice to meet you."
Razor pointed toward the enormous wolf.
"And that is Boreas."
Aether looked toward the wolf.
"The Great Wolf of the North?"
Razor nodded.
"Yes."
Aether glanced toward the dark bindings.
"We should make sure the Abyss Order doesn't come back."
Together, they freed Boreas and searched the surrounding area.
Once they were certain the immediate threat had disappeared, Aether and Amber returned to Mondstadt.
A Strange Conversation
That evening, Aether found himself sitting quietly inside Angel's Share.
He had chosen a quiet table upstairs.
Instead of alcohol, he had ordered a simple fruit drink.
The city outside was peaceful.
For once, Aether wanted nothing more than silence.
He slowly drank from his glass.
Then someone sat at the table nearby.
Aether glanced sideways.
He immediately recognized him.
"Dainsleif."
The blonde-haired man looked toward him.
"Aether."
Aether nodded.
"I didn't expect to see you here."
"Nor I you."
Dainsleif placed his drink on the table.
"I heard about what happened in Liyue."
Aether sighed.
"That story seems to travel quickly."
"It does."
Dainsleif studied him.
"I also heard about your encounter in Wolvendom."
Aether's eyes narrowed.
"The Abyss Being?"
Dainsleif became serious.
"So you encountered one."
"Yes."
"What happened?"
"It attacked Boreas. Amber and I intervened. It recognized me and escaped."
Dainsleif's expression darkened.
"Then there is no doubt."
"No doubt about what?"
"That was an Abyss Herald."
Aether leaned back.
"an Abyss Herald?."
"Yeah, that's how they identify themselves."
Dainsleif looked toward the window.
"I know where one of their operations may be located."
Aether became interested.
"Where?"
"An ancient ruin in Liyue."
Aether frowned.
"Liyue again?"
Dainsleif nodded.
"I need someone capable of dealing with whatever is inside."
Aether stared at him.
"And you want me."
"Yes."
"What do I get?"
Dainsleif looked directly into his eyes.
"A new intel perhaps..."
Aether became silent.
Aether thought for several seconds.
"Fine."
The Ruins
The journey to Liyue was quiet.
Neither spoke much.
Eventually, they reached an ancient ruin hidden among the mountains.
The entrance was covered in old stone carvings.
Aether looked around.
"This place is ancient."
"It predates most modern settlements."
They entered.
Almost immediately, monsters emerged from the darkness.
Aether drew his sword.
"Looks like we're not alone."
Dainsleif drew his weapon.
"Stay alert."
The battle began.
Several Abyssal creatures rushed toward them.
Aether moved through them with precise sword strikes.
His golden wings appeared behind him.
He launched himself upward.
A moment later, he descended.
The ground shook.
Dainsleif fought alongside him, striking down another creature.
Within minutes, the chamber became silent.
Aether looked ahead.
"There's something beyond here."
Dainsleif nodded.
"Yes."
They continued deeper.
Then both stopped.
Aether's eyes widened.
"What..."
At the center of the chamber stood something impossible.
An upside-down Statue of the Seven.
Dark energy surrounded it.
Thick black chains wrapped around its body.
Aether slowly approached.
"Why is the statue upside down?"
Dainsleif looked grim.
"I don't know."
"That doesn't sound reassuring."
"It isn't."
Suddenly—
A voice echoed through the chamber.
"You should not have come."
Aether turned.
The Abyss Herald emerged from the darkness.
"You will not interfere with our plans."
Aether drew his sword.
"You're not giving me much reason to leave."
The Herald raised its weapon.
"Then perish."
Aether Against the Herald
The Herald attacked first.
A wave of dark Hydro energy surged across the chamber.
Aether leaped upward.
His golden wings spread.
The attack passed beneath him.
"Interesting."
His inner voice activated.
Analyzing movement.
Aether's pupils changed.
Attack pattern detected.
The Herald disappeared.
Aether immediately turned.
A blade of energy struck his sword.
The impact pushed him backward.
He recovered instantly.
"You're fast."
The Herald attacked again.
Aether blocked.
Another strike.
Blocked.
Another.
Aether moved sideways.
His wings accelerated his movement.
He suddenly appeared behind the Herald.
The Herald turned.
Too late.
Aether struck.
The Herald crashed into a stone pillar.
"You..."
Aether advanced.
The Herald unleashed another wave.
Aether manipulated gravity.
The energy bent away from him.
He moved forward.
The Herald raised its weapon.
Aether's sword collided with it.
The chamber shook.
Aether pushed harder.
The Herald was forced backward.
Then Aether kicked the ground.
A burst of force sent the Herald flying.
It crashed heavily.
Aether landed.
The Herald struggled to rise.
Aether walked toward it.
"This ends now."
He raised his sword.
Then—
CRASH!
A dark portal opened behind him.
Aether turned.
A figure emerged.
A sword flashed.
Aether barely blocked the strike.
The impact sent him sliding across the stone floor.
Dainsleif's eyes widened.
"Lumine..."
Aether froze.
The girl stood between him and the Herald.
Golden hair.
Familiar face.
Familiar eyes.
Yet Aether knew none of it.
His inner voice immediately activated.
Analyzing...
Unknown individual detected.
Threat assessment...
The system paused.
Unable to calculate upper limit.
Aether's expression changed.
"Who are you?"
The girl stared at him.
Then she spoke.
"Aether."
Aether's heart skipped.
"How do you know my name?"
Silence.
The girl's eyes widened. A moment of silence.
Dainsleif looked at Aether in disbelief.
"You don't remember her?"
Aether looked from Dainsleif to the girl.
"Should I?"
Dainsleif's expression became complicated.
"She's your sister."
Aether stared.
"My... sister?"
The girl remained silent.
Aether's inner voice began processing.
Facial structure comparison initiated.
Genetic similarity detected.
Probability of familial relationship: extremely high.
Aether stared at her.
"You look like me."
The girl finally spoke.
"So you truly don't remember."
Aether couldn't answer.
The girl looked away. A small wicked smile formed around the corner of her lips.
"This situation is far more interesting than I expected."
She turned toward him.
"Listen carefully, Aether."
Aether remained silent.
"You should stop interfering with the Abyss Order."
Dainsleif stepped forward.
"Lumine—"
She raised her hand.
"Don't."
Dainsleif stopped.
Lumine looked toward Aether.
"And don't follow him." She pointer her finger at Dainsleif
Aether's eyes shifted toward Dainsleif.
"What is she talking about?"
Lumine's expression hardened.
"Dainsleif has hidden many things from you."
Dainsleif remained silent.
"He is a survivor of Khaenri'ah."
Aether's expression became more serious.
"Khaenri'ah?"
Lumine continued.
"He calls himself the Twilight Sword, yet he failed to save his people."
Dainsleif's eyes narrowed.
"Lumine, enough."
"No." her voice roared.
"And now what, you lived to this day to stand before me, only because YOU ARE A CURSED MAN"
A moment of silence. She looked directly at Aether. She changed the subject.
"You deserve to know."
Aether remained motionless.
"You are not any ordinary traveler."
The chamber became completely silent.
"You came from beyound the stars."
Aether's inner voice began processing.
Information conflict detected.
Memory database incomplete.
Aether looked toward Dainsleif.
The man said nothing.
The information was becoming overwhelming.
Lumine took another step backward.
"You don't understand the true nature of this world for now. But I am sure, one day you will realize that I was right."
Aether's hand tightened around his sword. He took a step forward.
She shouted.
"Stay where you are."
"What?"
"Stay in Mondstadt. Live your quiet little life."
Her voice became colder.
"Stop interfering with the Abyss Order."
The Herald stood behind her.
Aether looked at the two of them.
"And what if I do?"
Lumine's eyes hardened.
"Because if you continue..."
She paused.
"I will destroy everything you care about in this world... Everything!!!....."
Aether's expression became blank.
It wasn't merely advice.
It was a threat.
A direct warning from someone who claimed to be his sister.
Lumine turned away.
"Take your time and make you choice Aether. And whatever choice you make, you along is responsible for your fate. Goodbye, Aether."
A dark portal opened behind her.
The Abyss Herald entered first.
Lumine followed.
Dainsleif suddenly rushed forward.
"Lumine!"
He jumped toward the portal.
For a brief moment, his hand reached its edge.
Then—
He disappeared.
The portal closed.
Silence returned.
Aether remained standing alone.
The upside-down statue continued to hang above him.
The black chains remained motionless.
Aether stared at the place where everyone had disappeared.
His inner voice spoke.
Multiple unidentified variables detected.
Aether didn't respond.
His mind was filled with questions.
He had a sister.
Her name was Lumine.
And apparently—
Lumine considered him an enemy.
Aether slowly lowered his sword.
A small, humorless laugh escaped him.
"So..."
He looked toward the empty chamber.
"I finally found my sister."
He paused.
"And she told me I'm her enemy. Wow..., what a cool joke in the middle of the night."
Another quiet laugh escaped him.
It wasn't happiness.
It wasn't sadness.
It was simply the sound of someone who no longer knew what else to do.
Aether turned around.
He began walking toward the exit.
He didn't look back.
The ancient ruins gradually disappeared behind him.
And for the first time since awakening in this strange world, Aether realized something.
His journey was no longer simply about finding his sister.
It was about discovering who he was.
And somewhere beyond the mountains, beneath the darkness of Teyvat, Lumine was already waiting.
The journey had entered a new stage.
And neither of them knew what would happen when the truth finally came to light.