Xianyun: "You fought my student."
"And you lost."
Eula: "Huh...?"
She tried to sit up—
But a pain shot through her body.
Paimon immediately stirred.
Paimon: "Hey!"
"Stay lying down!"
"You're still hurt!"
Eula gently fell back onto the bed, frowning slightly.
Her gaze flickered from Aether... to Xianyun... then back to Paimon.
Eula: "Can you... tell me exactly what happened...?"
A silence fell.
Then
Aether gently squeezed her hand.
Her gaze was serious now.
Calm.
But filled with something profound.
Aether: "Don't worry..."
He inhaled a shallow breath.
Aether: "I'll tell you everything."
His eyes rested on her.
And the room seemed to freeze again, as if it were all about to begin anew.
But this time, his expression was calmer and different.
A few hours earlier...:
The world seemed suspended in time.
Just as Shenhe was about to strike, his fist was enveloped in a dense and violent Cryo energy.
CCCCRRRrrreeeee
Ice formed around his hand, crackling and popping, as if the air itself were freezing under the pressure.
Facing her, Eula had closed her eyes.
She didn't dodge, and she didn't attack.
She accepted it.
CCCRRRRRrrrrrreeeeee
Aether screamed, her voice piercing the air:
Aether: "NO!"
But it was too late, as Shenhe's fist had already struck.
But at that precise moment, something changed.
A fragment.
A tiny glimmer of lucidity.
In the chaos of her unleashed emotions, a thought pierced her.
If she killed Eula… then Aether would be sad.
This idea, as fragile as a thread, unconsciously slowed her action.
Her rage did not disappear.
But her fist slowed; the energy emanating from that fist could destroy a rock by freezing and shattering it.
The speed decreased just enough so that the impact wasn't fatal.
BAM
The explosion was titanic.
A glacial shockwave rippled in all directions, heaving the earth, cracking the ground, freezing the very air.
CCCRRRRRrrrrreeeeee
A frost storm was born in an instant.
The icy breeze dispersed like a raging sea, ice crystals sparkling in the air, swirling in the light.
The wind howled, carrying with it a fine white dust that coated everything in its path.
The grass froze, the rocks were covered in a frosty mantle, and even the moisture in the air crystallized into fine needles of ice that slowly fell to the ground.
FFFFFFFFffffffff
Then the wind died down.
The white mist slowly dissipated, revealing the scene.
The Guili Plain was unrecognizable.
The ground was broken, cracked into countless crevices, and chunks of earth were lifted up, still precariously balanced.
A thin layer of ice covered everything, reflecting the light like a shattered mirror.
And in the center lay Eula, motionless.
Her body was partially covered in shards of ice, her clothes slightly torn, her breath weak but still present.
She was unconscious, but thanks to the fact that her torso was rising and falling, she was alive.
Nearby, Aether watched the scene, frozen, his heart pounding.
But what immediately caught his attention was Shenhe, standing right next to Eula.
His body trembled slightly.
His gaze was blank.
Then his rage returned with a sudden surge.
But it seemed more violent and more instinctive.
Foush
Without a word, she rushed to her spear, which was planted in the ground, and grabbed it with a swift movement.
Her intention was clear.
She wanted to finish him off, without hesitation or thought.
She raised her weapon and threw it.
FOUSH
The spear sliced through the air at terrifying speed, aimed directly at Eula.
But it was interrupted at the last moment.
CLANG
A crash.
A piece of rock had just intercepted the spear in mid-air, violently deflecting it before it could hit its target.
The spear fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Shenhe: ".......".
Shenhe slowly turned his head.
His red eyes rested on Aether.
He was standing, his arm still outstretched.
Beside him, a fragment of Geo crystal glowed faintly, evidence of the attack he had just launched.
He had acted without hesitation to protect Eula.
Then the silence lasted a second.
Then Shenhe spoke.
But his voice trembled.
It was broken and unsteady.
Shenhe: "Why...?"
Tap tap tap tap
One step, then another.
His gaze distorted.
Shenhe: "WHY?!"
Aether gritted his teeth, but remained upright.
Aether: "Shenhe... you're not yourself."
He inhaled.
Aether: "The red cords that allowed you to control your emotions... they've been destroyed."
He looked her straight in the eyes.
Aether: "They kept you steady. Without them... you lose control."
"It's like you're crazy."
A silence.
Then, Shenhe let out a laugh.
But it was short and unsteady.
Shenhe: "Crazy...?"
Her smile widened.
Disturbing.
Shenhe: "I'M NOT CRAZY!"
Her voice rose a notch.
Shenhe: "I HAVEN'T FELT THIS GOOD IN YEARS!"
Her emotions exploded in every direction.
She was joy.
She was anger.
She was excitement.
And she felt pain.
All at the same time.
Her body trembled, unable to contain this uncontrollable flood.
She raised her hand slightly, as if she were about to attack again...
But then a voice rang out:
Calm.
Authoritative.
???: "He's right."
Time seemed to stand still.
As Aether raised his head, he smiled, recognizing the voice.
But Shenhe also recognized the voice.
Toward the sky
A figure resembling an enormous white bird with two large wings.
An elegant stork descended slowly, its white wings catching the light.
It landed gently beside Aether.
Aether: "...Cloud Retainer..."
The creature turned its head slightly.
Then
its voice rang out again.
Xianyun: "Call me Xianyun."
Xianyun introduced himself.
And finally, facing her—
Shenhe looked at her.
A smile stretched across his lips, but it was anything but normal.
It was... twisted.
Shenhe: "Master..."
Her voice was soft, even too soft.
But her gaze was that of a predator.
An overwhelming tension filled the air, one that even Aether could feel.
Something was wrong.
Not at all.
Xianyun observed her student in silence, her eyes lingering on the red markings.
On her unstable aura, on that madness she knew all too well.
Then she sighed softly.
Xianyun: "As I feared..."
She turned her head slightly toward Aether, her gaze becoming more serious.
Heavier.
Xianyun: "Traveler..."
A pause.
Xianyun: "Be careful."
A light breeze stirred around them.
Xianyun: "Even if it is Shenhe..."
Her eyes returned to her student.
Xianyun: "She's lost control."
A silence.
Then, more softly, she added:
Xianyun: "And whatever happens..."
She briefly closed her eyes.
Xianyun: "You mustn't blame him."
In the heart of the Guili Plains, silence returned.
A heavy, oppressive silence.
The ground still bore the scars of the battle: deep cracks, scattered fragments of ice, impact marks etched into the frozen earth.
At the center of this chaos lay Eula.
She was lying unconscious.
Her body was partially covered in pieces of ice, her clothes torn, her breath weak but steady.
A little further away stood Aether.
Flap flap flap
And in the air, hovering lightly, was Xianyun, in her stork form, flapping her wings.
They all looked at each other without moving.
As if the slightest movement could set everything off again.
Shenhe trembled slightly, her red eyes flickering.
Her breathing was uneven.
Then her lips trembled.
And tears began to fall.
Shenhe: "I…"
Her voice was broken.
Fragile.
Shenhe: "I'm sorry…"
She brought a hand to her face, unable to hold back her sobs.
Shenhe: "I… I didn't mean to…"
Aether took a step forward, instinctively.
Aether: "Shenhe…"
But immediately Xianyun intervened, his voice sharp and piercing.
Xianyun: "Don't move!"
Aether stopped dead in her tracks.
Aether: "Huh?"
Without taking her eyes off Shenhe, Xianyun explained quickly, her voice calm but urgent:
Xianyun: "The red cords that sealed her emotions have been destroyed."
She paused.
Xianyun: "They didn't just limit her power… but stabilized her mind."
Aether clenched her fists slightly.
Xianyun: "Without them… her emotions are no longer filtered."
She observed Shenhe, who was still crying.
Xianyun: "They explode. They mingle."
"They contradict each other."
A silence followed, then she continued:
Xianyun: "The only way to stop her… is to retrieve the fragments of the red cord, repair them… and give them to her."
Aether frowned.
Aether: "And how do we do that?"
But before Xianyun could even reply, something changed.
Shenhe's sobs stopped.
Suddenly.
But abruptly, her shoulders went rigid.
Then, slowly, she raised her head, for her tears had vanished.
Replaced by anger.
Pure and violent.
Her gaze turned dark.
Unstable.
Almost inhuman.
The change was so sudden it was terrifying.
Aether stepped back slightly.
Aether: "...like an identity crisis..."
Meanwhile, Shenhe's gaze drifted.
Toward Eula, her unconscious body covered in ice.
Silence.
Then, Xianyun finally replied, her voice, for the first time, sounding... uncertain.
Xianyun: "...Honestly..."
She took a slight breath.
Xianyun: "I don't know."
Aether: "..."
Xianyun: "Repairing the ropes will take hours."
She turned her head slightly.
Xianyun: "And we don't have that kind of time."
Foush
A light breeze blew.
Xianyun: "We have two options."
She raised a wing.
Xianyun: "Create a diversion... and escape."
Then
Xianyun: "Or contain her."
Silence.
Then she shook her head slightly.
Xianyun: "But that's impossible in her current state."
Aether closed her eyes for a moment.
Then she spoke, more softly.
Aether: "We can't escape without her..."
Her gaze fell on Eula.
Aether: "And we can't just leave her like this..."
He gritted his teeth.
Aether: "If I had paid more attention to their feelings..."
Her voice broke slightly.
Aether: "None of this would have happened..."
Meanwhile, Xianyun was thinking.
Quickly.
Very quickly.
Then, her gaze stopped.
In the distance.
About a hundred meters away, between the ancient ruins, stood a massive, motionless figure.
An ancient automaton.
A Ruin Guard.
And suddenly, her eyes lit up.
An idea.
She turned sharply toward Aether.
A smile appeared on her face.
She had a plan, and it was to...
put on an act.
Xianyun: "HEY TRAVELER!"
Aether jumped.
Aether: "Why are you shouting?!"
Xianyun approached slightly, whispering:
Xianyun: "Play along. I have an idea."
Then she continued, but this time deliberately shouting:
Xianyun: "BY ANY CHANCE, OVER THERE, IN THE FAR, WOULD THAT BE THE RUIN GUARD WHO ATTACKED YOU ONCE?!"
Silence fell, and Shenhe didn't move.
For a second.
Then, she slowly turned her head, her eyes fixed on the machine.
Aether understood immediately.
He didn't like lying, especially not to Shenhe.
But
He had no choice.
Aether: "Oh... yes."
He inhaled.
Aether: "You're right."
He raised his voice slightly.
Aether: "SHENHE!"
She didn't answer.
But she listened.
Aether: "That monster..."
He hesitated for a fraction of a second.
Then
Aether: "He hurt me, and my..."
A pause.
Aether: "...my back!"
A mistake.
But enough.
Shenhe's pupils constricted.
A vein bulged on his forehead, and his breathing changed.
Shenhe: "You..."
His voice was low.
Dangerous.
Then
Without warning
FOUSH
She vanished, hurtling at monstrous speed toward the Ruin Guard.
The ground exploded beneath her feet; Aether didn't move.
He remained motionless for a few seconds.
Then he immediately turned to Eula.
He rushed towards her, knelt down, and gently lifted her.
Aether: "She's cold..."
His heart sank.
But he didn't have time.
Xianyun took flight again.
Xianyun: "Let's hurry!"
Without waiting, they ran off.
Fleeing.
Leaving chaos behind them.
And they decided to go somewhere where they could both keep an eye on Eula and somewhere Shenhe wouldn't go.
The Bubu Pharmacy.
Back to the present:
Silence returned to the room.
Paimon crossed his arms, floating slightly.
Paimon: "There... now you know the whole story."
Eula remained motionless as her eyes fixed on the ceiling.
But her expression was unreadable.
Eula: "..."
A long silence.
Then
She turned her head slightly towards Aether.
Eula: "..."
Her lips parted slightly.
Eula: "Do you..."
She hesitated for a moment, then resumed her question.
Eula: "Do you have a plan?"
Her voice was softer.
Less arrogant, but more... sincere.
Eula: "Because..."
She looked away slightly.
Eula: "I'll help you fix the problems I've created."
As Eula finished asking her question, Paimon, standing beside her, told her that Aether always had a solution to every problem and that he would never abandon anyone.
As silence fell over the room, Aether continued to think, trying to find a solution to the problem.
Aether: "I don't know."
Eula: "........".
Paimon: ".....".
Xianyun, standing next to them, understood what Aether meant.
Paimon: "If I hadn't gone into the Serenity Pot to get my desserts, I might have been able to prevent the argument from escalating."
Aether: "Huh?"
"What do you mean?"
Paimon: "Because I knew that Eula and Shenhe were in love with you."
Aether: "...".
"HHHHHEEIIINNN?!"
"SINCE WHEN?"
Paimon: "I found out from Eula when we were in Mondstadt."
Aether: "Eula."
DOKI DOKI
Eula didn't answer, but she blushed slightly because she knew that revealing her feelings and Shenhe's feelings had led to this situation.
Aether and Paimon started discussing why Paimon hadn't told her, and Paimon replied that it was Eula who should have confessed, not her. Next to them, Xianyun spoke up and said:
Xianyun: "The kid's right."
"Shenhe, or the bad Shenhe, is much stronger, even if that's not really how it works, and besides, she can't control her emotions anymore."
Eula: "What do you mean?"
Xianyun: "Actually, when 'you' broke the red cords..."
"All the emotions Shenhe hadn't felt for years had been repressed."
"What he was doing was the only way for..." Shenhe fights seriously; either she considers her enemies powerful, or she fights for what she loves, as she did against you."
Eula and Paimon more or less understood what the dark-haired woman meant.
Eula had never met Xianyun the day before yesterday, but Paimon knew what Xianyun's words meant because she had once seen Shenhe carry a rock that must have weighed over ten tons.
Paimon: "So, physically, we have no way of being superior to her."
Eula: "..."
Xianyun: "Yes, she's so strong she could lift a house."
Aether: "House... Serenitea Pot..."
Then he said:
Aether: "Tubby."
Paimon: "What does this bird adept have to do with any of this?"
Aether turned to Paimon, her almost sad expression returning, and said, getting up from her chair:
Aether: "Paimon, Eula, Xianyun, I have a plan!"
Silence fell like a leaden weight back into the room after Aether's words.
For a moment, no one spoke. Not even Paimon, who normally couldn't stay silent for more than a few seconds.
Even Eula, lying on the bed, seemed to be holding her breath, her eyes fixed on Aether with an intensity that was a mixture of hope and worry.
Aether, meanwhile, had just jumped up from his chair.
The wood creaked slightly with the movement, breaking the fragile calm that had settled.
His hand left Eula's, but the warmth of their contact still lingered in his fingers.
Paimon blinked, floating slightly higher, clearly lost.
Paimon: "Wait... wait... what?!"
"A plan?!"
"Since when do you come up with plans so quickly?!"
Chapter 20: Develop a plan
The End