Chapter 428: Just You Wait, Brother!
"Just you wait, Aether." Lumine bit her lower lip. The momentary disappointment in her golden eyes hardened into a sharp, uncompromising glare. "The next time we cross paths, I'm absolutely going to beat some sense into you first. Just to vent!"
It was the distinct, bubbling frustration that only a younger sister could harbor toward an impossibly stubborn older brother. Yet, beneath the irritation, a deeper determination took root in her chest. No matter what method she had to employ, she would eventually force him to accept this invitation.
As long as he agreed, as long as his consciousness could project into this universe in the form of a mechanical Bangboo—even with all the system's restrictions—they could at least 'get along' as siblings in another world, far away from the tragic destiny of Teyvat.
Taking a deep breath, Lumine forced herself to suppress her surging emotions. Thankfully, the event invitation hadn't gone to waste. A crisp chime echoed in her mind as the system interface refreshed, granting her a second chance to select a guest.
Considering that her and Paimon's original bodies were currently enjoying the sights and sounds of Fontaine, a perfectly suitable candidate surfaced in her mind almost instantly.
"Furina," Lumine murmured, a fond smile unconsciously curling the corners of her lips.
The former Hydro Archon had endured five hundred agonizing years of acting. Now that she had finally laid down her divine burden to embrace a life of freedom and ordinary human joys, she would undoubtedly leap at the chance to 'play' in an entirely different universe.
Without a second thought, Lumine tapped the holographic interface and locked in her new invitation target.
A soft, cheerful light blossomed in the room, rapidly converging into the shape of a fourth Bangboo. This one was entirely unique—it wore a carefully tailored blue tuxedo and an elegant dark blue top hat tilted slightly to the side, exuding a playful yet undeniably magnificent aura.
It was Furina's custom Bangboo form. One could easily call it a 'Furbonbo'.
As soon as the mechanical creature materialized, it spun around curiously in place, its digital eyes blinking as it sized up its 'new body' and the strange surrounding environment. Watching the energetic little Furbonbo, the lingering sense of loss in Lumine's heart washed away. At the very least, this was going to be a highly entertaining adventure.
However, completely unknown to Lumine, a vastly different scene was unfolding at the exact moment she had sent that initial invitation.
Deep within a hidden Abyss stronghold, buried somewhere far beneath the surface of the Teyvat continent, the atmosphere was suffocatingly heavy. The lighting was dim, illuminated only by complex energy circuits that pulsed along the obsidian walls and floor, emitting an ominous, dark purple glow that flickered like a dying heartbeat. The air hung thick with corrosive abyssal energy and the low, oppressive hum of massive machinery in operation.
At the epicenter of this subterranean cavern stood the Loom of Fate—the ultimate device Aether had secured through immense difficulty. One end of the colossal machine plunged directly into the bottomless network of Teyvat's Ley Lines, while the other extended into absolute nothingness, attempting to weave and rewrite the fundamental laws of the world itself.
Aether stood before the Loom's core control console. His golden eyes were locked onto the countless glowing runes and cascading data streams floating in the void. His fingers danced rhythmically through the holographic projections, carefully adjusting the delicate balance of abyssal energy. His brow furrowed in unmatched focus.
This calibration was absolutely critical. It was his first time attempting to use the Loom of Fate to actively weave the Ley Lines.
Just as the volatile energy flow approached a razor-thin point of equilibrium... a bizarrely shaped event invitation materialized out of thin air. It emitted a soft, cheerful shimmer, appearing directly in the void right in front of Aether's face, nearly brushing the tip of his nose.
"!" Aether's pupils constricted to pinpricks. His absolute focus shattered in an instant.
Operating on pure instinct, he staggered half a step back. His right hand clenched into a hollow grip, instantly condensing a sphere of highly dangerous, dark-gold energy.
Because of this sudden interference and the violent fluctuation of his aura, the energy flow within the Loom's core jolted violently. The machine emitted a piercing, metallic shriek. Several key conduction circuits flickered unsteadily, nearly deviating from their preset trajectories and threatening to trigger a catastrophic chain collapse.
"What is this?!" Aether barked, his sharp gaze locking onto the floating card like lightning.
But as his eyes registered the simple yet extraordinary gear and handshake emblem on the card, a familiar sensation washed over him. It was a faint, obvious resonance originating from the very depths of his bloodline. Slowly, the destructive energy gathered in his palm dissipated into the heavy air.
"This is... from Lumine?" Aether murmured, his voice laced with shock and uncertainty.
He reached out tentatively. The floating card drifted down, resting lightly against his palm. The material felt cold and entirely alien, completely distinct from anything found in Teyvat. Instantly, a concise stream of information flowed into his mind, detailing an invitation to a place called 'New Eridu'to participate in an event using a vessel known as a'Bangboo'.
Aether's first reaction was one of sheer, unbelievable absurdity, rapidly followed by uncontrollable vigilance.
How had Lumine come into contact with something that completely transcended the established laws of Teyvat? This anomaly was steeped in uncertainty and potential danger. Had she paid some terrible price to obtain this? Had she made a deal with an unknown, outer-worldly entity? Could this be a new trap set by the Heavenly Principles?
Countless worried thoughts crashed into his mind like a tidal wave. As her older brother, he knew Lumine's relentless persistence all too well, just as he knew the lethal undercurrents lurking beneath Teyvat's surface. Any acquisition of unconventional power inevitably demanded a corresponding toll.
He wanted to contact Lumine immediately. He wanted to interrogate her, to warn her to stay far away from artifacts of unknown origin.
But... the faint, steady mental imprint radiating from the invitation belonged entirely to Lumine. It spoke only of her safety, even carrying a warm, bubbling hint of anticipation.
Aether stood frozen, clutching the card. He plunged into an unmatched dilemma, his fingers pressing so hard that the edge of the card dug sharply into his palm.
'I want to go.'The thought struck his heart with overwhelming clarity. Even if it was only in that restricted, mechanical'Bangboo' form. Just being able to sit at the same table as her, exactly like they used to a long, long time ago. To temporarily cast aside the bloody conflicts and crushing responsibilities, and simply spend a fleeting moment together as brother and sister... the temptation was agonizingly sweet.
Five hundred years of separation and the crushing weight of their respective burdens had tempered this simple desire for a reunion into something incredibly heavy. He was a hairsbreadth away from yielding to his own selfishness and casting his consciousness into the card.
Yet, at the exact second his resolve began to waver, a different image violently tore through his mind.
It wasn't his sister's bright smile. It was towering, apocalyptic flames. Collapsing palaces. Innocent people mutating into grotesque monsters, wailing in agony beneath the merciless, crushing majesty of the gods. And then, the eyes of the Khaenri'ahn survivors. He remembered the way they had looked at him in those final moments—a harrowing mixture of confusion, desperate pleading, and ultimate, deathly silence.
He hadn't personally witnessed the absolute final moments of Khaenri'ah's destruction, but the heavy, suffocating sin of it all chained him to the Abyss. The last hope was extinguished because I left. The despair and pain he later sensed from the Abyss Order's records, and the lingering, tortured consciousness of those twisted monsters, burned his soul day after day.
It was he who, at the exact moment Khaenri'ah most desperately needed all its forces to converge, had chosen to leave to find his lost sister.
No matter how many justifications existed, in the eyes of those Khaenri'ahn survivors who had placed their absolute faith in 'Deliverers' like them, his departure was a betrayal. This crushing guilt acted as the deepest of shackles, locking away his right to be a selfish older brother.
He still had unfinished business. He had to give Khaenri'ah an explanation. He had to give those souls, twisted and tortured by the curse for five hundred years, a genuine hope of liberation.
This was the path he had chosen.
Reunion... perhaps it truly could only be saved for the very end of the journey, after the dust of this world had finally settled.
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