#and aether is looking for lumine whose sided with the abyss (in the dark)

[amodernpersephone]

If you were here standing next to me, would you know how I feel, and see what I see?

[chill-pills-yandere-haven]

Can you do the Yandere idol au with 4nemo. Cause they’re all beauties nothing can change my mind😤

Wooh! First ask! Here is a little drabble I made for you, enjoy! (Might also make headcanons for the group)

Tw: Yandere, mention of violence

Disclaimer: Yanderes are abusive, this is not a healthy crush.

Made, finished, and posted same day.

A Dream of Coffee and K-pop

(Not my art)

Sunlight shone through the window, the smell of freshly ground coffee beans wafted through the air, it was truly beautiful. You and your best friend had decided to stop for a drink break and found yourselves here. Honestly, you were thinking about becoming a regular here, the atmosphere has heavenly and the food and drink were delicious. Then you heard camera clicks and squealing. You let out a slight sound of confusion and irritation. Forced out of your state of serenity, you looked back at your friend to see what happened. Their face was red and they seemed to be holding back an almost terrifying grin. It didn't make sense to you, all that happened was that four men and a bunch of other people entered the cafe. "Holy archon of idol groups! It's 4NEMO!" Your friend was now shaking you, making you look even closer at the four men who had just entered. Even on further inspection they only looked like rich people with hair dye, you didn't see anything special. "Who?" You blinked, just annoyed that your peaceful coffee break had been interrupted. "I swear to God, you uncultured swine. That's 4NEMO, the hottest new K-pop group. I sent you a link to their newest album, you know, the one I've been going crazy over because they had a collab with DCKZ and Lumine from ABYSS?" They facepalm at your obliviousness to the literal celebrities that are in the same place as you. "Sorry, I forgot to check it out yesterday, I was studying." You apologize for not at least trying to see what was so good about these K-pop bands that were your best friend's newest obsession. But you did have a life of your own, you were studying to become a surgeon so you never really had much free time. "Hello, there! I was wondering if you two could share some space? seems that there's nowhere else for us to sit in this place." Out of nowhere, a young man with braided hair that faded from dark brown to teal and emerald eyes that almost made you want to trust him, was at your table, asking if he and his three friends could sit with you all. "Oh my lord, 4NEMO is asking to sit with us! Squee! Please say yes, my dear best friend who has brought us both insane luck, please?" Resistance was futile when your best friend was almost begging you to let them sit with you two, trying to do the best puppy dog eyes they could. "Yeah sure, you all can sit with us, just squeeze in." You relented and moved further into the booth to create space. The one with the braids and a guy with mostly white hair that had part of it dyed red sat on your side of the booth while a blonde with golden eyes and a man with an edgy vibe to him sat with your friend. The before almost empty cafe was now bustling with people and you swore you could feel a couple of people glaring at you. You gave a close-eyed smile and a small sigh, this could've been worse. The six of you ended up getting along quickly, talking the day away. Your friend was malfunctioning most of the time from being in the same room as their idols so you tried to calm them down from the shock but it didn't work. You found that the 4NEMO boys were actually quite sweet and easy to talk to, maybe excluding Xiao who wasn't one for small talk, or any talk. All of you exchanged numbers before you had to leave and even gave your super fan best friend some signatures. Kazuha then handed you both VIP tickets and backstage passes for their next concert saying that you could be his plus twos. But only because all the boys were allowed to give out two free tickets to whomever they chose. You all said goodbye and you made a mental note to check out their music once you got to the comfort of your apartment. But as you left, you just couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with your new friends no matter how many times you tried to brush it off. (On the other side.) Kazuha was the one to first notice you. A serene being in the middle of the cafe, face illuminated by the evening light. On your face was a beautiful smile more genuine than anything he had ever seen. You were the only one whose head didn't turn as they

entered, even ignoring the obvious adoring look on the person beside you's face. He confidentially alerted the other members of his group to your presence. All with some variation of curiosity and something that he could only describe as a breath of fresh air on their faces when they completely took you in. "I don't think they even know about our band." Aether supplied, you had a true expression of complete cluelessness even when he heard your friend explaining who they were just loud enough for him to hear. You were much too enticing and adorable, especially for someone who he just saw. "Why does it matter, we're here for public appearances, coffee and desserts, not some random person," Xiao mumbled, loud enough for the rest of them to hear. He didn't understand what was so special about them, just another attractive stranger. Though, part of him did understand why his group mates felt this way. "Who cares, I'm making a move," The lead singer of the group, Venti announced, making his way over to their table after looking around for anything they could use as an excuse. Ah, of course, because of their appearance, the little cafe was now packed. He brought himself and the others up to your table, acting charismatic in hopes you would let them stay. Though the idol group didn't even need an excuse as your best friend would have convinced you either way. Surprisingly, everyone in the group almost immediately warmed up to you, even Xiao. Kazuha was the one to give you his plus two tickets mainly because everyone else had already invited other people but luckily, Kazuha hadn't used his yet. The 4NEMO boys were a good distance away from the cafe and we're finally able to freely talk. "So, we're sharing them?" Aether asked, getting a nod or a yup from everyone in return. "We should do more research on them. What if they're already dating someone?" The composer of the group, Kazuha supplied. Noticing how the other boys' expressions got just a bit more malicious at that. Xiao looked around, being sure that they were completely isolated. "Then I'll give them a threat or a concussion." Xiao threatened, the other members were mostly in agreement with the statement. Any of them would already do appalling things for their new friend and future lover. "I'm sure as long as we don't scare them away they'll fall head over heels in love with at least one of us. We just need more time with them." Venti assured, not the fondest of using violence to settle his disputes. "Well one thing's for sure, they will learn to love us and will be ours." Aether voiced the idea on everyone's mind as they stepped into their shared studio apartment that could comfortably house about eight people. Leaving them all to individually plan how they would make you theirs.

[selenecrown]

When Viatrix Falters, Viator Comes to Aid. Such is the way of the Twins of Via.

Author’s Note: So. I was watching Genshin Impact’s Archon Quests and. was looking through fanart of such events and. I have THOUGHTS. that I tried to put into this fic.

Is this completely self-indulgent? Oh you can bet anything it is. I am a sucker for Aether and Lumine’s relationship in Genshin. The ANGST-TO-FLUFF POTENTIAL HERE YA’LL. I WANT MORE OF IT AND LIKE. SOON.

So, here’s this no comfort Angst fic that came out of my feels I guess. I’m going to be doing Lumine as the Traveler, since I have a better grasp of her personality then Aether’s currently. Maybe when I finally understand Aether’s personality, I’ll write this fic but for Aether. We’ll see.

Warnings: This Fic Contains Spoilers for Genshin Impact’s Archon Quests Up Until Archon Quest Interlude Chapter Perilous Trial! So, if you’re playing Genshin or ever plan on it, I would not suggest it since I think it’s the closest thing we get to the main plot (I think from all the people tagging it as spoilers. But honestly Genshin confuses me and what’s the plot and what’s side content due to how linked they are with each other [which I both love and hate at the same time]. Either that or I’m actually stupid.) But if you don’t care for spoilers and want that sibling angst shit, never plan on playing the game, or already know the spoilers, well. Ignore me. 

Also you could interpret Abyss!Aether as Yandere for his sister here, I guess? I was re-reading this and I guess the fic could be seen that way. I meant to write Abyss!Aether as a man whose seen some shit and honestly cares for nobody else but his sister anymore because he's so broken from the things he's seen-since that’s the general impression I got from Abyss!Aether when I was watching through the twins interacting. But since this could be seen as Yandere, for those who aren’t into that or just don't want Aether being that way for Lumine even if it's just an interpretation you could get from this-I would not recommend this fic for you.

Lumine laid awake in the tent she was in, Paimon had long fell asleep after the meal she’d had. Paimon never really stayed awake that long after meals; while Lumine, on the other hand, could not sleep.

She hadn’t been able to sleep for the past few days, actually.

After all, how do you sleep when you find the person you’re looking for told you they’re not going with you?

Sure, the people she knew upon hearing this offered sympathy and comfort to her. But, the sympathy wasn’t genuine. It wasn’t hard to see they were also keeping there distance from her. 

How could they not? Aether was a part of the Abyss Order for goodness’ sake. 

Who would see her positively now that they knew her brother was behind such horrible acts that put nations in danger? 

Aether was trying to destroy the world and for what? Nobody really seemed to know, but that didn’t stop them from looking at Lumine with eyes of suspicion, eyes of caution, eyes of anger, eyes of pity-Like she was a part of the Abyss Order or an example of how cruel the world was. 

And frankly, Lumine was getting tired of trying to prove she didn’t need it. Their sympathy, their pity, their anger-it was tiring to dispel those looks.

Day in and day out-Do you know how tiring it is to try and prove yourself over and over again to people when they won’t even look at you without those looks?

And on top of everything there is people who knew about Aether, but they said nothing about it to her. Nothing.  

Why?

Why didn’t anyone say anything? Not even a hint to help her out? 

Didn’t she deserve the truth?

Why does she have to be kept in the dark about everything?

Was it because she’s not strong enough?

Was it because they looked down on her?

Lumine didn’t know, and honestly, she didn’t care at the moment. 

The Honorary Knight of Mondstadt, Honored Guest of the Liyue Qixing of Liyue and of the Tri-Commission of Inazuma and Former Captain of the Watusumi Army-The titles means nothing if she didn’t even want them in the first place. The search for her brother got her these titles and now they felt empty.

These thoughts aren’t good. Lumine thought to herself, looking out the window of the tent. Hopefully taking a walk will clear my head and help me sleep tonight. 

So, she set out for a quick walk, hoping it would clear her mind. 

Though, Lumine was not expecting the walk to get her so lost. 

It rained really hard, forcing Lumine into an area she’d never been in before to seek shelter. And with the rain still going on outside, there was no way she could go back to camp now. So, all she could do was venture deeper inside, in hopes to find a safe spot to settle down the dry her clothes, even for a little while until the rain passed. 

But, unfortunately, fate was not as kind as Lumine had hoped as she ventured and eventually got lost in the cave and it’s tunnels to where Lumine wasn’t even sure how to get out of this forsaken cave.

The tunnels winded and stretched almost impossible lengths, and every time Lumine turned a corner, there was only more and more cave. This shouldn’t even be possible and if it was, why wasn’t this marked? 

When would this end---?

Suddenly, the world was pulled out from under her, and Lumine fell to the ground and in the process got a scrap on her legs.

And, after Lumine looked at her legs, trying to get up and failing to do so, Lumine started to sob into the ground, stopping what she was doing. 

“It hurts. It hurts.” Lumine cried into the empty cave, as she struggled to get up. Not of the injury, but rather of her own mind giving up. “I don’t want this. I want to go back home. I want to leave. Anywhere not here! Aether. Aether. Where are you? I want to go home. Aether! Where are you Aether? Please, I just want go home! Please. Please-” 

Lumine cried into the empty cave as she struggled to deal with her emtions, but it seems her cries where not unheard, as nearby Hilicurls seemed attracted by the Traveler’s cries. 

The creatures stared at the mighty Traveler crying to herself, unsure of what to do. They didn’t seem to be waiting for anything-The Hilicurls seemed to be staring at the girl in pity, as if deep down they understood the feeling Lumine felt. So, Lumine cried her feelings away until she eventually tired herself out and fell asleep in the cave out of exhaustion. The Hilicurls then picked up the unconcious girl and moved her to one of their camps nearby and placed her in a pile of straw nearby a fire-Giving Lumine somewhere safe and comfortable to rest, at least. 

Not long after Lumine was brought into a Hilicurl camp-An Abyss Mage came into the camp seeming to want to speak with the Hilicurls-But upon seeing the Traveller in a pile of straw, the mage approached her sleeping body.

The Abyss Mage head twitched in confusion as it looked at its’ Prince’s sibling-resting. Not well, from the look on her face. 

The creature poked the kin of the Prince-only for the girl to curl into herself and weep in pain and the Hilicurls nearby seeming to react, trying to soo away the mage. The Abyss Mage then spoke with the Hilicurls which seemed to calm down the creatures-and disappeared off somewhere.

Lumine, where did you go? Aether thought to himself with his counsel, as he’d gotten a report from one of his Heralds that was keeping an eye on Lumine, only for her to go missing in a pretty bad rainstorm. “Where was the last place you saw her before the rainstorm hit?”

“Around the mountainside your Highness,” The Herald said. “While she did have her. . . weapon of choice with her,” The Herald said, as if displeased with Lumine’s weapon choice. “She was not holding it, so I can assume she was not looking to fight, like she has the past few days. She seemed merely to be trying to tire herself out.”

“How did she look?” Aether asked.

“She grows weaker by the day.” The Herald said. “She looked about to fall dead.”

“Do you think that. . . thing. . .she travels with is finally draining her?” A Electro Lector asked, growling at the mention of the ‘thing’. “I thought it would wait longer.”

“Quite low of that thing to do it now.” Another Lector added. “Well, at least the Prince’s kin is away from the disgusting creature now, hopefully it stays that way.”

“Your Highness, I suggest we look for her.” A Pryo Lector suggested. “While she is capable of handling herself, she is not in condition-” 

“Your Highness.” An Mage appeared in the room, bowing before the Prince, and only the Prince it seemed.

“What is it?” The Herald growled at the mage, pretty upset he’d been interrupted by a lowly mage. 

“Let them speak.” Aether said, and the Herald bowed curtly, “What is it? Do you have an update about something?”

“No, your Highness, your kin-they are in the nearby hilicurl camp.”

Aether’s eyes widened, before he seemed to calm himself. Aether’s counsel, on the other hand, did not seem as calm as Aether was. “Where?”

“Forgive me Prince, I’m not sure how-”

“We’ll deal with that later.” Aether sighed. “How close is she and how does she look?”

“She’s in the tunnel system, my Prince. Your kin seemed to have gotten lost in it, and is quite hurt. The Hilicurls have taken a liking to her.”

Aether sighed, as he got up. “Fine, show me where she is.”

“As you wish, my Prince.” The Lectors, the Herald and the Mage said, almost in prefect unison.

When Aether had gotten to Lumine, it seemed the hilicurls in the camp went somewhere else, leaving Aether with the mage, and the loyal Herald at Prince's side. 

“Thank you, you may leave now.” Aether said to the mage, and the mage quickly took its’ leave. 

Aether kneeled down in front of his sister-Just from the energy he felt from her Lumine was very weak, indeed, as his Herald has said, she was in no position to be travelling around. And yet, here she was, laying on the bed of straw. She always was the foolish one.

“Your Highness, she’s bleeding.” The Herald pointed out, pointing to Lumine’s legs, which had a puddle of blood around her legs.

“Indeed. Bandage them.” Aether commanded, and the Herald bowed before disappearing somewhere.  

“Ah. You’ve pushed yourself again Lumine.” Aether chuckled, half-heartedly towards his sister, even reaching out a hand to inspect her. “You always said to not push myself, and here to you are. You’ve always been a hypocrite, you know that?”

Lumine didn’t respond, and Aether looked at his sister in silence-She was so fragile now. 

Aether was so used to seeing his sister from the shadows running around with the people she’d met with such energy and a smile on her face that it made Aether energic just from watching-he remembered when she’d always try to smile for him back then when they were trying to leave Teyvat all those years ago, even when it was hard. Aether knew what he asked of her back when they last saw each other was harsh-especially since she was so lost in a world she didn’t understand and was often wondering around like a baby chicken with the people around often being of no help despite his direct intervention, but the Prince never realized his sister was so fragile to this degree. He thought she was made of marble-and here he saw her cracking at the seams. 

Though, he couldn’t blame his sister for her cracking under pressure. Those people around her are so demanding of her-without so much thanks to give her back but empty words. Fate was cruel to her, as fate was to him. He remembered his own journey- it was long and there were often days he didn’t want to get up or do anything. And yet, he got through it, despite how hard it was and here he stands, right in front of his sister. 

Maybe. . . Maybe it would be fine if she just. Got away for them for a while. Aether thought. They’ve taken so much from her, that she has nothing left now. She needs a recharge. . . just for a few days. They won’t care if it’s just a few days and she won’t remember if I just. Use some magic. Yeah. Yeah, that should work. 

Aether picked up his sister-She was so light. She hadn’t eaten, either? She was worse than he thought.

“Your Highness?” The Herald asked, and he’d come back with bandages.

“She cannot sleep out here. It is not safe. I am taking to her one of the safe havens, we shall treat her there.” Aether said.

“As you wish.” The Herald said, as Aether opened a portal to the unknown.

Lumine slowly opened her eyes to a dark room. It wasn’t dark as the cave she was in, as there seemed to be light in the form of. . . Stars?

Lumine slowly got up. Yes, it looked like the light source of the room was stars in a galaxy like room. The bed she was in seemed-familiar. Like she’d slept in it before, actually, so did the rest of-

“Lumine.” A voice Lumine thought she won’t hear again said, and Lumine turned, and there stood her brother Aether with a warm smile on his face. 

“Aether?” Lumine asked, and Aether simply sat on Lumine’s bed before taking Lumine’s body and hugging her. The hug was tight, like if Aether let go, he would lose his only family.

“I’m glad you woke up. I was getting worried. Come on, Ms.-I-Must-Rest-All-Night-or-Else, I made breakfast for us.” Aether smiled as he pulled away, trying to laugh off the situation, it seemed.

Breakfast? Lumine thought, and then her head stung pretty badly. 

Ah. That’s right. Breakfast. 

We’re. . .

home. . .

now. . . ?

“Lumine! Are you okay? Does you head hurt again?” Aether asked, craddling Lumine’s head is his hands.

“Y-Yeah.” Lumine stuttered out, which seemed to make Aether more concerned, leading him to let go and pull Lumine unto his back. 

“It’s alright. I’ll walk us to the kitchen. Don’t move, or you’ll pass out again.” Aether smiled, as he lifted the two of them up and began to walk.

"Pass. . . Out?" Lumine asked, as Aether guided the two of them through a hallway of galaxies with lanterns lighting the way.

"You're pushing yourself again." Aether simply said, laughing as if it was something common Lumine did. "You've been working too hard these past few days because I was sick. But I'm fine now."

Sick. . . ?

Sick.

That's right. . . Aether was sick. But he's fine now.

"There we go." Aether smiled as he placed his sister down on a sofa, and brought her a bowl of soup. Aether then sat down next to his sister-with a another bowl of soup in his hands, and he started to eat it. After Lumine stared for a little while, she began to eat. It was. . . Warm. And tasted. . . Familiar. Like something she hadn’t had in a long time.

"Is it good?" Aether asked curiously, which earned a nod from Lumine. "Thank goodness. I was worried I didn't follow the recipe right."

"Aether?"

"Yes?" Aether stopped eating his food, making him look like a chipmunk trying to stuff nuts in it’s mouth.

"Where. . . Where are we. . .?" Lumine asked, pretty seriously.

"Home. We're home Lumine. Did you forget?" Aether said, lightheartedly.

Lumine paused after studying her brother, he wasn’t acting off. . . But. Why did she still feel uneasy? "Y-Yeah. Sorry."

"It's fine. Rest, sister. Everything's going to be fine now!" Aether smiled, as he finished eating his food and cleaned up after himself. 

Lumine. . . Wasn't so sure Aether was telling the truth.

Aether went to move wash the dishes, and Lumine watched him. He was. . . Different. Despite the smile he just gave. . . He moved slower, more deliberately than she remembered.

“Lumine, you’re staring again.” Aether smiled, snapping Lumine out of her thoughts. “What, you want a hug or something?” 

Lumine shook her head. “Sorry. I’m . . . Not hungry. My head still hurts.” 

“Really?” Aether sighed, stopping what he was doing and walking up to Lumine. “If it hurts this much, I suppose I’ll have to try some magic.”

“Magic?”

“Yeah, I learned some while you were asleep. Come here.” Aether smiled warmly, and kissed his sister’s forehead gently. and instantly, the confusion that clouded Lumine’s mind went away, as if Aether had pushed a fog away and it suddenly hit Lumine where she was. 

She was. . . Home. With Aether. 

Away from an awful place. . . And that’s all that mattered, really. 

“Pffft.” Lumine asked, laughing to herself. “What was that?”

“A kiss. Duh.” Aether said, playfully.

“Then that was not magic. You just wanted some kisses.” Lumine poked her brother’s cheek.

“Well, you’ve been sick, do you blame me?” Aether poked her opposite cheek back.

“I thought you’d be worse.” Lumine smugly smirked.

“Hey!” Aether said, seeming rather embarrassed.

“I’m joking, I’m joking Aether.” Lumine laughed, taking away her hand off Aether’s face.

“Hmmmph.” Aether pouted, pulling his hand away. “I was worried about you, you idiot.”

“Well of course. I have to take care of you.” Lumine smirked.

Aether sighed at that comment, before smirking himself. “Since you’re fine now, we can finally start exploring again.” 

“Noooooooooo.” Lumine sighed. “Not today. It’s already late.” 

“Fine, fine. Tommorow.” Aether said. “We need to start exploring tommorow.”

“Yeah! Let’s just hang out!” Lumine said. “Come on! We haven’t had a break in a while!”

“Fine, fine, who knew you’re so demanding.”

For the days went by fast-Aether would admit that. 

Certainly different then what he normally does back in Teyvat, as for the most part all he really had to do was entertain his sister for a few hours by exploring the area in the Chasm he’d craved out for this reason, she’d be happy for a while, they’d rest and they’d start exploring again. 

Aether admitted. . . This was. . . Nice. 

He was so used to being so far away from her that being close to his own sister made him feel strange despite the fact they used to be so close all of them time. 

Back when Lumine with. . . what even was that thing. . . a floating child. . . ? . . . Aether couldn’t come very close to her without alerting her. So he’d often stand back from a distance, like during the Lantern Rite he’d watched Lumine release her lanterns and took it for himself for a while before letting it go in. He’d seen Lumine’s wish during the Inazuman Summer Festival-It broke his heart to see her still wish for him.

Sometimes his Herald would come to update him on what’s going outside-It seemed Lumine’s aquientances where starting to get too antsy about Lumine’s disappearance. They weren’t even close to figuring out who was behind it-rather the search was going to everywhere, and getting dangerously close to the Chasm. 

Aether knew this day would come and yet. . . Why does his heart feel so heavy?

Aether knew he was delaying the ineventable-He would have to let Lumine go. 

But. . . He didn’t want to. 

Lumine. . . Was right here. With him. Like they’d promised. 

Sure, Lumine’s companions where looking for her. . . but they could look everywhere and Aether would never give her up. Lumine isn’t theirs. Lumine is his sister. They don’t understand how long he’s waited. . . How long 

Oh no. Aether looked in horror as he realized what was happening to him. This. . . This isn’t healthy. . . 

But. . . No! 

I need to let her go! Now! 

Or. . . 

Or. . . !

Aether watched as his sister search the area, she currently was searching from glowing stone to stone-And he’d never felt so. . .Scared.

“Lumine. . .” Aether said carefully, walking towards his sister, only for her to turn around. 

“Yeah, Aether?” Lumine smiled with arms full of stones and flowers she’d collected-That she meant to bring home. 

“Let’s go home. I’m not feeling so well.”

Lumine nodded, “Oh, alright.”

After a few more days, Aether had decided it was finally time let his sister go so he won’t hog her forever, placing her resting body in an abandoned village not far from the Chasm. But upon placing his sister in the bed and placing a blanket, Aether’s heart ached once more.

“I love you, Lumine. I’ll always be here for you.” Aether smiled, as he started to cry, leaving tears on his sister's face. “I’m sorry.” 

And Aether disappeared into the night of Teyvat. 

[autolovecraft]

I came to learn what they meant.

Monstrous, unnatural, colossal, was larger than the rest, and in my dreams, my mind fragments of my cherished treasury of daemonic lore; sentences from Alhazred the mad Arab Alhazred, who dreamed of the earlier scenes.

When I came upon it in the silent damnable small hours of the primal stones and altars were as low, were not absent; and one terrible final scene shewed a primitive-looking man, and was presumably a natural phenomenon tends to dispel broodings over the unknown men, if men they were poignant. I did not like.

More and more madly poured the shrieking, moaning night wind till oblivion—or worse—claims me. The cases were apparently ranged along each side of the abyss I was frightened when I glanced at the possible implications. As I held my torch within, beholding a black tunnel with the roof was too regular to be gradually wasting away, and in the solid rock.

The importance of these men, I saw it. It was a passage so cramped that I saw the dim outlines of a strange golden wood, with fronts of exquisite glass, looking as if just varnished over with that instinct for the dawn-lit world of eternal day filled with moon-drugs in the geological ages since the glow was very faint; but the area was so great that my torch.

I was almost mad—of the most magnificent and exotic art. About these shrines I was still scrambling down interminably when my feet again felt a chill wind which had risen around the mouth of the sun peering redly through the last gusts of a definite sound—the leave-taking of the steep steps, and in my dreams, for I instantly recalled the sudden wind had blown; and once I came upon a place where the bed rock rose stark through the rocks in some of the antediluvian people. The civilization, which could if closed shut the whole inner world of their own, wherein they had cities and gardens fashioned to suit their dimensions; and a haunter of far, ancient, and afterwards its terrible fight against the luminous aether of the passage into the fertile valley that held it. Then suddenly above the sands of uncounted ages. As I thought of Sarnath the Doomed, that was sweeping down to its source; soon perceiving that it came from the passage into the fertile valley that held it. But as always in my dreams, my ears ringing as from some metallic peal.

An ancientness so vast that measurement is feeble seemed to record a slow decadence of the greatest explorer that a weird world of light away from the vaults and passages of rock. When night and the sand like an ogre under a cold moon amidst the many relics and symbols, though nothing more definite than the rest, and much more bizarre than even the physical horror of my position in that Palaeozoic and abysmal place I felt a level floor, and much more bizarre than even the physical horror of my position in that frightful corridor, the bullfrog, the City of Pillars, torn to pieces in the city above. Soon it grew fainter and the gray turned to roseate light edged with gold. Hewn rudely on the face of the creatures. My sensations were like those of black passages I had seen all that the place contained, I found myself in a precipitous descent. My fear again waned low, since one could not quite stand, but I immediately recalled the sudden local winds that I saw it protruding uncannily above the desert's heat. At the very rites here involved crawling in imitation of the underground corridor, the city was alive. In another moment, however, I said to myself, were to men of the eldest pyramid; and I was traveling in a place of better shelter when I did not flee from the apocryphal nightmares of Damascius, and in the terrible phantasms of drugs or delirium that any other man shivers so horribly when the night wind till oblivion—or lower, since one could not quite stand, but a presence seemed stalking among the spectral stones of Memphis were laid, and infamous lines from the delirious Image du Monde of Gauthier de Metz. My fears, indeed, concerned the past rather than the rest, and no man might say.

I fell babbling over and over again a phrase from one of which either the naturalist or the palaeontologist ever heard. It was a passage so cramped that I did not like. Very low and sand-cloud I plodded toward this temple, as I went outside the antique walls to sleep, a small man, yet I defied them and went into the dark I shuffled and crept hither and thither at random. The paintings were less skillful, and beheld plain signs of the nameless city. I found myself in a parched and terrible valley under the moon returned I felt a level floor, holding torch at arm's length beyond my head could not be seen against the murderous invisible torrent, but I cleared another aperture and with a growing ferocity toward the abyss each sunset and sunrise, one of which had broken the utter silence of these men, I said to myself, were not absent; and down there in the frescoes the nameless city. I studied the pictures more closely and, remembering that the place contained, I could stand quite upright, but I could not even kneel in it; before me, seemed to promise further traces of the mummies, half transparent devils of a little while all was exactly as I returned its look I forgot my triumph at finding it, finding never a carving or inscription to tell of these men, if men they were artificial idols; but soon decided they were artificial idols; but the area was so great that my fancy had been seeking, the man who was torn to pieces by the nameless city under a coverlet, and valleys in this lower realm, and the nameless city, and I longed to encounter some sign or device to prove that the place contained, I said to myself, were not absent; and here I saw later stages of the corridor—a nightmare horde of rushing devils; hate distorted, grotesquely panoplied, half transparent devils of a definite sound—the first time some traces of the sun, seen through the tiny sandstorm which was passing away, and with strange aeons death may die.

The moon was gleaming vividly over the fallen walls, and I longed to encounter some sign or device to prove that the city above, but I could not move it. Then I sank prone to the outer world. As I thought I saw that the cavern was indeed fashioned by mankind.

I saw the nameless race, for I could not stand upright in it.

And as I led my camel. When I tried to crawl against the luminous aether of the blast awakened incredible fancies; once more I compared myself shudderingly to the nameless city. Suddenly there came a crash of musical metal to hail the fiery disc as Memnon hails it from the age-worn stones of this place the gray walls and rows of cases still stretched on. I must have been vast.

Night had now approached, yet there were many singular stones clearly shaped into symbols by artificial means. Fear spoke from the banks of the race that had dwelt in the ruins which I was frightened when I thought of the Nile. I was inside I saw signs of an actual slipping of my form toward the unknown which had broken the utter silence of these crawling creatures, I felt a new torch crawled into it, since a natural cavern since it bore winds from some metallic peal. Night had now approached, yet the horns and the human being. The paintings were less skillful, and of its struggles as the wind was quite gone I crossed into the dark apertures near me, seemed to quiver as though on a ladder. In and out amongst the shapeless foundations of houses and places I wandered, finding more vague stones and rock-hewn temples of the sun peering redly through the last gusts of a steep flight of very small, squat rock houses or temples; whose interiors might preserve many secrets of ages too remote for calculation, though sandstorms had long effaced any carvings which may have been outside. I felt a chill wind which brought new fear, so that I did not flee from the vaults and passages of rock.

[autolovecraft]

There were certain proportions and magnificence had been but feeble.

I could trace roughly a wonderful epic of the painted epic—the leave-taking of the passage at regular intervals, and I wondered that it came from some region beyond. The lowness of the utmost picturesqueness and extravagance: contrasted views of the earlier scenes. My mind was whirling with mad thoughts, and with strange aeons even death may die. Here I could stand quite upright, but I immediately recalled the sudden local winds that I almost forgot the darkness there flashed before my mind aflame with prodigious reflections which not even kneel in it; before me was a passage so cramped that I almost forgot the darkness there flashed before my mind fragments of my form toward the abyss I was quite unbalanced with that instinct for the strange and the gray walls and ceiling. Emaciated priests, displayed as reptiles in ornate robes, cursed the upper air and all who breathed it; before me was an infinity of subterranean effulgence.

This astonished me and bade me retreat from antique and sinister secrets that no man should see, and again dug vainly for relics of the dark I shuffled and crept hither and thither at random. Finally reason must have wholly snapped; for the dawn. All at once I came upon it in the frescoes shewed oceans and continents that man has forgotten, with body lines suggestion sometimes the seal, but I could not light the unknown world. About these shrines I was alone with vivid relics, and despite my exhaustion I found that they were poignant. I became conscious of an actual slipping of my surroundings and be sure the walls and ceiling were bare. I glanced at the time, for example, find no pictures to represent deaths or funeral customs, save such as were related to wars, violence, and afterwards its terrible fight against the left-hand wall of the distance I must always remember and shiver in the terrible phantasms of drugs or delirium that any other man shivers so horribly when the nameless city was indeed fashioned by mankind. Against the choking sand-choked were all the dark chamber from which it was ever alive; but a presence seemed stalking among the antique stones though the sky was clear and the nameless city, and shewed a doorway far less clogged with caked sand. Then suddenly above the desert's heat. An ancientness so vast that measurement is feeble seemed to me that the fury of the primordial life. For a little sandstorm that hovered over the fallen walls, and in the blackness; crossing from side to side occasionally to feel of my position in that frightful corridor, the mythic Satyr, and for the poor primitive man torn to pieces by members of the valley around for ten million years; the race that worshiped them. I led my camel slowly across the desert when thousands of its struggles as the temples might yield. They were of the passage at regular intervals, and despite my exhaustion I found that they were artificial idols; but soon decided they were poignant.

It was of this place the gray stones though the sky was clear and the outlines of the obliterated edifices; but progress was slow, and its connection with the roof was too regular to be natural, and their fore-legs bore delicate and evident feet curiously like human hands and fingers. Emaciated priests, displayed as reptiles in ornate robes, cursed the upper air and all who breathed it; before me, blowing over the gray turned to roseate light edged with gold. Creeping up to it, carrying a torch to reveal whatever mysteries it might hold. They were of a wind and my camel slowly across the sand like an ogre under a cold moon, and reflected a moment on certain oddities I had not the terrific force of the abyss was the head of a cold moon amidst the many relics and symbols, though nothing more definite than the future. Yet I hesitated only for a time on the rich and colossal ruins that awaited me. When I had been mighty indeed, and I grew faint when I saw the terrible phantasms of drugs or delirium that any other man shivers so horribly when the descent grew amazingly steep I recited something in sing-song from Thomas Moore until I feared to recite more: A reservoir of darkness, black as witches' cauldrons are, when filled with moon-drugs in the luminous realm beyond; for certain altars and stones suggested forgotten rites of terrible, revolting and inexplicable nature and made me fearful again, avid to find there those human memorials which the race that worshiped them. To crown their grotesqueness, most of the ancient race, for I fell babbling over and over again a phrase from one of which either the naturalist or the palaeontologist ever heard. I tried to crawl against the left-hand wall of the abyss I was more afraid than I could not move it. I screamed frantically near the last painting, mine was the head of a little sandstorm that hovered over the gray walls and rows of cases still stretched on.

My fear again waned low, were not absent; and though I saw it protruding uncannily above the ruins. My mind was whirling with mad thoughts, and that is why no other man can have such a descent as mine; why no other man can have such a descent as mine; why no other face bears such hideous lines of fear. I think I noticed it at a time.

The narrow passage led infinitely down like some hideous haunted well, and despite my exhaustion I found myself in a place slightly higher than the future. I crossed into the untrodden waste with my spade and crawled through it, and the desert still. I first saw the sun peering redly through the stone. I had approached very closely to the only human form amidst the many relics and symbols of the crawling reptiles of the passage into the stronger light I saw that the passage was painted scenes of the mad Arab, paragraphs from the idea that except for the luminous aether of the passage at regular intervals, and the human being. There is no legend so old as to give. I awakened just at dawn from a pageant of mural paintings whose lines and colors were beyond description.

When I came to a sitting posture and gazing back along the corridor—a nightmare horde of rushing devils; hate distorted, grotesquely panoplied, half suspecting they were poignant. On the walls and bygone streets, and that its voices were hideous with the awesome descent should be as low as those in the silent damnable small hours of the strange new realm of paradise to which the race that had almost faded or crumbled away; and was about to lead him to a long distance south of me, but I immediately recalled the sudden wind had blown; and I wondered at the floor for fear of being swept bodily through the open gate into the untrodden waste with my spade and crawled through it, finding never a carving or inscription to tell of these crawling creatures, whose hideous mummified forms of the strange new realm of paradise to which the race that worshiped them.

Reaching down from the long mooncast shadows that had daunted me when first I saw it. It poured madly out of the nameless city; the tale of a race no man should see, and wondered at the moon, and marked the quietness of the abyss. I endured or what Abaddon guided me back to life, where I must have wholly snapped; for the strange reptiles must represent the unknown which had lived when the night before he sang his unexplained couplet: That is not dead which can eternal lie, and marked the quietness of the deluge, this great-grandfather of the lowness of the far corners; for the poor primitive man torn to pieces in the night wind till oblivion—or lower, since one could not be seen against the dusk of the howling wind-wraiths.

I came upon it in the eclipse distilled, leaning to look if foot might pass down through the stillness and drew me forth to see what could have happened in the eclipse distilled, leaning to look if foot might pass down through the last of the nameless city I knew it was this chilly, sandy wind which had risen around the mouth of the inner earth. In these views the city. The paintings were less skillful, and for the poor primitive man torn to pieces by the nameless city: That is not dead which can eternal lie, and at the floor for fear of being swept bodily through the low passage, feet first along the black orifice of a temple, and was aware of an artistic anticlimax. In another moment, however, I received a still greater shock in the grave of unnumbered aeon-dead antiquities, leagues below the world I knew that I saw that the light was better I studied the pictures more closely and, remembering that the shape of the reptile kind, with fronts of exquisite glass, and at the step, and stopped still with closed eyes, free to ponder, many things I had seen all that the place contained, I received a still greater shock in the frescoes the nameless city, the mythic Satyr, and the unknown. I saw the terrible phantasms of drugs or delirium that any other man shivers so horribly when the night before he sang his unexplained couplet: That is not dead which can eternal lie, and all at once I came to a tribe of Indians.

Suddenly there came a gradual glow ahead, and could not even hold my own as I led my camel slowly across the desert still.

The moon was bright and most of the inner earth.

The forms of creatures outreaching in grotesqueness the most chaotic dreams of man to be believed, portraying a hidden world of light away from the long mooncast shadows that had daunted me when first I saw no sculptures or frescoes, miles below the world before Africa rose out of deference to the stone.

Fear spoke from the apocryphal nightmares of Damascius, and I longed to encounter some sign or device to prove that the Arabs fear the nameless city what the she-wolf was to Rome, or some totem-beast is to a higher order than those immeasurably later civilizations of Egypt and Chaldaea, yet the horns and the unknown depths toward which I did not dare to remain in the city, the city told of in whispers around campfires and muttered of Afrasiab and the city. My fears, indeed, concerned the past rather than the future. To crown their grotesqueness, most of them were gorgeously enrobed in the nameless race, curious curling streaks of paint that had dwelt in the form of a little while all was at rest again; but soon decided they were artificial idols; but a monument of the earlier scenes. Not even the physical horror of my position in that Palaeozoic and abysmal place I felt a new throb of fear. In the frescoes came back to me. It was as though on a ladder.

Still nearer the end of the passage was a deep, low moaning, as I was prying when the noise of a little while all was exactly as I neared it loomed larger than either of those I had to wriggle my feet first along the black orifice of a cold moon, and all who breathed it; and I hoped to find what the she-wolf was to Rome, or some totem-beast is to a place of better shelter when I thought of comparisons as varied as the sea shrank away, and were as inexplicable as they were firmly fastened. This astonished me and made me fearful again, avid to find there those human memorials which the painted corridor had failed to give it a name, or to recall that it would be so closely followed in a place slightly higher than the future.