#muse ∆ DAINSLEIF [ Crack ]

[fragmented-tales]

Dainsleif Valorn

Name: Dainsleif Valorn

Age: 538

Race: Khaenri'ahn

Gender Identity: cisgender man (he/him)

Sexuality: biromantic demisexual

Detailed information coming soon.

[yaeggravate]

hiii i have news 😌 remember the waste land by t.s. eliot, which is an influential poem that incorporates the legend of the fisher king, aka our beloved anfortas, man with three staves?

turns out, other than anfortas, there are several characters from the game who are found in the poem.

the most recent one is sybilla, the seelie-like bee who weaved remuria a new symphony. she is based on the sibyl of cumae, who is mentioned in the epigraph of the poem.

I saw with my own eyes the Sibyl at Cumae hanging in a cage, and when the boys said to her: “Sibyl, what do you want?” she answered: “I want to die.”

the sibyl of cumae was granted immortality but forgor to ask for eternal youth. now she is doomed to live forever and waste away into nothing. when asked what she wants, she asks for death. this is a harrowing parallel to the suffering of the fisher king.

in the veluriyam mirage event, there's a quest where we meet three brothers together with kaeya. if you recall, two of these brothers argue in front of klee, who becomes upset. their names are ferdinand and jeroney. believe it or not, these names are referenced in the poem.

(the third brother, the sickly younger one, is named haddo, who i wasn't able to find in the poem... haddo may be a nod to the dark magician oliver haddo, a caricature of the occultist aleister crowley, who also used it as his pen name.)

ferdinand calls himself the brawns of the trio, while jeroney is the brains and haddo the designer.

in the waste land, the fisher king (anfortas) quotes the character ferdinand from shakespeare's the tempest, the prince of naples who got shipwrecked in a storm... similarly, the veluriyam brothers were caught up in a sandstorm and ended up in idyia's bottleland, so i do think our ferdinand refers to shakespeare's ferdinand specifically.

The Waste Land, Lines 190-192 (Fisher King): On a winter evening round behind the gashouse Musing upon the king my brother's wreck And on the king my father's death before him.

The Tempest Ferdinand: Where should this music be? i' the air or the earth? It sounds no more: and sure, it waits upon Some god o' the island. Sitting on a bank, Weeping again the king my father's wreck, This music crept by me upon the waters,

we are meant to connect the two together; anfortas and ferdinand. ...also, isn't it interesting that our ferdinand is the "brawn"? anfortas was a knight marshal, leader of a warriorband, so he must have been pretty powerful, too. (if he was the alberich mentioned in the book perinheri, he might have even been one of the mightiest figures in khaenri'ah).

next is jeroney, which is an alternate spelling of the name hieronymous. in the poem, there is a line referring to the character hieronymo, from thomas kyd's the spanish tragedy, alternatively named hieronimo is mad again.

The Waste Land, Line 431 Why then Ile fit you. Hieronymo's mad againe.

Early in Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy, Hieronymo's son Horatio is murdered by a rival. The murder unhinges Hieronymo, driving him mad even as he plots revenge against his son's killers.

hieronimo, (the knight marshal of spain), falls into madness after the murder of his son and plots revenge; coincidence or not, an obvious parallel to chlothar. our jeroney is the "brains", and while chlothar did go mad in the end, dainsleif acknowledged he went on to "do a great many things".

this is just a crack thought since we still don't know how anfortas is related to kaeya, but if those three brothers are supposed to reflect the alberich clan, it casts their interactions in a different light and could foreshadow kaeya's backstory. they showed us two brothers, who each chose a different path, arguing carelessly in front of a child... while their younger brother lies sick and forgotten...

... 👀

[storytell]

TAG DUMP: DAINSLEIF

bough keeper ;; IC . DAINSLEIF show me that you are worthier than i. ;; ASK . DAINSLEIF we will defy this world with a power from beyond. ;; OPEN . DAINSLEIF in the hidden corners where the gods’ gaze does not fall / there are those who dream of dreaming ;; VISAGE . DAINSLEIF but i believe we humans have our humanity. ;; HEADCANONS . DAINSLEIF smoldering remains ( a warning to those that dare trespass ) ;; MUSINGS . DAINSLEIF what the fuck is a ‘‘fire emblem’’ ;; CRACK . DAINSLEIF such is the cycle of the world. ;; DASH COMMENTARY

[vilithshaven]

The Princess (1)

To be honest, I don't know how it got this bad. I only asked @nicebonescomrade if she wanted me to write something for her...and here I am, fulfilling her requests. With a whole new series.

Why am I like this? xD

Warnings: none

Zhongli was the first to meet her.

Although Khaenri'ah refused any contact to the other nations to spite them for having gods, they still did their best to uphold somewhat amicable relations. That meant that every once in a while, the ruling family's crown princess was sent to stay within other nations for a few weeks each upon reaching her 17th year of living.

(Name) was brought up by nannies and tutors in her childhood. Her parents only visited her to make sure she made progress and grew up to be a well-loved person; which she did. She helped out in the capital city even if her parents forbid her to leave, not caring about any dirt that got on her or the weights she carried.

To see people smile, to be the reason for their smiles; that was all she wanted.

Gentle of nature, loved and loving, helping out her people in times of need - the best qualities a princess could have.

And also the reason for her ultimate demise.

(Name) leaned forward, elbows proppped up on the ships's railing. A hand on her back held onto her robes, steadying her and making sure she didn't fall into the water on accident.

They had just passed Guyun Stone Forest, which allowed her to get her first good look at Liyue Harbor, a city that had prospered in the last 1500 years since the Archon Wars.

"Liyue will be a great nation one day", she mused and looked at her knight out of the corner of her eyes. Her words held a deeper meaning. "Don't you agree, Dainsleif?"

"Perhaps, princess. It does not matter to me", the stoic man replied, warm hand staying on her back as she stood up properly and stretched, soft cracks emitting from her body.

"I'm interested to see how the Liyue Qixing operate. Reading books about them is great and all, but nothing beats seeing them work up close."

As soon as the ship anchored in its reserved place in the harbor, (Name) made her way down the plank and took her first step into the city. To be less conspicuous, she'd doned simple robes in a traditional Liyuen style her personal seamstress had created before the start of her first trip of many across Teyvat. Simple, yet elegant and enhancing her already kind features. The Princess Crown on her head was switched for a simple headring, its ornate design the only eyecatching part of her outfit.

Even though the reasons for coming here were diplomatic, she still planned on enjoying her time outside Khaenri'ah and perhaps she'd be able to lend a helping hand occasionally.

Just as she thought that, something small pushed against her legs, almost sending her toppling to the ground if Dainsleif hadn't caught her by her shoulders. (Name) looked down to see a crying little boy, clutching a plush boar to her body.

Eyes softened and a smile on her face, she knelt down and cupped his cheeks which made the child look at her in shock.

"Hello, little one. Why are you crying? Is something wrong? Are you hurt?", she asked. Dainsleif behind her sighed.

The boy slowly shook his head, wide eyes trained on hers. "N-no, miss. Sorry for b-bothering you."

(Name)'s smile grew. "Well, aren't you a polite little man. Don't worry, you aren't bothering me. Tell me what's wrong, please. I wish to help you."

New tears welt up in his eyes and the boy wailed, throwing himself into her waiting arms. (Name) wrapped one arm securely around his waist, the other under her bum and picked him up. His tears and snot stained the collar of her clothing.

"Now, now. Everything's fine", she crooned, humming a lullaby to herself. The vibrations of her throat seemed to calm him down, the sobs growing less until he remained sniffling. Her hand on his back rubbed in comforting circles.

"M-mommy...I lost mommy."

(Name) frowned, puckering her lips. "Oh no, you poor boy. Why don't I lift you higher? Maybe you can find her then?"

The boy nodded into her shoulder and she smiled again. She pulled him away and held him farther up. His teary eyes looked around the harbor until they landed on a frantic woman running down the steps.

"There's mommy!", he cheered and pointed in the direction of her.

(Name) placed him on her shoulders, unsteady at first as she got used to his weight. She used to do the same to her younger siblings, but that had been a while ago. Dainsleif followed her to the other side of the harbor, a displeased frown on his face. She ignored the knight in favor of keeping her focus on not falling.

The woman widened at the sight of the stranger with her son on her shoulder, an even taller and darker stranger following them. Rumours about a noble from a different nation visiting Liyue had spread, but there'd been no details as to who. Oh, Morax save her, she hoped those weren't the long awaited guests of the Qixing.

"Hello, ma'am. I'm here to bring your son back to you." With Dainsleif's help she put the boy down on the ground, who ran straight for the woman and tackled her legs, clinging to them. The accent as she spoke was a tell tale sign to her being from another nation.

"I'm so sorry, mommy! There were all these amazing toys, and snacks, and and..."

The worried woman picked him up and hugged him close, tears of her own cascading down her cheeks. "Oh, Bolin, you stupid boy...I'm just glad you're safe."

Then she turned to the two strangers, bowing low. "Thank you so much for helping my son!"

(Name) almost panicked, raising her hands in defense at the gesture. "No need to bow, please! I just did what anyone would have done. Seeing him safe back in his mother's arms is more than enough for me."

The woman smiled and straightened up. "I really hope my son wasn't too much of a bother. I'm sorry again."

"Oh no, he wasn't! Bolin was an angel. Weren't you, sweetie?"

The boy blushed and hid his face in his mother's shoulder, causing both women to burst out in amiable laughter.

"I hope I can repay your kindness one day, miss", the woman spoke up after calming down, posture now relaxed. "May I know your name? How can I find you again?"

(Name) glanced at Dainsleif, who took the cue and stayed quiet. "My name is (Name). I'm not sure where we'll be lodging yet...but I'm here for diplomatic talks with the Qixing. Your best bet is to ask their guards."

The woman nodded. "It was a pleasure to meet you, (Name). I hope we meet again."

The boy peaked over his mother's shoulder as she walked off, waving his one arm to her. "Bye bye, pretty lady!"

As soon as they were out of sight, (Name) and Dainsleif turned to the Millelith that had been watching the whole conversation in awe.

"Are you here to guide me to the Qixing?", she asked, a trill in her voice. Now that she's helped someone, she relt ready to tackle the world.

They all bowed in unison, the center man speaking up. "Yes, Princess (Name). Please follow us."

Unaware of amber eyes having watched the scene, Khaenri'ah's Princess went to meet up with the current Seven of Liyue.

In the following weeks, she learnt a lot about the nation and its traditions and way of working. It was different compared to her own home, ruled by a royal couple, whereas here the Liyue Qixing each had control of one specific area. Their Archon and his adepti often only were seen during times of need and the Lantern Rite Festival, a yearly tradition during which Rex Lapis descended and gave the people his wisdom.

The only adepti that freely walked the city was Ganyu, a sweet girl that got tasked with accompanying the two Khaenri'ahns and answering their questions. It was clear to both that she was shy to an almost painful degree and didn't think much of herself, but (Name) didn't let that bother her. Instead she did her best to encourage and praise the adepti as often as she could, earning her blushed cheeks and sweet smiles.

In turn Ganyu was surprised to see how the princess didn't shy away from labor or hard work. Whenever she didn't find the two visitors, they'd usually be found somewhere in the city helping out. Or more like (Name) doing whatever task she'd been requested to help with and Dainsleif standing to the side, visibly peeved.

A comical sight, but also one that warmed her heart.

If the princess was like this...Khaenri'ah surely wasn't that bad, right?

Her thoughts often wandered into dangerous territory nowadays, and thus Ganyu never voiced them.

Khaenri'ah's presence was frowned upon, even by some of the Qixing. If it hadn't been for Rex Lapis' order to entertain the lost nation's wishes for the moment, the princess and her bodyguard would have long since been hunted out of the nation.

The biggest surprise had yet to come though.

On the second last day of their stay in Liyue Ganyu knocked on their door, a big smile on her face.

"Princess, you won't believe it! We just received orders from Moon Carver that Rex Lapis wants to meet you! Isn't that great? Oh, to meet the Lord of Geo and talk to him...that's a dream most citizens have until the end of their lives!", the half-qilin gushed, hands cupping her cheeks. "And such an honor, too!"

Dainsleif and (Name) shared a concerned look. Meeting the Archons hadn't been on the agenda. All she was to do was watch and be introduced to the nations' way of living.

What had she done to make the Geo Archon wish to meet up with her?

A sense of foreboding made her shiver. She did her best to smile at the Qixing' secretary, the corners of her lips strained just a bit too much. "It really is an honor...when is the meeting supposed to take place?"

Ganyu clapped her hands. "Immediately! I will accompany you to the border of the Harbor where Moon Carver is waiting for us. He'll carry you the rest of the way to Lingju Pass."

Dainsleif narrowed his eyes. "The princess is not going alone."

The adeptus blinked. "Rex Lapis only wants to see the princess. Of course a bodyguard shouldn't do any harm, but..."

"He might take it as a sign of distrust, considering I'll be around him and his adepti", (Name) finished, a tired sigh slipping past her lips. "It's okay, Ganyu. I understand. Let's get going then, shall we?"

She knew Dainsleif would send a report about this to her parents. It was the lesser evil of two at least.

Moon Carver met them in his deer form, a beautiful animal in colours unnatural to nature itself. (Name) took the time to admire his horns and coat, asking questions the adeptus only answered with great reluctance.

She didn't let that bother her too much. She was a stranger, one from a nation known for not having an Archon.

Lingju Pass was a beautiful place, albeit in the first stages of deterioration. No other humans were anywhere near, and the Geo Archon was nowhere in sight either.

Moon Carver allowed her to slip off his back in the center of the ruins, then walked off to wait for her as he'd also return her to the city.

(Name) took a deep breath and stepped forward, sleeves clutched tight in her hands. The thought of meeting the Archon that ruled this nation was scary. Would he condemn her, kill her maybe? No, even he must see that this would only start a war. But why did he call on her then? Oh, how she wished for Dainsleif to be here by her side.

"Princess (Name)."

She was startled out of her thoughts, her rapid turnaround making her dizzy for a second. There, standing where she'd gotten off Moon Carver, stood who clearly was the Geo Archon.

Amber eyes burnt into her soul. Long brown hair faded into orange. Brown, muscular arms covered in gold markings rested relaxed on his side, the clothes he wore making them seem a part of his outfit. She would have thought those were just sleeves if they hadn't glowed faintly.

(Name) cleared her throat and bowed low in a perfect angle. "It's an honor to meet you, esteemed Rex Lapis."

"An honor, is it? Bold words for a Khaenri'ahn", he drawled, baritone voice holding a hint of amusement.

She furrowed her eyebrows, unwilling to let him see that he already got under her skin with his words. "My nation may have no Archon, but that doesn't mean I will pay no respect to the one that helped his so much. Your people love you. Your deeds have not gone unnoticed by me."

A smirk tugged on the corner of his lips. "Let's go inside, Princess (Name). I have food and drinks prepared for you."

Rex Lapis walked in front of her, guiding her to a room hidden behind a wall he moved with a simple wave of his hand. Pillows littered the ground and a table stood in the center of it all, bedecked in the most delicious meals she'd ever seen. Candles on the walls lit up the room.

She sat down opposite of him, careful to keep up a friendly facade. The Archon leaned back, arms crossed and eyes watching while she helped herself to some berries and fruits. Her stomach wouldn't handle more at the moment.

"Your deeds have not gone unnoticed either, Princess (Name)", he said, letting his hands rest on his thighs.

(Name) chewed on the apple slice in her mouth, almost choking at the thought of him watching her. Or had he sent someone else to shadow her?

"I do not see how my actions are of any interest to you." Her answer was neutral.

A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. "You are a Princess from a widely disliked nation. The humans look at your progress in envy. The Archons hate you for your refusal of a God. Yet here you are, helping the people that wouldn't hesitate to turn their backs on your demise."

His taunting words stabbed a knife into her heart, a painful reminder of the truth she'd buried.

"It does not matter to me, Rex Lapis." Her tense tone betrayed the casual way she picked up a grape. "I help where I can. I can't just stand by and watch. Not if I know I can reach out my hand to people in need."

"Woman asking you to carry heavy bags for them to their home are not people in need."

Her eyes narrowed. "You think they request their help? No, they never do. It's always me coming to them if I see them struggle."

"I still fail to understand why you'd do such a things. Let them help themselves. They aren't weak. They can't depend on others all their lives."

"Maybe you don't understand because you are an Archon." (Name) picked up a glass and swirled the liquid inside, watching it. "You do not think like we humans do."

Rex Lapis hummed, smiling at her in a satisfied way. "You really are interesting, Princess (Name). Here you are, far away from home and in my clawed hands. If I wanted to kill you, nothing could stop me. Yet you don't hold back, telling me the honest truth. I like that."

(Name) snapped her head to him, surprised by his words. It appeared that this was some type of test to see hos she'd react to him. Her, a godless being.

Rex Lapis stood up, amber eyes boring down at her. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Princess (Name). I can't wait to have you in my nation again."

[genshinarchives]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐇. 𝟏𝟑

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟑 : 𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐒

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 : Is that Kazuya? No... That can’t be him. 500 years have passed since you last saw him, so the little Inazuman boy you had raised is already gone.

𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐒 : Aether, Albedo, Baizhu, Bennett, Chongyun, Dainsleif, Diluc, Kaeya, Kazuha, Osial, Razor, Venti, Xiao, Xingqiu, Zhongli

𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄 : Romance, hurt/comfort, reverse harem

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 : N/A

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 : N/A

𝐍𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟐

Kazuha scrutinised his surroundings as he walked through Guyun Stone Forest. He was trying to find a way to the underground domain (y/n) was sealed in to fulfill Kazuya's promise of finding her again. Unfortunately, his ancestor only mentioned the location in his stories, so he had no idea how to reach the domain - but he speculated that there must be some sort of hidden mechanism somewhere if the domain was built by Morax himself.

'Apparently, he heard the Geo Archon say that she'll have to fight Osial if she breaks free, so she must be sealed somewhere close to the ocean,' he thought as he entered a cave dotted with a myriad of geo crystalflies. There was a large opening above his head, which allowed sunlight to filter inside. Vines crept out of the cracks on the walls as lichens and moss signified the state of disrepair. Closing his eyes, Kazuha tuned himself to his surroundings and tried to sense a disturbance in the air.

A gentle breeze brushed past his cheeks, as if his face was being caressed delicately.

A draft.

His eyelids flew open and he immediately spotted an opening on the wall that was big enough for him to walk through. He made his way towards it before hauling himself up, and then jumped down to land on a patch of grass inside the cave; there was just enough room for four people to stand in a single file. Putting his hands against a wall, he began to feel around for any loose compartment. When he reached the wall next to the one adjacent to the cave's entrance, his fingers brushed past a faded Geo symbol, which made him pause.

"This is..." he mumbled, carefully pressing his palm against the engraving. His Anemo Vision resonated with the Geo symbol that glowed in response, and the wall in front of him then faded to reveal a stone staircase leading down somewhere, surprising him. Taking a deep breath, the rounin curled his fingers around the hilt of his sword and warily descended the stairs.

He was led to a large chamber, where two stone columns greeted him on each side upon his entrance. When he went down the steps, a man's voice suddenly spoke up from behind as the way in which he came through was promptly sealed off. Gasping, Kazuha spun around and assumed a battle stance.

"You're not the yaksha who would visit her at the end of every month, nor are you the hybrid who gifted her this simple flower bouquet," the stranger mused, slowly approaching the Anemo user whilst carrying said item in his arms. He was a tall man with long, layered blue hair reminiscent of the ocean waves, and a shorter lock of hair draped over his right shoulder. His deep blue eyes gleamed like water under sunlight as they penetrated Kazuha's very soul.

"Who are you?" Kazuha demanded, prepared to draw his sword if needed.

"Relax, human. I'm not looking for trouble." The blue-haired man then stopped in front of him, his scrutinising gaze never leaving Kazuha's figure. "My name is Osial. What brings you here? Nobody but Morax and his adepti is supposed to know about this domain's existence, let alone how to unlock it."

The rounin decided to be upfront about his reason of finding this domain. There's no way he could convince a literal god with lies and it also goes against the bushido code of the samurai. "I'm searching for someone important to me. She's supposed to be sealed here."

"So you're looking for (y/n) too," Osial stated, "The pitiable Transcendant who was petrified and sealed with me as Morax's final act of mercy... I can't tell if he was doing it to protect her or to spite me."

"... Transcendant?" Kazuha asked, sounding puzzled.

"Do your own research. I'm not in the mood to give anyone a history lesson of Teyvat," answered Osial with a scoff, "And as you can see, (y/n) is not here."

The Anemo user knitted his eyebrows together, his battle stance never wavering. "I can see that very well. What happened to her stone statue?"

Osial took a few steps towards him, his expression darkening the closer he got. "And how do you know about (y/n) in the first place?"

"My ancestor was saved by her. She gave the Kaedehara Clan its name," Kazuha replied as his hand tensed on the hilt of his sword, "I am Kaedehara Kazuha."

Pausing in his tracks, Osial's eyes widened by a fraction. "... So that's why you look familiar." He could clearly see the resemblance as an image of the young Kazuya overlapped with Kazuha's figure. "You look very much like that boy whom she loved like a brother." He then let out a muted a sigh and picked a qingxin from the bouquet to absent-mindedly twirl it between his fingers. "Fine, I'll tell you what happened to (y/n). I lured the Abyss Order here so that they could take her statue to the surface. I don't know why they were searching for her, but I know they can release her from her stone prison. In exchange, I asked them to free me by destroying Morax's seal with their Abyssal powers."

The Abyss Order. Kazuha recalled Aether telling him about it and how his twin sister had become its leader during their journey to Inazuma on the Alcor. An unsettling feeling twisted his insides, and Kazuha felt the urgency to find (y/n) increase.

"Why would you do that?" he questioned, unable to understand the logic behind Osial's decision of getting the Abyss Order involved.

"It's none of your business," Osial snapped. To be honest, he wasn't sure why he himself was desperate to free her despite knowing that (y/n) is not the same adeptus who had served him for many years before the Archon War. He considers them as two separate entities, but it was difficult for him to curb his old attachment to the original (y/n).

The air around the men suddenly felt heavy. Swallowing thickly, Kazuha dared himself to ask a risky question, "Who is she to you? According to my ancestor, the Geo Archon called her adeptus-"

"She was my adeptus," Osial cut in with a slight growl, "After Morax sealed me here with his stone spears, he took her away against her own will." He angrily clenched his jaw. "At first, I was alright with it since I trusted him enough to take good care of her... but look what happened. She was killed and turned into a living weapon! She was given the worst fate any living being in this world could have, all because that idealistic God of War and joke of a yaksha could not protect her!"

The impact of the shocking revelation hit the rounin hard. The Mikazuki Himegimi Kazuya spoke of in his stories had died once in the past? "I-I don't understand-"

"Neither do I, human. All I know is that her original body was lost somewhere, and that the (y/n) who's alive right now possesses an artificial body." Osial expelled a deep sigh and averted his gaze. "Her aura feels the same as adeptus (y/n)'s though... so I am convinced that she was somehow reborn in the body that was created for her. (Y/n) must be my former adeptus' reincarnation."

"... I see."

And their conversation ended there. Osial undid the seal on the exit for Kazuha so that he could leave the domain. After he disappeared up the stairs, the Overlord of the Vortex slumped against one of the columns and slowly slid to the ground as a shaky sigh slipped past his lips.

Why did the world have to work so cruelly against him? He was just protecting what was his; he was just protecting the happy life he led with adeptus (y/n), and then Morax had to come into the picture, taking everything away from him. He was willing to let his precious friend go, but as a result he lost her forever. Tears brimmed in his eyes as he thought about her reincarnation. They're not the same person, but she was able to fill the void in his heart that was made from the loss of his loyal companion with the small conversations they had during her 500 years of imprisonment.

He wordlessly held the flower bouquet to his eye-level. A dried flower bouquet, not decorated with fancy wrappings or colourful ribbons, but nonetheless beautiful in its simplicity, showing the good taste of the person who made it. The bouquet that Ganyu and Xiao left for the petrified (y/n) had been preserved for her, as there was no telling when she'll be free. It had been enchanted with Ganyu's gentle adepti magic so that (y/n), who dreams endlessly of the past, may break out of her stone prison with a smile and move on to tomorrow without being overwhelmed by her painful emotions.

"Had it not been for you, (y/n) would have lost her mind many years ago," Osial murmured, gently placing Ganyu's bouquet beside him.

❀

"Is something wrong?"

Kaeya's voice snapped (y/n) out of her thoughts. She didn't realise that she had stopped eating until he called her name, and when she looked at him, she noticed the worry flickering in his visible eye. Forcing a small smile upon her lips, she shook her head.

'Xiao doesn't seem to be at Wangshu Inn,' she thought sadly. She'll have to keep an eye out for him on their journey to Liyue Harbour and also try her luck there.

"It's nothing. I was lost in thought for a moment, sorry about that," she replied, lifting her chopsticks to finish her Jueyun Guoba. He chuckled and propped his chin on the palm of his left hand.

"It's alright. I was just worried that the food wasn't to your liking," he said, "I hope you didn't mind that we had to make a pit stop at Wangshu Inn; Liyue Harbour is still quite far away, and I don't have an infinite amount of stamina like you."

"I don't mind. There's no harm in a little rest."

Once the plates of food have been swept clean, Kaeya paid for both of them. (Y/n) felt bad but he reassured her by saying that it's his treat since he is trying to make it up to her today. Oh well, guess she'll just hold onto the mora Aether gave her this morning in case of emergencies. As they were about to hit the road again, (y/n) bumped into something and looked down to see a bipedal, orange panda-like creature waving at her enthusiastically while jumping. One of her eyebrows quirked up, and she felt as if she's met this adorable creature before in her past life.

"Ah, Guoba! You shouldn't go around bothering other people!" A young girl with dark, indigo-black hair styled in a pair of panda-like braided buns came running towards them with a frantic expression. Screeching to a stop in front of (y/n), she then bowed apologetically as she rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "I'm so sorry about him!"

"It's okay. He wasn't bothering me at all," (y/n) told her, petting Guoba's head. He made a contented noise, his eyes closing in a smile. "I better get going now, my friend is waiting for me."

"Oh, of course!" the girl said before her golden-yellow eyes lit up, "My name is Xiangling by the way. If you're going to the harbour, be sure to stop by Wanmin Restaurant with your friend!"

(Y/n) nodded at her. "I'm (y/n). I'll keep that in mind, Xiangling."

The moment she left Wangshu Inn with Kaeya, wisps of black and teal materialised beside Xiangling before a humanoid figure emerged from them, causing her to utter a yelp of surprise.

"A-adeptus Xiao! You scared me!" she exclaimed, having not expected Xiao to suddenly appear next to her. But the yaksha didn't hear her as he was entirely focused on (y/n)'s receding figure in the distance, his expression reflecting disbelief.

There's no mistaking that shade of (h/c) hair.

"She's free," he whispered, resisting the urge to go after her. Her presence in the aboveground world would explain why her stone statue wasn't there when he went to visit her in the domain she was sealed in just now.

After a long trek, (y/n) and Kaeya finally made it to Liyue Harbour. The prosperous harbour was a picturesque sight from the hill overlooking it, and the wealth of Liyue is reflected in the harbour's impressive architecture and design. As (y/n) gazed ahead in awe, Kaeya stared at her with a smile.

"Well, we won't be able to see what Liyue Harbour has to offer if we just stand around here," he said as he took her hand in his and thus catching her off-guard, "Let's go."

The faint blush never left her cheeks as he tugged her along, and she then lowered her gaze to their linked hands. The warm feeling she felt was oddly familiar, and it was only when they made it past the main gate of the harbour did a flashback appear before her eyes.

Instead of Kaeya, (y/n) saw a young woman in his place. She had long blue hair that fades into a darker shade at the end, and black horns that bend back along her hair with brighter red markings on them. She resembled the humanoid adeptus who tried to defend her against Morax's decision to petrify her five centuries ago...

"Come, (y/n). Let me show you around Liyue Harbour," Ganyu said, smiling at her sweetly, "I'm sure you'll find a home here."

"(Y/n)?"

(Y/n) was once again brought back to reality by Kaeya's voice. When the flashback ended, she saw him standing right in front of her, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. He was gently holding her face in his hands, and his thumbs swiped away the tears that were streaming down her cheeks.

"Are you alright?" he asked, worry lacing his tone, "You suddenly started crying."

"I..." she replied, trailing off. She was about to lie and say yes, but her expression at the moment would contradict her answer. "No, I'm not. I'm so confused, Kaeya. I've been told who and what I am, but it's so hard for me to accept everything as it is."

Kaeya lowered his eyelids halfway, fully understanding the context of her words. "I see. So you're having doubts about your identity." One of his hands went down to grasp hers, and he then pulled her to a more secluded area of the harbour. "Do you want to talk about it? I'm willing to listen."

The Cavalry Captain may be an enigmatic man, but there's no denying his comforting aura that was hidden behind a veil of ice. After recounting the shocking truth behind her creation and how she was connected to both the Anemo and the Geo Archons to him, Kaeya went completely silent.

"I somehow expected this," he murmured, averting his gaze, "After all, in order to achieve perfection, you must be willing to sacrifice something of equal value... Alchemy is all about equivalent exchange, and Khemia is no different. This may sound unpleasant to you, but I wouldn't be surprised if you were deliberately murdered by those alchemists in your past life." When he saw the way her body tensed, he quickly added, "Of course, that's just a speculation based on what I know. I might be wrong."

(Y/n) responded to his theory with silence. She was staring at the ground, her bangs casting a shadow over her eyes. Kaeya pursed his lips, suddenly feeling responsible for the shift in her mood.

"We can talk more about this later. For now, let's just enjoy ourselves. I'm sure a moment to relax was hard to come by back then," he uttered, tilting her face up with a finger. She nodded to his suggestion and decided to cast her worries aside for now, all thoughts of finding Xiao forgotten.

The pair strolled around the marketplace by the docks, eyeing all the goods the merchants had to offer. From silk flowers, cor lapis to starconches, Liyue's vendors were not short of such exquisite items. There was even a Snezhnayan merchant selling accessories and other items native to his home. As (y/n) browsed through his products, a (f/c) silk ribbon caught Kaeya's eye. Ivanovich noticed him staring at the ribbon and beamed.

Leaning into Kaeya, he then whispered, "I daresay, this ribbon would make a perfect gift for the young lady. The colour compliments her unique eyes."

Kaeya raised an eyebrow at the expectant look the Snezhnayan merchant was giving him, but he can't disagree with what he said. Cupping his chin with a pensive hum, he said, "I'll buy it."

"Excellent choice!"

After paying Ivanovich the correct amount of mora, Kaeya approached (y/n) with the ribbon. She gasped when she felt a hand touch her head, and before she could turn to face the Cavalry Captain, he had firmly cupped her jaw to keep her head in place.

"Don't move," he said, releasing her jaw, "I'm putting something in your hair." He carefully tied the (f/c) ribbon around a lock of hair and then stepped back from her with a smile. "And we're done. The ribbon really does suit you."

(Y/n) curiously touched the ribbon on the left side of her head, her fingers brushing against the silken material. "Thank you, Kaeya. I'm not sure how to repay you for this because I don't know what you like..."

Leaning down to her level, he cheekily asked, "How about we treat this outing as a proper date then? Nothing would make me happier~"

"A date? I'm not sure I understand what that is... but if that's what you want, then sure," she replied, blinking at him innocently.

His eyes widened briefly in surprise before he chuckled. "You're so cute. Well then, my lady-" He extended a hand towards her; "-let me make this date a memorable one for you."

❀

The sun was beginning to set. Time seemed to have gone by in a flash, a good sign that (y/n) had truly enjoyed her time together with Kaeya in Liyue. The two stood next to each other on the arch bridge near the harbour's main gate, their eyes gazing upon the twilight sky as the ocean reflected its soft glow.

"I believe you deserve to know this," Kaeya began, drawing her attention, "that I was entrusted with the task of retrieving you. But I no longer have the desire to help those who wish to use you as a weapon because I see you as a human." He turned his head to look at her. "Today proved that much."

(Y/n) stared at him. "How much do you know about me as the Spear of Dawn?"

"Probably as much as you do. Most of the crucial information on Project: Gungnir has been lost to time, but I do know one thing that you might not be aware of."

"And that is?" she asked.

"The flower tattoo on your back. You've most likely been told that the spell bound to your physical body enhances your regenerative abilities, but that's not its main purpose," Kaeya answered solemnly, "The flower tattoo is that spell; it's a powerful spell called Crestoria, which allows the person who possesses the corresponding command seal to have complete control over you." He then averted his gaze. "You were never born with free will from the start because Crestoria is irremovable."

"... I suspected that much," she murmured, surprising him, "That there was more to the spell than he claimed. At this point, nothing shocks me anymore."

He let out a muted sigh. As he was about to say something in response, he felt a pair of eyes on them. Pausing, he subtly scanned his surroundings and then spotted a young man donning Inazuman clothing and a roningasa standing a few metres away from them on the bridge. Kaeya could have sworn he saw him earlier when they were browsing through the vendors by the docks, leading him to suspect that this Inazuman stranger had been following them around Liyue Harbour the whole time. Growing suspicious of the man, Kaeya decided to confront him.

"(Y/n), I'll be right back," he quietly said.

"Oh? Okay, I'll be waiting for you here," she replied. The moment he left her side, a strong gust of wind blew against her, unraveling the ribbon in her hair. The ribbon waltzed away with the wind, prompting her to chase it as she reached out in a vain attempt to retrieve it. She found herself back in the marketplace by the docks, and just as her fingers were about to touch the silken ribbon, another hand caught it for her. The unexpected help made her falter and she consequently bumped into a man's chest. An arm then wrapped around her waist firmly to keep her from falling, and the strong scent of medicinal herbs wafted into her nose.

"This is a rather beautiful ribbon. I'm glad I was able to catch it before it got trampled on the ground," he remarked, "Young lady, you're not hurt, are you?"

Lifting her gaze, (y/n) found herself staring into golden, snake-like eyes that were hidden behind a pair of red, ornate, oval-framed glasses. The man was tall with light skin and long green hair, half tied up in a bun and secured with a hair stick. There was a white snake with beady crimson eyes draped around his neck like a scarf, and she stiffened when the reptile slithered closer to her face.

"I'm not hurt," she quickly replied, noticing the worried frown on his delicate face, "Thank you." She pulled herself away from him and expected him to return her ribbon, but instead he made the motion for her to turn around, puzzling her.

"May I tie this back in your hair?" he asked, smiling gently, "I don't think it was tied securely before." Nodding, she turned her back to him, allowing him to carefully tie her ribbon at the back of her head. After securing the bow, he softly patted her shoulder to wordlessly tell her that he was done. "I'll be heading back now. I have to see how my staff are doing back at the pharmacy."

(Y/n) silently watched the man leave. When he disappeared around a corner, the white snake spoke up.

"Baizhu, she's kind of weird."

"What makes you say that, Changsheng?"

"I don't know how to put it into words. She just doesn't seem human."

"Hmm..." Baizhu smiled with his eyes closed. "Is that so?"

On her way back to the arch bridge, (y/n) saw Kaeya cornering a shorter man with a red streak in his white hair. It seemed like the two were engaged in a very serious conversation, and as she got closer, she could see more features of the stranger, which made her halt in her tracks. Her eyes widened as her breath became lodged in her throat. White hair, a red streak and a pair of gentle crimson eyes...

He bears a striking resemblance to Kazuya.

"I wasn't trying to do anything, sir."

"Then why were you tailing us?"

"The woman you were with looked familiar. I just wanted to confirm if she's-"

"A-are you Kazuha?"

Kaeya and Kazuha faltered upon hearing (y/n)'s voice, and they both directed their attention towards her.

"You're Kaedehara Kazuha, aren't you?" she asked again, taking a step towards the men.

Kazuha's eyes widened, but before he could say or do anything, Kaeya beat him to it. Striding over to her, he took her by the arm.

"We should return to Mondstadt before it gets dark. I don't want to get in trouble by Aether," Kaeya curtly cut in. He proceeded to drag a surprised (y/n) away from Kazuha, who could only stand there as he watched her leave the harbour.

Just as Kazuha had finally found her, she disappeared so soon.

(Y/n) looked at him over her shoulder, and when the two made eye contact, he flashed her a smile to seal their silent promise of meeting each other again.

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟒

𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 : @smoochi-modest @kyoukaiq​ @bobaducky @laugh-like-the-moon @selinatherealname​ @otomefan @niorawr​ @phoenixdaneko @lesmouche @electr0m1ko @lucy-roo @melkxsh @love-letters-4-u​ @justlynna​​ @noodleshark420​ @xioseu​ @muzanscumslut​ @lunavixia​ @falling4fandoms​ @coco-goat-milk​ @flowwerpot

[obssessivethorn]

“Home” [Genshin Impact]

Synopsis: In the final moments before battle, the traveler's worry grows fast. Their own twin stands at the other end of the battlefield, refusing to put their resolve to rest and come home. Archons forbid their fight be to the death.

Trigger Warnings: Angst, Major character death(s), death in general

Word Count: 2,889 words

Date Posted: July 8, 2021

Note: This is based purely off of fan theories, my own predictions, and knowledge of the game as it is currently. It will include spoilers for the “We will be reunited” archon quest if you have not gotten that far into the story yet. As well as hints of lore from the Honkai Impact game. This is in no way in indication of the game’s ending and should be taken as merely a fan based prediction/theory of one of the many possibilities of this story’s ending. Please enjoy! (This turned out longer than intended-)

Let me know if you want to see more to this au type thing. I’d gladly write about Diluc and Kaeya reconciling and seeing each other as brothers again as well as other stuff with the characters!

"Home"

★★★

The traveler had gained the former power back, their hand retracting from their resonance with the holy statue. Their friends stood around them, watching with widened eyes which hold a burning amazement. The traveler’s power unlike any they have ever seen.

Wings stretch to their sides to bask in the moon’s godly light. An ethereal glow began to emanate around their being as if they too had taken the form of an archon. Each element’s swirl could be felt within their body, bringing forth a familiar feeling. Near completion.

With their power restored once more, their feet landed back to the ground. Sword in hand, they turned back to their friends. From adepti to everyday workers, the traveler has gathered their closest and very best known fighters and friends to help them.

The battle was approaching, yanking every breath of fresh air and common sense from the traveler. Their friends would be fighting faceless beings. People turned to monsters. Who couldn’t be saved.

But the traveler couldn’t hold the same courage they could. On the other side of the battlefield stood their sibling. Their twin. Flesh and blood who they have traveled worlds together with. And they would fight. Archon forbid, to the death.

A shaky breath left their lips, eyes closed shut after gazing harshly at the ground for too long. Feeling a hand placed on their shoulder pulled them back to reality before they could spiral further into fear’s welcoming grasp. Looking back at the owner of the limb, they could finally find a clear breath to fill their lungs.

Venti’s sorrowful smile pierced the traveler. A silent understanding blew through their hair, sending golden wisps in different directions. Archons forbid death.

Taking a step back, the wind god left a lingering warmth upon the traveler’s shoulder. He made his back to where the other archons stood, powerful grace dawning him as the traveler had never seen before. A true god ready to fight a war once again.

The traveler took a sigh, grasping any courage they could find before turning their gaze to their friends.

“Alright, so as you all probably know, The Abyss Order has finally risen.” Their voice shook, cracking every other word. They cleared their throat before continuing.

“We were unable to prevent them from creating what is essentially a mechanized god. However, this does not mean we are doomed!” The traveler looked upon the sea of faces. Fear, shock, and suppressed somber mixed together.

How could they let this happen? It was never supposed to come to this. Dragging their friends into a war. Starting a war to begin with! Children stood among the crowd. While they may be talented vision holders, they were still too young to face this. But they still insisted. Pleading with the traveler to let them help. And they let it happen.

Their breath began to shorten again, tears fighting their usual calm composure. They could feel themselves spiraling once more. How could they let this happen? Let it get this far? Let children-

A voice broke them from their thoughts yet again.

“Traveler!”

Looking over to the figures running around the outside of the crowd, they saw four familiar Knights Of Favonius growing closer. Amber waved her hands high to grab their attention as the small group approached.

“Mondstat has been evacuated, all of the citizens are being led to Liyue by the knights of Favonius.” Amber smiled, reassuring the Traveler of innocents’ safety.

“Great, and the people of Liyue?” The traveler asked, redirecting their attention to Jean.

“Safely protected by a shield covering the harbor.” The woman smiled. “But if worse comes to worse, you can’t forget that both cities’ people are still able to fight. While Mond has the Knights of Favonius, Liyue has the Qixing. Each nation has their own means of defense, so trust us, Traveler. Even Schneznaya has the Fatui.” Jean’s grin grew wider, excited pride slipping through her calm mask.

The traveler smiled back, chuckling at their own worry. “You’re right, they should all be able to hold their own and protect each other, with Visions or not.” They turned back to the crowd, Amber, Lisa, Jean, and Kaeya now by their side.

“Now, as we stand, the Abyss Order is marching our way. Their movements may be unpredictable to us, but we know this land better than they do. It definitely won’t be easy,” the traveler took a quick breath, heart weighing heavier in their chest. “But The Regions of Teyvat will triumph today.” The crowd’s cheers roar through the field.

“Nicely said, Honorary Knight,” Jean turned to the traveler, smiling proudly at them.

“Ya know, I didn’t think you had such a thing in you,” Kaeya mused, patting their shoulder.

“To be honest,” the short blonde chuckled,” I was totally speaking out of my ass there.” Their light grin faltered, falling into uncomfortable worry.

“I know it’s hard, but you’re not alone, traveler,” Jean placed a hand on their shoulder, sympathy painting her features.

“We’re all here for you,” Lisa gave them a quick, meaningful hug. “Besides, what would I do without my little helper~.” The traveler let out a light laugh, however, the easy moment couldn’t compete with the bubbling anxiety filling their lungs.

Air weighed heavily.

Gentle breezes turned to cold gusts.

“May the archons protect us.” Jean prayed, stepping away to rally her section of the Knights. Lisa and Amber followed suit, preparing their squadrons both mentally and physically.

Kaeya remained by the blonde’s side, gazing at the crowd with an unreadable expression.

“Are you going to be okay?” The traveler’s question broke him from his thoughts.

“Yeah,” he chuckled, a piece of his mask beginning to slip. “I understand.”

The traveler’s face morphed into confusion. Understand? Understand what? What could Kayea, a man of many eloquent words, mean by such a short, vague statement?”

The man chuckled again.

Another crack in his mask.

His eyes drifted to Diluc, then to Dainsleif. Crack.

A sigh escaped his lips, forcing his smile to fall sour.

Crack.

His gaze fell to the floor, watching his now fallen, damaged mask lay among the dancing grass as if it had separated from a slain hilichurl.

The man who stood before the lost twin was not the same flirty and mischievous Knight of Favonius they had met all those months ago.

This man was Kaeya. A Khaenri’ahn who’s life was ripped away by the archons themselves. A man sent to create a downfall of other nations in retaliation for the onslaught of his country’s people. Kaeya Alberich. Khaenri’aian survivor.

His gaze drew from his Mond identity laying idly by his feet, to the traveler. “I understand why you’re scared.” Tears brimmed in the man’s eyes, a glint of fear sparkling in his pupil.

All previous disdain for the people who had fallen seemed to hide, a glimpse of it remained hiding beneath his eyes. But it soon became evident to the traveler, whatever conversation he had with Dainsleif, was enough to inject guilt and sympathy within his veins. But still not enough to instill total remorse.

A silent understanding passed between the two. No words passed through the air between them.

Despite being humans turned monsters, despite Kaeya’s place of blame on his people, they were still victims of the Cataclysm.

The traveler placed a hand on their friend’s shoulder. They sent a quick smile, opening their mouth to speak, only to be interrupted.

“Hey, traveler!”

Turning their head to the sound of their name, they were met with a certain ‘tone-deaf’ bard.

Kaeya nodded with a slight smile, turning away and walking in the direction of his brother.

“Are you ready?” The archon’s voice was soft, contrasting from his usual high pitched giggles.

The traveler had expected a witty one liner to help bring up their mood or a quick joke poking at their seriousness. However, the bard merely looked drained, eye bags lining his face with a somber expression painted over his soft features.

“I don’t know.” The words brush past their lips before they could think. Were they ready? They had to face their twin of all people. How could they be ready? “I plan to bring them back.” They stated. “To bring them home.” The traveler stared out into the crowd, watching people prepare.

“But will you be able to?” Venti stared intently at the ground as if it were his enemy. The question was aimed mainly at himself rather than the traveler and seemed to slip past him before he could stop it. He quickly shook away the thought, noticing the growing worry on the lone twin’s face. “Of course you will!” His mask was back up, a playful ‘hehe’ drawing past his lips.

“Yeah, I will,” the traveler breathed, a lie beautifully woven within the truth.

•~•

The city of Mondstat lay dim in the distance, the army of Knights and vision holders drifting further from home with each step.

Across the clear fields of Windrise stood monsters. Creatures from the Abyss wielding dark and power hungry gazes.

Many stared in disgust, watching the distant crowd draw closer. Other however, glanced at the group in pity, quickly averting their gazes to refocus their minds. Few knew the true story of the fallen nation 500 years ago, letting their hearts weigh heavy with sympathetic solitude.

Leading the enemy was a familiar figure. The Abyssal Royalty stood proud yet steeled away, gazing at their opponent from across the grassy pathway. Few stems of small lamp grass paved the way between both sides, guiding each distant traveler to meet their other half once again.

Away from their allies, the lost twins hesitantly stepped nearer. A temporary truce of peace passed between them, its wick quickly beginning to burn.

“Lumine,” Aether broke the evening silence. His voice held strong, only to be mocked by the hurt hidden beneath his golden eyes.

“Aether.” Lumine mimicked her brother, the same strong yet weak presence plaguing her voice.

A silent plea from both siblings rang through the surrounding air.

“We can leave, go home! Together..”

“My battle and your journey are yet to be over.”

“After all this time, you still keep saying things that make no sense. Who are you battling other than me?”

The traveler’s twin paused, momentarily shocked from their sibling’s words.

“I’m fighting those who tore us apart.”

The Abyssal twin’s gaze hardened, shifting into an icy glare which shot through their sibling’s heart. Oddly, the sharpened look seemed to pass through the traveler, aimed at a distant being among the crowd of Knights.

“Those who..” the traveler’s words drew thin, disappearing within the air.

A crackling rang through the air, drawing the twins and their respective allies’ attention. Three familiar diamonds tore through the sky, ripping an entrance for a rather infamous figure to emerge.

“Your journeys must end here, outlanders.” Golden eyes pierced the twins, an authoritative air emanating from the unknown goddess. “You’ve altered the weight of destiny from your first arrival, now you must own up to your actions.” With a flick of her hand, the god isolated the three, barriers blocking the view of both armies racing toward their leaders. Their screams fell silent as the last cube sealed them in, the last view being the face of Barbatos, reaching out in elegant mimicry of the day he tried and failed to rescue her. Once again, he wasn’t fast enough.

Within concealment, the twins readied their swords, tri-wings stretching after years of rest.

“Fight as long as you wish, but you will always come back to the same point. Failure.”

Upon hearing her words the twins launched forward, entering yet another intense dance with the god.

•~•

For what felt like hours, the three battled as they had once before, only with the twin’s new found strength to differ. The outlander’s feet hit the ground, enough adrenaline pumping to let them ignore the battered bruises.

The fallen goddess now lay still, defeated by the twins with the joint help of the archons’ powers. A wind-bearing bard tends to a scared girl, broken from the evil which once plagued her.

The abyssal twin gazed at their sibling in awe. A twinge of pain entered their chest at the thought of what they must have gone through trying to find them. How could they have so badly abandoned their own twin? Millions of questions and blame raced through their mind, blurring their vision with tears.

A name reached their ears. Was it theirs? Wait. It was from their twin. Why were they shouting his name? They were safe now.

The traveling twin rushed forward, pushing their other half out of the way and taking the incoming blow. They fell to the ground clutching their chest in pain. The cold felt strangely welcoming. Only, their hands filled with warmth. Now wasn’t the time to nap, but sleep’s comforting embrace wanted to engulf them. Closing their eyes for a second wouldn’t hurt.

•~•

Tears began to pour, outweighing the pellets of falling rain. “Please, wake up.” They cried, pain filling their chest with each second passing by. “We can go home now, the war’s over.” They hiccuped, silently denying an unreal truth.

“Majesty!”

“Honorary Knight!”

Shouts from either side could be heard, only to fall on the deaf ears of the traveler’s sibling. Upon viewing the sight, the surroundings fell silent. Not even the thundering sky could dent the area’s torturous quiet.

Holding their twin close to them, the abyssal sibling let tears slip through their grasp. “We can leave now, just like you wanted!” A small squeeze around their hand gave them hope, gasping with widened eyes.

Below them, the traveler forced their eyes into a squint. Their hand squeezed lightly within their sibling’s. “Home is wherever we are together.”

A sob left the abyssal twin’s lips, forcing a cry to echo in the pouring rain. “You’re right, we’re home! We’re together. We’re-.” Their twin’s grip loosened.

“Hey…,” the crying blonde nudged their other half. “Hey, wake up… we’re home.” Their nudges grew to hasty shaking. “Come on, wake up.” Sob.

“Wake up!” Sob. “Come back!” Crack.

The final thread holding the lone twin’s hope snapped, releasing a titlewave of buried emotions. Unsaid words of appreciation. Unplanned surprise hugs. Introducing new friends which they both longed for. Battle training in different worlds. Fulfilling their prophecy for this world. Long forgotten “I love you”s. Gone. With a stupid flick of a wrist.

The now lost twin sat alone, hand traveling through matted blonde locks stained with blood. As to who the red liquid belonged to, they hadn’t a clue.

Silence once again weaved through the solemn tension which hung frigid with every breath. Tears continued to stream down the outlander’s face, falling onto the face of their loss.

“Your majesty…” An abyssal mage floated steadily toward their ruler. Its words were phrased more as a question of fear rather than a statement.

Wordlessly, the Abyss Ruler began to stand, hooking their arm underneath the crook of their twin’s knees and their back. Their eyes didn’t leave the body now laying limp in their grasp. A hollow warning passed through the air as they slowly trudged to the wind Statue of the Seven.

The statue of Windrise was a signature point of Mondstat, the giant tree creating an elegant background for the stone monument. Windwheel asters lined the edge as anemo crystalflies drifted through the general breeze.

The now lone traveler placed their sibling down on the ground in front of the statue, kneeling beside them. Another broken sob left their lips, silently pleading with whatever remaining archon Teyvat had left to bring their twin back, punish them for their actions, kill them too, anything.

“Anything please,” they whimpered, eyes squeezed shut to prepare for any punishment the gods may bring. “Just don’t let them suffer for my mistakes. It should have been me. If only I was faster.”

The wind’s light breeze grew heavily, picking up into gental gusts of air. The change wasn’t enough to gain the attention of the traveler, however. Only a new voice entering their mind broke their distraught focus.

“Open your eyes, child.”

Doing as the voice said, the blonde was met with a young bard whose physical body seemed as if it was disintegrating. Patches of pale skin detached from the main vessel, floating upward toward Celestia only to vanish within the rays of the rising sun.

“Your twin will never be forgotten, and neither will you.” The bard outstretched his hand, an ethereal light seemed to emanate from him. “Your story will be remembered.” An empathetic smile dawned his lips, attempting to distract from the pain which glimmered beneath his gaze. An understanding of pain.

“Lord Barbatos?” The still kneeling traveler gazed up in awe at the god. “The wind archon?”

Light chuckles passed his lips. “Yes, only… I am no longer the archon of wind, merely another god whose time is finally up.”

“Please, punish me. I’ve only caused pain to the people of Teyvat.”

“No.”

“No?” The blonde whimpered.

“No, just please, come home.” The bard bent down in front of them, pushing a strand of hair from their face as he had 500 years ago. 

Oh, how the beautiful fall.

•~•

[teyvattherapist]

I am once more asking for crumbs of your ocs

Always dear anon!

Both -I actually have a reference sheet for both of their favours + the ones that belong to the family line in general. The Ambros Clan has 4 total favours. Sandrone has 3. And Ohm totals in with 8, including the strongest ever garnered. -Favours work by blessing the specific member. IE, Ohm's favour Solar Cold that he gained from Albedo, is the direct cause of his Constellation Ability; Glacial Dance(c5). While Sandrone's favour from Ohm, Brother's Book, is the direct cause of his Constellation Ability; Moon's Blessing(c3). Most of the favours are connected to extra abilities. -If you fit together Ohm and Sandrone’s constellations they form the scales of justice with a moon in one bowl and a sun in the other. -Growing up they were teased they got the wrong birthmark due to Sandrone's quiet nature and Ohm's taste for fighting. If only their parents saw them now, they'd be so disappointed. -Of course Sandrone is unaware, but Ohm is also unaware they have a surviving family member. Nanami is also unsure if her sister is still alive, let alone her nephews. -Sumiko never spoke of Nanami to the kids out of guilt for leaving her sister behind all alone. Nanami was resentful at being abandoned but it didn't last very long. Nowadays she's actually quite mournful to be alone. -Nanami actually works as a spy for the Resistance, she works within the Bakufu. She's probably one of my most badass NPCs<3 Nanami Rights. -Ohm gained his vision first, and Sandrone asked for the exact one his brother had two years afterwards. As a result, their visions are mirrored. Which is the reflection is up to the viewer.

Ohm -Its vaguely mentioned in voicelines, but Ohm's role as Medical Captain was a position specifically created for him, prior to his promotion there was no such position. -Ohm canonically doesn't get along with Seamus Pegg for reasons unknown to all except Grand Master Varka. As a result, the Medical Captain declined joining Varka for his expedition. -Varka is one of few within the ranks of the Knights of Favonius that knows the true location of Ohm's ahem "Medical Expeditions". Kaeya is the only other. -When Ohm received his vision he changed physiologically as a result. His heart physically froze over and he lost the ability to discern between temperatures, as such he's never cold but he can become incredibly ill if he gets too warm, which is a problem because he also doesn't feel the heat. -I don't know if I mentioned it before, but I need to mention it again, Ohm cannot swim. If he were real in game, they'd have to program him immediately drowning lmfao. He's actually petrified of water. -Speaking of fears, Ohm is deathly afraid of snowstorms. This was caused because he heard the rumours that he was the one that caused the devastating snowstorm(he did) all those years ago. It fucked him up emotionally. -As a result of believing in the concept of a second death, Ohm often muses that he wishes to be forgotten. Though its often rare for the captain to be so self deprecating, it's probably the most honest he can be given the things he hides. -The flower in his animation, the black and blue one, is not only the same one the Traveler can investigate in his quest. It was also given to him by Dainsleif a long time ago. It, too, suffers from immortality.

Sandrone -I'm gonna start with a sweet one, Sandrone's favourite book is 'The Fox in the Dandelion Sea' (he doesn't know why, but I do because I wrote him, Ohm used to read this to him when they were children.) -For some reason he can't eat during the day without getting sick. Given that he often sleeps during the day anyways this usually works out. However, when he's undercover, this can sometimes prove an issue. -Out of the two brothers, I've written more xreader content for Sandrone. Weird fun fact, but I did the math earlier. Its cause he's hot and evil(not really). -Sandrone is a natural empath but has trained himself to ignore other peoples' feelings. However, this makes him almost too good at manipulating a person's emotions for his own gain. All for the sake of the job, even if it does wear him down occasionally.. -Despite wearing a neutral expression in the face of pretty much anything that may affect a normal person, Sandrone is terrified of lightning/thunderstorms and while he doesn't often show it, if one was observant enough, they'd be able to see the minute flinch every time there's a streak of lightning or a crack of thunder. -Sandrone's voiceline When It Snows, Forests, is a reference to the day he and his brother tried to escape. The familiarity is because they attempted(and somewhat succeeded) to go through the forest. -Despite saying that Scaramouche is the cruelest harbinger, that's not what Sandrone actually believes, and is a misdirecting lie. This is because it was one of his fellow harbingers that tortured him, he believes they're the worst but refuses to admit it. -In Sandrone's story it mentions; "Others say he keeps his identity hidden because he’s a captain from Mondstadt," this is a reference to his older brother. And probably one of my favourite references. -His favourite flowers are calla lilies, a fact he and Kaeya bonded over when they were much younger. They're still his favourite, but beyond the pressed calla in his alchemy book, he hasn't seen one in over a decade.

[ragnvindrknight]

✔ ( for Dainsleif? o: )

A quick and easy plotting guide Send me ✔ and I will bold my preferences for your muse! // @destinyrcigned​

My muse(s):

Do I know your muse(s): Yes as an acquaintance maybe? I met Diluc saw Dains for like 2 seconds in his tavern.

Setting: [ our verse ]  I think developing a verse in canon first would be great uvu Since Dains and Diluc has had 0 interactions but I also think they generally get along because they’re both calmer people with similar backgrounds in nobility and knightood, with Diluc being more selectively chaotic, although I’m not so sure if Diluc would like Dains if he’s from Khaenri’ah.

Pre-established relationships? depends on the relationship

Possible relationships: friends | classmate | co-worker | roommate | family, real or adopted | dating or blind date | married | friends with benefits | unrequited love | lending a hand | teacher - student | rivals | allies | partner-in-crime | enemies | protecter - guarded | business partners | spy - infiltrated | manipulator - manipulated | star-crossed | first meeting | other

I’m in the mood for: fluff | angst | horror | romance | humor | crime | hurt / comfort | action | supernatural | slice of life | crack | dark threads | light threads | any genre | multi-para | shorter para | one-line | any length | plotted threads | unplotted threads | other

Feel free to: message me ooc | message me ic | tell me your ideas | write a starter | answer one of my opens | send a meme | reblog this with your preferences - let’s find common interests! Hit me up anytime!!

[xxyumeno]

Beginning to run out of juice for writing more replies lol. I shall resume my shenanigans tomorrow.  I have a random ideas below the cut. Other than that I’m off to bed! Good night and pleasant dreams everyone~

Also also, Kaeya being able to speak fluent elvish and getting smacked on the back side of his head by Alice for saying something he shouldn’t have said around Klee. Even though she think what he said was funny. Klee doesn’t understand so is confused. 

Another also, Teyvet being it own Pokemon region, Venti being the first gym you need to challenge. With Venti being the elusive gym leader it take forever to get that first badge. The challenge itself instead of battling him to get the badge it to track him down. Joke on the trainer you still have to battle him to get the gym badge. :D I’m going to eventually write this all out.

My 3H Claude muse getting a Genshin Impact verse as an Anemo vision holder hailing from Sumeru, Archer, and primarily single target burst blah blah blah. Coming soon.

Dainsleif morden AU as a bodyguard. Bodyguard to an idol? Royal family member? Politician? Who knows, but he take his job seriously and he hard nut to crack.

Fate verse for Albedo as an alchemist/old school mage and Childe as a summonable servant. Summon as an Archer, NP is his Foul Legacy Mode and class chances to Lancer because why not (mostly because of Hydro polearm). Lisa maybe as well who still practices old school magic? Don’t know it a thought.

[tenebriism]

al-hazen : 🍞?

" . . . I apologize. I have no bread for you. "