XXXI

Hiking up back to Liyue was a fairly quiet affair. Not much was said, not much needed to be said. You walked close to Aether, an arm slung over his shoulder and Paimon floating beside you. Zhongli walked to the left of you and Aether, his hands holding the glaze lilies with delicacy and a content smile was on his face.

Finally making it back to the entrance of Liyue Harbor, you all noticed a swarm of Fatui and Millelith crowded around. Quickly making your way over to one of the soldiers, your group inquiries about what's happening and Fatui agent informs you all that the Qixing and the Adepti are about to come to blows, the Millelith was ordered to keep eyes on the Fatui, and Wangsheng is caught up with authority.

Zhongli leaves with a serious goodbye and some vague words about finding the 'fuse' or whatever, something both you and Aether realized was Childe (though for different reasons). Instead of wandering around for more information, you see the determination in Aether's face and the three of you decide to go straight to Childe himself.

As the three of you jog to the Golden House, a sense of urgency in your movements but wanting to preserve most of your energy, Aether turns to you as much as he can. "Hey, where's Ariel?"

"He's back at the inn." You breathe carefully.

"What if things go wrong when speaking to Childe?"

"I didn't think about that, but we don't have time for the detour now." You really didn't given that the three of you were now climbing the steps to enter the Golden House. You sneak past whatever guards are there and slip through the doors.

Entering the Golden House was nothing like in the game. Sure, in the game, it was cool, but now? It was a wide, spacious area, of black wood floors and spires lined in gold. The actual mora twinkled under our feet like fallen stars and caused light to bounce off of every wall, creating shining fractals. It was mesmerizing and for a moment you could stop your mind from drifting off as you looked at the intricate carvings and designs in every line of the wood and twirl of gold.

"Wow!" Paimon's awe broke through your own. "It was impressive from the outside, but who knew it looked even cooler on the inside!"

Absent-mindedly you nodded, but nerves were starting to creep up on you. Childe was strong, you knew. He was even more diverse in weaponry than you, had a vision, a delusion, and his Foul Legacy transformation. You would have to fall to the back and utilize your bow (the weapon you were best at and the weapon Childe was the worst at) while Aether went in close with his sword and elemental abilities.

Paimon continued to ramble about the mountains of mora until Aether cut her off with an uncharacteristically serious look. "Something feels wrong. We need to check if the Exuvia is alright."

The three of you trek forward only to find multiple members of the Millelith, scattered around and knocked unconscious. Childe is nowhere to be found as the three of you walk up to the large golden dragon cocooned in a shimmering white light. Just like the Golden House, Genshin Impact did not do Morax's dragon form justice. The Exuvia was very long, covered in umber scales, the occasional gold shine beneath the surface. With a slim head and giant mane, a palette of several golds and light browns, the body looked incredibly regal. The only thing emphasizing that being the long, winding, deer-like horns that sprouted from the back of the head, a black base nestled in the mane fading to a brilliant yellow.

A voice spoke from behind, causing you to flinch slightly as you were even more entranced by the sight of the Exuvia than even the Golden House. "You've already fulfilled your tasks as guides, so why do you still linger here? Haven't you already seen enough trouble for today?"

The three of you turned to see Childe walking up the steps of the platform you were standing on in front of the dead dragon body. Though you already knew that Childe had no clue of the underlying plan, and that his efforts of destruction would never amount to anything, his uncharismatic face was strangely uncomfortable to see, and his stance was intimidating and frightening.

There was always one thing you forgot about when in this world. Despite the fanfiction and the memes and whatever that you had seen from the safety of your bed, behind a screen, these characters were dangerous, and they could hurt you if they tried. Even though Childe views most fights, even ones he's serious with, as opportunities to test his skills, you didn't know if you could even bear that. When you sparred with Andrius, you knew that even though it was serious, the wolf would never actually kill you, but you weren't sure how far Childe was going to go, especially because he didn't interact with you as much as he did Aether.

"If you were Fatui, I imagine that you would be entitled to a generous reward from the Tsaritsa herself." Childe's tone still held some kind of lightness, but it didn't overcome the firmness of his lips as they pressed to a serious line. "But now, you're nothing but dross - and you're in my way."

"It looks like we made it just in time then." Aether said, calmer than Paimon looked, and I felt.

"Although I am so deeply grateful to you that I was able to effortlessly find this secret location. Wouldn't stopping me now just amount to a waste of effort?" There was a smugness to his tone, something that grated you on the inside.

Childe continues his monologue and exposition, and the unskippable dialogue is making you incredibly antsy to get the fighting part over with. You just want to either walk out of here injured or dead and the waiting to get to that ending, is killing you.

But Paimon eventually declares war, Childe laughs in our fucking faces (rude), and Aether doubles down, only getting Childe to laugh more. But when Childe begins to strut back to the center of the Golden House, you realize there's no more wait time.

"Tag team?" You mumble, holding my hand out to Aether in a low high five.

"Tag team." Aether slaps your hand and rushes forward, bringing his sword out in a quick slash that Childe manages to dodge with ease and, in the process, summon his bow.

From the farther platform you bring out your bow, it's sleek design fitting easily into your hands as it has a hundred times before. You prefer your bow to any of your other weapons, especially because it's the one you've had the most practice with, and with the teachings of Ariel, you knock the arrow and aim it precisely at the back of Childe's right knee.

You take a breath and fire the arrow, nailing it right at the back of Childe's dominant knee. The Harbinger cries out as he switches his bow for his hydro blades when Aether suddenly bursts forth with a swift strike a little too close to Childe's heart. You could see the snarl on Childe's face as the arrow in his knee causes his dodging to get sloppier.

You stayed on the higher platforms. Arrows that didn't bounce off Childe's now well-placed shields grazed him, forming small cuts in his clothing and skin as he was now mindful of your precision, dodging both you and Aether. You were so focused that you didn't notice Childe powering up and the huge ass water whale emerging from the floor.

Aether had been standing in front of you on the lower platform and the whale was aimed for him. Though he ran out of the way, the aftershock of the whale's collapse still hit you. A giant wave slammed straight into your stomach, forcing your breath from your lungs, black spots darting across your vision, and buckled knees as you curled over.

You were definitely going to have a bruise tomorrow, but you couldn't think on that for long as the moment you gained your footing once more, a shield of water circled around Childe before exploding outward to reveal a more Fatui-like outfit with his delusion now hanging from his hip.

With your quiver now empty, you pulled your jagged sword from its sheath and ran to Aether's side. With one look the two of you knew exactly what to do. Relying on your speed and stamina, the two of you darted around Childe like mice, slashing at any chance you got and making sure to block any strike that would hit the other.

Occasionally, Childe would get a strike of his own. A kick to the ribs here, a slice to the cheek there, and a shock to the system just for fun. So caught up in the battle, you (and your tiring muscles and bruises) cheer internally as you and Aether manage to back Childe up against the edge of the platform. A strong blast of electro that caused your teeth to clench had you abandoning those celebrations.

"Not bad! Your swordsmanship and bowmanship is quite impressive." Childe stalked towards yours and Aether's forms, twirling his now electro blades before slamming them together into one long weapon. You saw Aether's form shake from the electro blast and gritted your teeth when you felt the same spasms in your own body. "But that's about as far as you'll get."

The adrenaline in your body pumps faster than your brain can think, so when Childe thrusts his blade towards Aether and you wrap your bare hands around that sparking steel, you knew it was just instinct. The electricity burned your hands, and from how hard you were clenching the sword, you knew deep cuts were opening on your palms and fingers.

Aether found his bearings and jumped forth at the opportunity you presented to him, blasting away Childe in a surge of anemo and geo. The sudden disconnect from the weapon left your hands trembling and bloody, but the shock through your system just made them feel numb.

Aether grabbed your waist and helped you stand, keeping a sharp eye on the mist where Childe once stood. Eyes widening when it cleared, and the only thing left behind was Childe's weapon. You stumbled slightly when Childe laughed from behind you, making Aether jolt away and to you groan when the hands that hung at your side, bumped into your legs.

Childe floated in front of the Exuvia, laughing falling from his lips from his faux victory. "I didn't think you had that card hidden up your sleeve!"

"You were just playing us to get close to the Exuvia!" You heard Paimon call out.

"Quiet down and stop acting like some idiotic recruit!" Childe said simply. "You've seen this world. You of all people should know that this should have been expected!" Childe's hand sparks with electro as he sinks it into the delicate skin of the Exuvia husk.

You feel Aether tense beside you, but you only have the urge to smirk when Childe's efforts end up fruitless. The smug grin on his lips turns to a snarl with his fists clenched tightly by his sides. Even as he laughs, you feel the anger rolling off him in waves.

"I see. Well, this is most unexpected." Childe's voice gets darker, almost vindictive. "You beat me to it, didn't you?!"

Another absentminded comparison you couldn't help but make was the lack of the magical girl transformation sequence. Instead, it happened in a bright flash of hydro and electro that left your eyes whited out for a moment.

Your body ached, your fingers were twitching, and blood was running down your hands, but you still had the adrenaline left in you to clench your previously fallen sword once more and give a quick squeeze to Aether's hand.

The wind picked up by Childe's transformation and energy aftershocks had yours and Aether's hair flying as if the two of you were in the center of a tornado.

Childe's strength was strong, and if you didn't know any better, you would have said he looked just as ready to fight as he did before blades had even crossed. "That wasn't bad, but this is going to cost you!"

The deep voice of the Foul Legacy transformation bounced off the walls of the Golden House in a strange echo. Childe's double bladed electro staff was quickly stabbed into the ground. You only had time to widen your eyes as the electricity crackled the the floor, making it shatter under your very feet.

-

You think you blacked out for a moment when you collided with the floor. A pretty bloom of bruises across your back would accompany the ones on your stomach from the wave. You cough but managed to sit up and stumble towards Aether.

There were cuts along the traveler's skin and it seems the breath was knocked out of him as well, but helped him to his feet, your weapons in your respective hands as Childe floated down and stood across from you, feet hovering just inches above the floor and cape flying behind him looking like a blanket of the night sky.

The last wave of the fight was the hardest, with yours and Aether's now sluggish bodies only barely managing to dodge the sharp, elemental strikes from Childe's blade. Your own jabs didn't do much and neither did Aether's elemental abilities.

The two of you were blown back at one point and that was when you noticed something. You turned to Aether and whispered. "Aether, look at the space between his chest plate and hips! There's a small section of fabric instead of armor around his stomach for better mobility."

Aether pants beside you, adjusting the grip on his sword. He nods and tilts his head in acknowledgement.

"I'm going to sneak up behind him and pull his cape and, hopefully, it'll expose that spot more. When I do, slash at it. Hard. Got it?" Your fingers twitch around the sword and you clench it tighter. From the corner of your eye, you see Aether nod.

The two of you dart forward, slashing at Childe with similar techniques as before. As Childe gets lost in the routine of parrying our blades, you inconspicuously move closer to Childe's side. With a quick prayer and lunge, you grab as much fabric as you can, the closest to Childe neck as possible, and drop all your weight on it.

The Harbinger's head is thrown back and distantly, you hear the sound of quiet chokes before a loud cry echos throughout the Golden House. You can only hope Aether had taken his shot when another blast pushes you back.

The smoke clears to reveal Childe in his normal form, an arm slung over the long gash across his stomach. He kneels, panting and groaning, mumbling out something you couldn't hear over the ringing in your own ears.

Eventually, he stands. The wound still bleeds, but he looks as proud as ever. "Your show of ability far surpasses what I've been told through the grapevine. Tell me, how could that be?"

"I'm collecting the power of the seven elements." Aether's voice is strong despite the weak shake you could see in his legs.

"How fascinating." Childe groans, his voice husky. He chuckles weakly. "Anyone who strives to become stronger shall be called a friend, even if our friendship is only in battle." Childe shakes his head, as if dispelling some thought and getting back on track. "Unfortunately, I must bring this conversation to an end, as my quest still beckons. Given that the gnosis wasn't taken by anyone, we must look once again to the beginning. Perhaps it was never in the Exuvia to begin with."

Childe seems to come to the conclusion that he had been duped and that the Exuvia was a false corpse. Taking no time to monologue, the sigils of permission began to circle him like a strange, gold hula hoop.

Though you couldn't see it, you could hear the sounds of the wind picking up outside. It felt like listening to a heavy rainstorm while safe at home.

"Let's see if the nation that lost its deity is swallowed up by an ancient malic once more!" The sigil's burst in a shine of gold and Childe changes to a formless vision of water tinted red. "If you wish to drown together with the people of Liyue, you're free to stay and enjoy the show!"

With those final words, you, Aether, and Paimon were left alone in the Golden house. With no time to lose you and Aether connected eyes and bolted through the heavy doors and into the chaos.

A/n - Struggled with this one as I'm very unconfident with fight scenes, but I hope it works.

Nickname options: Comet, North, Sunshine, Fairy, Starlight, Starshine, Sunflower, Stardrop, Sundrop, Now [Latin for Night], Tori [Japanese for Bird], Polaris [The guiding North Star], Prophet [Jest name], Bumblebee.

Aether's Love Interest options: Yoimiya, Kazuha, Ayaka, Nilou, Keching, Ganyu, Collei, Original Female Character, Original Male Character.

The voting portion of this author's note will be removed after a certain chapter. Both polls will be combined with my numbers on Quotev as well. Have a nice day everyone!