Aether: "Thank you."
Ganyu turned her head slightly toward him, surprised by the sincerity of his tone.
Ganyu: "No need to thank me."
She paused briefly before continuing more softly.
Ganyu: "It's nothing.
"You're here to help Shenhe… not to be bothered."
Aether nodded, a slight smile appearing on her face.
Aether: "Ninguang was right… Liyue can be… intense."
Ganyu let out a small, quiet laugh.
Ganyu: "Yes… especially when someone as well-known as you is walking around without an escort."
She glanced quickly around them, making sure no one got too close.
Ganyu: "From here on, I'll stay close to you."
"We're not far now."
They finally arrived near Shenhe.
Shenhe: An adepti disciple with a most unusual air about her.
Having spent much time cultivating in isolation in Liyue's mountains, she has become every bit as cool and distant as the adepti themselves.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap
She paced back and forth along the edge of the harbor, her steps tracing an almost perfect circle on the stone slabs, as if her mind were looping in time with her body.
The tip of her spear occasionally grazed the ground with a soft, regular click, a sign of her restrained agitation.
The sea air gently ruffled her long white hair, while her gaze remained fixed on the horizon, lost in thoughts she didn't voice aloud.
A few steps away, Beidou leaned against a wooden crate, busy cleaning her greatsword.
Beidou: Captain of her crew, The Crux.
She's quite an unbound and forthright woman.
The metal gleamed in the sunlight, and each movement of the cloth was precise, almost ritualistic.
Beidou: "...."
She seemed relaxed, but her eyes watched Shenhe with discreet attention, like a captain keeping an eye on a crew member who's been a little too quiet.
Ganyu: "Shenhe."
Ganyu's soft voice rang out clearly despite the bustle of the port.
Shenhe stopped abruptly.
Her expression remained calm when she recognized the familiar voice, but her gaze immediately shifted to the blonde figure walking beside the Adept.
Shenhe: "Oh... Ganyu, Aether."
"How are you?"
Her voice was steady, almost too controlled.
But her fingers tightened slightly around the handle of her spear.
Before Aether could even reply, Beidou burst out laughing and jumped to her feet.
FFFOOOOUUUSSSHHH
With two long strides, she reached him and, without the slightest hesitation, lifted him off the ground with one arm.
Beidou: "HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"AETHER!"
"How are you?!"
Aether's feet suddenly left the ground.
Aether: "Uh—I… I'm fine!"
His surprise was obvious; his arms remained frozen for a moment before he barely dared to steady himself.
Beidou beamed, amused as always, before gently setting him back down with a firm pat on the back.
Aether's blonde braid and scarf swung as Beidou shook them lightly, laughing.
Beidou: "AWESOME."
They started chatting about trivial things: the journey from Mondstadt, the sea, Inazuma, past battles.
Around them, the port's inhabitants went about their daily lives, paying them no attention.
Dockworkers loaded crates, merchants negotiated in hushed tones, and children ran near the water.
This absence of stares allowed Aether to gradually relax.
He felt the tension leave his shoulders.
Here, he wasn't a trophy, nor a walking legend.
Just someone among others.
Shenhe: "Good to see you again, Aether."
She was now looking directly at him, her bright red eyes seeming to search his face for something… or perhaps someone.
Aether: "Hi, Shenhe."
"I came to help you with your problem."
Shenhe inclined her head slightly.
Shenhe: "My problem?"
Aether took a breath and explained calmly.
Aether: "Ganyu sent me a letter."
"It said you were acting strangely… and that, apparently, I might be able to help you understand what's going on."
A silence fell.
Beidou: "I see the Captain of the Swordfish II is still saving damsels in distress."
Shenhe: "Huh?"
Beidou burst out laughing and raised her hands.
Beidou: "Just kidding."
"Anyway, Aether and I fought together in Inazuma."
"He knows I'm joking."
She leaned slightly toward him, a teasing smile on her lips.
Beidou: "He's also very strong at night."
Aether immediately felt the heat rising to her face.
Aether: "...…"
Shenhe: "...…"
Ganyu: "...…"
The atmosphere changed abruptly.
Shenhe gripped her spear tighter, her brows furrowing slightly.
Shenhe: "What exactly do you mean?"
Beidou didn't answer immediately.
She simply smiled, a slow, mischievous smile.
Beidou: "He's very strong at facing enemies at night; no enemy could detect him."
Aether: "...…"
Shenhe: "...…"
Ganyu: "...…"
Shenhe looked away slightly.
Shenhe: "I thought you had…"
Beidou: "No."
"We didn't."
A short silence.
Beidou: "For now."
Her mind drifted for a brief moment.
A Resistance tent, the distant sound of the sea, two figures lying side by side…
She shook her head almost imperceptibly to banish the image before it took over.
Ganyu coughed softly.
Ganyu: "This isn't the time for that."
She placed a light hand on Beidou's shoulder, then looked at Shenhe and Aether.
Ganyu: "Beidou and I are going to leave you two alone."
"You have things to discuss."
Beidou shrugged.
Beidou: "Yeah."
"I'm going to finish cleaning my sword somewhere else."
"...."
"And have a drink."
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap
She walked away quietly, leaving the two Adepts alone a few meters from the dock, while Ganyu followed, casting a final reassuring glance at Shenhe.
Silence settled between Aether and Shenhe.
Only the waves and the cries of seagulls could be heard.
Shenhe remained still for a moment, then resumed pacing, slower this time.
Her steps were no longer perfectly steady.
Shenhe: "Ganyu sometimes exaggerates."
Aether: "Maybe."
"But she's worried about you."
Shenhe stopped walking.
Shenhe: "I know."
She gripped her spear, then sighed.
Shenhe: "For some time now… my thoughts have been confused."
"My emotions too."
Aether listened attentively, without interrupting.
Shenhe: "I'm not used to this."
"The red cords are supposed to prevent me from feeling too much."
"Yet…"
She looked up at him.
Shenhe: "When I think of you… something changes."
Aether felt her heart skip a beat.
Shenhe: "It's not anger."
"Nor violence."
"It's… different."
She looked away slightly.
Shenhe: "I don't know what to do with this feeling."
Aether remained silent for a moment, then took a step forward.
Aether: "You don't need to understand right away."
Shenhe looked at him again.
Aether: "Emotions aren't fought like enemies."
"Sometimes, you just have to accept them."
"Like when a vision is entrusted to us."
"Feelings work the same way."
FFFFFFFFFFfffffffffffffffffffff
The wind blew harder for a moment, making Shenhe's hair flutter around her face.
Shenhe: "He's not afraid of me… he's not judging me."
Shenhe: "That's why Ganyu summoned you."
Aether nodded.
Aether: "Perhaps."
A gentler silence settled in, this time without tension.
In the distance, Beidou watched the scene, crossing his arms, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Beidou: "This boy really does attract everyone."
About twenty minutes later:
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap
Aether and Shenhe were walking outside Liyue.
The port city was now just a memory behind them, its orange-tiled roofs gradually merging into the light mist rising from the sea.
Before them stretched a wilder, more silent landscape.
The mountains of Liyue rose like motionless giants, their slopes covered in wind-twisted pines and jagged rocks.
The dirt paths wound between the hills, worn smooth by the repeated passage of merchants, travelers… and sometimes, far less reputable individuals.
The ground was dry in some places, damp in others, and each step stirred up a light cloud of dust that dissipated instantly.
FFFFFFFFFFffffffffffffffffffffffff
The wind rustled through the tall grass, while the distant cry of a bird echoed against the rocky walls.
The air was fresher here, heavy with the scent of stone and resin.
Beidou had finally stopped earlier, deciding it was best to leave this discussion between the two of them.
Now, only the sound of their footsteps and the whisper of the wind accompanied their walk.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap
Aether: "... ".
Aether walked on, his hands relaxed but his mind alert.
He sometimes looked at the landscape, sometimes at the path ahead, but his thoughts raced.
Aether: "How do I bring this up... I don't even know what's wrong with her."
Beside him, Shenhe walked with an upright and composed posture, but his gaze seemed elsewhere, fixed on an invisible point on the horizon.
Shenhe: "How can I even bring this up… I don't even know what's wrong with me."
They continued to move away from Liyue, taking increasingly narrow paths.
The mountains drew closer, giving the impression that the world was slowly closing in around them.
From time to time, a side path plunged into the rock or disappeared behind a pile of stones.
Several times, Aether felt eyes on them.
Treasure hunters.
They were there, hidden behind rocks, crouching in bushes, or perched on high ground.
Some had immediately recognized the blond-haired traveler.
Others had identified Shenhe, not as a mere human, but as someone whose presence inspired an instinctive sense of danger.
None dared approach, but they whispered amongst themselves:
Treasure Hunter #1: "It's him…"
Treasure Hunter #2: "The Traveler."
Treasure Hunter #3: "And her… I don't trust her."
Most chose to hide or flee, judging the risk far too high.
Confronting Aether, the hero of Liyue, accompanied by a human adept with an icy gaze, was tantamount to suicide.
But not everyone shared this clear-sightedness.
A man, a little further along the path, suddenly emerged from behind a rock.
He wore light armor, worn by time, and in his hands he held a loaded crossbow.
His smile was wide, almost demented.
Treasure Hunter: "HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"
His laughter echoed between the rock walls, shattering the surrounding calm.
Treasure Hunter: "You know what you have to do."
Aether stopped.
Shenhe stopped too.
Aether: "...…"
Shenhe: "...…"
Around them, other treasure hunters watched the scene, hidden but perfectly aware of what was about to happen.
Treasure Hunter #1: "Oh, this can't be happening…"
Treasure Hunter #2: "Rest in peace."
Treasure Hunter #3: "What a stupid idea…"
Treasure Hunter #4: "I can't believe it."
Treasure Hunter #5: "...…"
Treasure Hunter #6: "I promise to watch over your parent."
Shenhe instinctively positioned himself behind Aether, not out of fear, but out of strategic habit.
Aether, for his part, frowned slightly.
Aether: "Why target us… we don't even have any Mora in sight."
He didn't have time to think any further.
Tap
Shenhe suddenly placed his hands on Aether's shoulders and turned him to face him.
His gaze was serious, but strangely calm.
Shenhe: "Close your eyes."
Aether blinked, surprised.
Aether: "What… now?"
Shenhe: "Please."
He remained perplexed for a fraction of a second, then nodded and closed his eyes, trusting Shenhe without truly understanding why.
Tap
Tap
.....
A brief silence fell.
And
BOOOOOUUUMMM
A muffled explosion resounded, accompanied by a blast of icy air that brushed against Aether's face.
It wasn't a destructive heat, but a brutal coolness, as if the air itself had been violently expelled.
And he felt a slight chill around him, as if someone had used their Cryo Vision.
Aether felt the ground vibrate beneath her feet.
Shenhe: "You can open them."
Aether opened her eyes again.
The treasure hunter had vanished from in front of them.
Aether: "....."
Aether immediately turned to Shenhe, her gaze filled with concern.
Aether: "Shenhe…"
Shenhe quickly raised her hand.
Shenhe: "Wait."
"I didn't kill him."
"Look."
She pointed to a bush a little further away.
The treasure hunter lay sprawled there, thrown against the foliage, his broken crossbow a few feet away.
He was groaning softly, unable to get up.
Treasure Hunter: "Ugh…"
Aether let out a small sigh of relief.
Aether: "She held back."
"Thank you."
Shenhe lowered his head slightly.
Shenhe: "I know you don't like it when I lose control."
Aether: "I also know you're trying."
He turned on his heel.
Aether: "Let's continue."
They resumed walking, retracing their steps as if nothing had happened.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap
Around them, the other treasure hunters remained perfectly still.
Some swallowed hard.
Others looked away.
Even the women knew it wouldn't change anything: The strength of these two depended neither on gender nor numbers.
None of them moved.
As they walked on, the landscape changed again.
The mountains seemed closer, the paths narrower.
A stream meandered between the rocks, its clear water reflecting the sky.
The sun was beginning its slow descent, tinging the stone with golden hues.
The silence between Aether and Shenhe grew heavier, but also more intimate.
Shenhe: "Earlier… weren't you afraid?"
Aether: "Yes."
"But not of you."
She paused for a moment.
Shenhe: "Sometimes I feel an urge… to strike, to act without thinking."
Aether paused in turn and looked at her.
Aether: "And you held back."
Shenhe: "Because you were there."
These words lingered in the air.
The wind blew gently, making the grasses around them shiver.
Shenhe: "Before, I wouldn't have hesitated."
Aether: "But now you're hesitating."
She nodded slowly.
Shenhe: "That's what's troubling me."
Aether gave a faint smile.
Aether: "So it's not something bad."
They resumed their walk, leaving behind the silent mountains and the fearful stares of the treasure hunters.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap
Aether and Shenhe continued their walk to the lake nestled in the heart of the Tianqiu Valley.
As they approached, the landscape subtly changed.
The rugged mountains of Liyue gave way to a natural basin, almost perfectly circular, as if the earth itself had been shaped to protect this place.
The lake stretched before them, calm and still, its surface reflecting the pale blue sky streaked with slow-moving clouds.
The water was so clear that they could see the flat stones at the bottom, as well as the shifting shadows that betrayed the presence of fish.
Around the lake stood the ancient ruins of Tianqiu.
Tall stone pillars, weathered by time, encircled the expanse of water like silent guardians.
Some were leaning, others cracked, but all still bore ancient carvings, eaten away by moss and lichen.
Stairways led to collapsed platforms, remnants of a forgotten past when this place had likely been an important, perhaps ceremonial, center.
Diurnal fireflies, drawn by the lake's moisture, floated lazily in the air.
Aether and Shenhe descended the grassy slope to the water's edge.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap
The ground was soft beneath their feet, and a few wildflowers bent before straightening behind them.
At the bottom, they noticed several wooden boats moored near the shore.
Some were worn, cracked by time, while others still seemed perfectly usable.
Nearby lay fishing rods, leaning against rocks, left there by passing fishermen.
Aether gazed at the lake for a moment, his hands on his hips.
He could almost imagine the taste of grilled fish, simply seasoned, shared around a makeshift fire.
Aether: "There must be some incredible fish here… Too bad I still don't really like spices."
He turned to Shenhe.
Aether: "Shenhe, how about we go fishing?"
She tilted her head slightly, observing the water, as if silently considering the suggestion.
Shenhe: "Hmmm…"
"Why not?"
Chapter 9: A Night with the Captain
The End