#dainsleif as lumine's companion

[hydrachea]

Dain for blorbo opinions!

blorbo opinion bingo

BINGO!

I love Dain dearly. I also have very complicated feelings about him, in the sense that I oh so dearly wish we could save him, but I also wholeheartedly think his salvation will be a long awaited death. At least I hope he'll get to experience one good thing before that happens, maybe even two.

[throwaway-yandere]

FLAWLESS (Yandere!Various Genshin/Reader)

A/n: This is a complete interactive fic w/ CGs! There’s an HP system and 4 possible endings (yandere!Scaramouche, Alhaitham, Kaveh, and Kazuha). This is my final fanfic and I really put my best effort into drawing and writing this. Have fun!!! Your choices matter so read the evidences properly and try not to get a bad ending hahaha. (Pls answer this poll after and feel free to send me memes about who you got hAHHAHA)

Unreliable Synopsis: (Danganronpa!Genshin AU) If this is your last dance as an idol, then you do not want it. No. You’ll make the real criminal sing instead.

CW: yandere themes, blood, murders (well duh ansy–), and brief mentions of suicide.

Kazuha frowned. "For (L/n) (Y/n), this whole ordeal must seem like a flawless crime."

"They don't know the murder weapon, the suspects— no nothing." Kaveh sighed.

Alhaitham interjected. "Indeed, but the real questions will begin in a moment."

Words punctured the air in nameless accusations. Each time people enter this room, only distrust looms acting both as a safety blanket and suffocating plastic. You stared at the people left. One, two, three, four, five... You clenched your fist, and all those fingers pointed back at you. 

The sixth. 

There are only six survivors left.

"Say, (L/n) (Y/n)." Your Akademiyan companions stared at you as Kunikuzushi’s smirk could practically be heard in his voice. "Where were you at the time of the murder?"

You gulped.

The Teyvat Akademiya. Home only to the most renowned student of their craft. The faculty carefully picks out select groups of students to be their new freshmen- and it can only be counted by hand how many had declined such a generous offer. It was a government state university, but it was also a golden ticket to knowing people from high places.  

Each student was known for contributing something in their fields of interest. In fact, both your adoptive siblings were alumni of this prestigious school. Your brother Aether was a famous "adventurer" (as he loved to call himself instead of an artifact-obsessed archeologist) whereas your sister Lumine was a remarkable swordswoman with a straight-edged track record. Even your older friends, Dainsleif, and a certain glasses-wearing individual you had forgotten the name of were graduates and now boast incredible resumes befitting of an Akademiyan. Each alumnus you've met wasn't someone any person with a head on their shoulders would dare disrespect. 

But that was not the reason for your schoolmates’ evident intimidation.

“Allow them a moment to process,” Alhaitham scoffed. “The Body Discovery Announcement was approximately 2 hours ago. It’s challenging for individuals from the entertainment industry such as them to comprehend complicated matters in a few seconds.”

“I would’ve fainted at your rare attempt at empathy if it wasn't obviously pointed,” Kaveh scoffed before turning to you with a soft stare. “(Y/n), don’t listen to these two, I’m sure we can find out if you’re innocent or not later.”

You gave a short nod of assent.

Tragically, murders had become the norm for college students like yourself. No one has flinched at Kaveh’s grim mention of a suspect lurking by and none had the insanity to deny what had occurred.

It began when you first woke up in one of the Akademiya's classrooms. You stirred awake on a desk near Shikanoin Heizou, the "Detective Prince". He was a famous figure, so you instantly believed him when he said you were both hauled into this location against your will. You were enthused by his infectious desire to uncover whatever was behind the “kidnapping” you found yourselves in. He told you not to worry, that despite the barred windows and inaccessible exits, you'd both "probably" find a way out.  As you both wandered around the area, you found fourteen other students (some familiar faces, some not as much). For a brief moment of hope, everyone thought escape was possible. 

That was until a certain cold-eyed puppet entered the scene.

A heartless puppet you’re sure was waiting for everyone just under that elevator.

“Is… Is this everyone?” You asked like a mouse, frightened as your eyes darted for any hints of twinned cyan hair. Nothing about your recent behavior had gone unnoticed.

Senior Faruzan is missing…

Yoimiya frowned, grabbing your hand for comfort. “(Y/n)…”

Kunikuzushi scoffed. “Enough of this dumb ohhh boohoo exhibit. Let’s go.”

The most mysterious of the bunch left for the stairs immediately, punching the button on the elevator to its ground floor. Yoimiya huffed, muttering complaints about Kuni’s behavior while the three other men followed her silently. No one took the stairs two at a time and walked at a snail’s pace. A clear indication that no one wanted this to occur. 

And just like in the previous cases, Kazuha’s eyes were on you the entire time but spoke nothing of this behavior.

The elevator door opened. You looked at the camera above it. If the Shogun's words are to be trusted, then the outside world is watching your every move like reality TV.

If that's the case, might as well give them a show.

Kunikuzushi stepped aside, royally ushering everyone— and specifically YOU— in.

“Idols first.”

Everyone entered the trial room. If the mood from earlier was tense, it is worse now that you’re inside. Stepping into the cold room makes the situation all the more real.

There is an execution waiting to happen, but without a hint if it’ll be “us” or “them”. Every bright person inside the room here had previously partaken in 4 of these court sessions by force. Since no one can exit the premises nor contact the outside world, the only key out was to kill and avoid getting caught. 5 people had attempted to commit murder, and considering how you’re still breathing, none of the “blackened” had succeeded in getting their way.

How… How did it come to this? 

You enrolled in the Akademiya in hopes that you'd also find the subtle clues as to why Aether went missing, this wasn't in your plan.

Getting roped into this killing “game” was on no one’s to-do list. You received an invitation to enroll in the Akademiya because of your stark idol career, although your siblings being famous alumni may have greatly increased your chances of receiving that privilege. You would’ve thrown that paper into the fire if you knew you’d get dizzy upon arriving in the Akademiya and will wake up in such a heartbreaking dilemma. Hearing from a grapevine, you discovered that Kaveh was invited for his architectural drafts, Kazuha for his poems and a bit of swordsmanship in his repertoire, Yoimiya for her firework shows, and Kunikuzushi?… You don’t know. But you are wholly aware as to why Alhaitham is here as your senior— you were there when he opened his letter after all.

The “mascot” is yet to make her entrance. So, as “obedient” students, you’ve uncomfortably shuffled to the places you were meant to stand. Bile rose inside your throat as you looked at the last five students excluding yourself circling the room— with Faruzan’s crossed-out portrait to your right while Kamisato Ayaka’s on your left. It would appear that most of the dead students were on your side and the closest breathing person next to you was Kunikuzushi, who was two photographs away.

Alhaitham, Amber, Tighnari, Ajax, Albedo, Kamisato Ayaka, You, Faruzan, Xiao, "Kunikuzushi", Kaveh, Cyno, Yoimiya, Layla, Yunjin, Kaedehara Kazuha, and Shikanoin Heizou.

The deceased faces had been crossed out in bright violet paint, a nauseatingly unsubtle reminder that only six remained. Yet, the one that was meant to sit towering above was missing.

“… Where’s The Shogun?” Kazuha asked.

“Ah, so you do have a voice. And here I was about to call you a cricket. I thought our poet lost his words, considering how the previous trial ended,” Kunikuzushi mocked, rolling his eyes. “Just wait and see.”

You sighed, hoping it was quiet enough for Kuni not to have heard it. 

The last trial broke everyone’s spirits and sense of camaraderie the most. Before trials, the puppet gives everyone an incentive to kill. In the Ayaka-Heizou murder case, each student was given a videotape that raised more questions than answers. Yours was a clip of Lumine, your fellow theater actors, and idol mates congratulating you for your enrollment before it cuts off to a scene of your home burned to cinders. As for Ayaka, hers was a short-lived message of her older brother asking her to come visit the clan for Thoma’s upcoming birthday— before it cuts to a gruesome scene of her brother fatally wounded on their living room floor. 

“Find out what happens once you graduate!”... and then the tape ends.

Whoever was the mastermind behind this killing, you had to admit, they were an expert in psychological torture. And unfortunately for everyone, Ayaka was a smart individual— killing the most trustworthy student, Heizou, to cover her tracks better. She put up quite the fight in manipulating everyone to think that you and Kaveh were possible culprits.

You even got into an argument with the calmest person around. Kazuha was “convinced” that Ayaka was right, which led to you two entering an incredibly heated argument that left him depressed with his rejected apology. You were on "good terms" with him before, that being he would always offer to cook food and accompany you often. 

… Perhaps that was a good thing. Discreetly, you thought he strangely knew you to a degree that makes you far from comfortable. It still bugs you how he knew you all too well and yet you know nothing about him other than his aspirations: traditional Inazuman poetry writing with a bit of karuta on the side.

Maybe he used to be a big fan of yours? Even so, the foundation of your music, choreography, and persona was weaved through a tapestry of feel-good lies. And yet, he was wise enough to speak your true thoughts before you even hesitated to voice them in your cheery idol tone. 

But that’s not the issue right now. 

The issue on your plate was that you had no evidence to prove your innocence except for the list of school rules on your E-Handbook because you were convinced someone will kill you during the investigation.

You laughed to yourself bitterly. Might as well review those rules now.

You opened the E-Handbook.

As per “school rules”, there are regulations to be had in a murder game, but none stick to you as these three. Rule #10 and #7: A class trial will commence after three or more students have discovered a corpse, and a Body Discovery Announcement will play as soon as it occurs. However, a trial will be held if and only if every survivor is present; failure to do so will result in class “expulsion.” 

And the last rule that never left your mind was Rule #8: If the guilty party is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be executed.

By the end of Trial #4, she did not receive a proper execution. Ayaka was compelled to restore her honor and raised her sword to…

…

… You couldn’t hate her for it. Even though you were close friends with Heizou, you couldn’t hate any of your fellow students. They all had family, hopes, and visions for the future. Each one here was "a fledgling barely out of the nest." You couldn’t deny that you would’ve done the same.

"Since the Shogun isn't here yet, let's get a headstart," Kaveh gripped the court fence, eyeing everyone with a nervous stare and stiff posture. "What's your alibis?"

Nobody raised their voice initially. You cast a pitying glance toward Kaveh. When it comes to your closest friendships, he comes in second only to Heizou. As someone who had seen the horrors of the media which is essentially a mirror of the world's social issues, Kaveh's one of the few decent individuals left on the planet, in your opinion. In moments of quiet, you, Kaveh, and Faruzan used to chat together, with Heizou periodically interrupting to share his findings regarding everyone's entrapment.

Considering how Kaveh is your last true friend left, you volunteered yourself.

"I never left my room," you spoke audibly depressed, no longer caring that you appeared un-idol-like. "And I refused entry as well. I heard a couple of angry knocks at 9:37 p.m., but I didn't open my door for anyone."

You looked at Kazuha, hurt and accusingly.

You'd never forget how Kazuha called you a murderer. That intense argument made up 30% of Heizou's class trial. He lost his composure and called you a "dishonorable monster". The whole back-and-forth was very much unlike him. After the trial, neither of you talked– and you never left your room unless it was to get something to eat without anyone in sight.

If he was the one who killed Faruzan because he can’t get to you, then you’ll…

"9:37 eh? You got a watch now?" Kunikuzushi pointed at your wrist.

You snapped out of your aggression and nodded, which made him break out in a fit of laughter. 

"HAHAHA!!!" Kunikuzushi grinned, wide. "Learned your lesson, huh?!"

You scoffed, but your ego was humbled and your heart sank at his harsh words. 

Everyone in the room nearly lost their lives because of your time-blindness. It's precisely what made Kazuha suspicious of your motives. You were always unsure of the time, hence, you didn't have the most watertight alibi compared to Ayaka. Before you entered your room to lock yourself, Alhaitham blocked the door with his shoe and handed you his spare wristwatch. He was the last person you saw before your self-isolation.

"Good," Alhaitham said. "And you, Kunikuzushi?"

"Are we going to ignore that angry knocking thing?" Kaveh rightfully asked.

"Let's complete the first task first," Alhaitham answered. "Let's follow the circle; it's (Y/n), then Kunikuzushi, Kaveh, Yoimiya, Kazuha, then I."

"Conveniently putting yourself last," Kunikuzushi snarled. "But whatever. I was napping in my dorm. Woke up when I heard footsteps outside and decided to investigate. The discovery alarm rang off when I entered the nurse's office the second time."

Kaveh fell silent, his face pale.

"I… never went to m dorm that night"

"Oh?" You and Yoimiya curiously said in unison.

"I-I was with Alhaitham, patrolling!!!" Kaveh defended; his arms in the air. "I swear on my life, I was with him! We're probably the footsteps Kuni heard."

He spoke as if it was a good thing with his mouth, but he was whispering that it wasn’t with his eyes.

"Can't be certain," Kunikuzushi threw in a quick grumble and snapped his fingers. “But I think that's probably the case.”

"That makes sense. I mean, if Kuni was telling the truth then that just means there's more chance it's just those two hopping around. Oh, and I was actually on the second floor at the time. I was in the recreational room cause I wanted to get tokens for the cute little Shogun Stall.'' If Kuni’s side comment lasted a month, then Yoimiya's would be a year– but her good cheer is just what everyone needed to alleviate the tension.

"I wasn't in my dorm room either," Kazuha said. "I was in the cafeteria. I couldn't sleep so I decided to fry fish."

"True, I think. When I checked the cafeteria a knife was missing from the shelf."

"We’ll keep your fact-checking in mind, Miss Naganohara." 

No soul was sure if Alhaitham was being genuine about it except for you. And the answer was yes, he was being warily appreciative. Admittedly, you don’t know any of these people before this killing game started, except for one person…

Alhaitham looked away, conscious of how you looked at him.

In all fairness, Alhaitham was closer to Lumine than you and Aether, and he wasn’t your favorite neighbor either. As a kid, he was the type who would leave in the middle of hide-and-seek simply because the ordeal wasn’t “stimulating” to his developing intellect. He had a habit of causing uncomfortable situations just to “observe” your reactions with an emotionless stare. Alhaitham had once given you a sumeru rose with a startling grasshopper to see how you would behave, and the worst part is that everyone knows he did these without malice. His grandmother had to force a sorry out of him for your tears to dry. “He probably has a crush on you, you know how boys are,” was the excuse the old lady tried, but your twin siblings were quick to shut that thought down. You and he were simply oil and water, nothing more, nothing less.

But there were times you two got along. When you aired out loud sentiments regarding how stuffy his room must be, you snatched the book he was reading and dashed up the nearest tree. Despite his grumbling reservations, he was thankful that you taught him how to climb that afternoon. That was the first you saw him smile wider than usual and offered to narrate the book you stole: The Little Prince. 

However, that version of Alhaitham you’ve come to love remains awol amidst this killing game.

"As for my whereabouts: Kaveh is correct. He and I were patrolling just the first floor and exchanging conversation. Neither of us could sleep. We started at 9:15 and ended abruptly at 11:05, when we, along with Kunikuzushi, found–"

"The body." Kunikuzushi finished.

"Yes," Alhaitham said.

Kunikuzushi smirked. From your perspective, the worst part about this was not Kunikuzushi’s inappropriate smugness, but the look in his eyes that mirrored what Heizou used to have— what your good friend used to be. The light in his eyes, his more forward demeanor, the way he crossed his arms and snapped his fingers– it was as if he was copying him. 

Mocking him.

You hate Kunikuzushi. You detest just how much you don’t know why he’s in the Akademiya or anything else about him other than his first name. You loathe how he had made it his job to be the antagonist of every damn class trial. You hate how he looks at you as though you’re beneath him. You despise how much he is willing to withhold vital information till the very end.

Kunikuzushi is like a commedia dell’arte stock character. A Scaramouche. An unreliable servant. You can’t trust a man who said he was moved by your acting in all your filmography only to act like he wants nothing more than to crush your spirits once lives were at stake.

After listening to everyone’s alibis, your intuition screamed from something deep within a place you had begun to trust after experiencing these trials:

Out of six survivors, FOUR of them are hiding something.

“Is everyone present?”

Before you could speak up, a low and refined woman’s voice stole everyone’s attention. All turned to gaze at the long synthetic-haired lady with a katana by her side. She returned the stares with an unfathomable coldness as she strutted to her throne, the silk of her grand kimono touching the floor. 

There she is. The lone audience and judge. The puppet: the Almighty Raiden Shogun. Undoubtedly made of metal and not flesh. Xiao had learned that firsthand when he sacrificed his life in an honorable duel against the captor— but seeking freedom by force was of no use when she herself is capable of the murders she wished to witness.

“Very well. We shall begin.”

“W-Wait, hold up, ma'am!”

The last vaguely extroverted cheerleader raised her hand; her bravery to interrupt the Shogun was acknowledged.

“... Can I share my E-Handbook data with (Y/n)?” She asked, high-pitched.

The medical and criminological technology of this era eluded everyone. Trapped inside the Akademiya with no phones or any signal to the outside world, each student only has their E-Handbook to rely on. It contains information the owner investigated regarding murders and records testimonies made by their peers. A handbook is only “handy” for both people who were hoping to survive and those who were hoping to twist the facts. 

And that offer is exactly what you need.

“You see– they didn’t leave their room during the investigation period– probably worried that the killer might be after them next and they kinda turned into a hikikomori for the past few days. I’m kinda worried they wouldn’t be able to defend themselves on this trial so… So, uh… Pretty please?” The blonde girl smiled nervously.

The Raiden Shogun stared, calculating.

“I shall allow it.”

“Thank you so much!” Yoimiya tapped her E-Handbook as fast as she could, more eager than you were in watching the loading screen fill up.

(SYSTEM: RECEIVING NAGANOHARA YOIMIYA’S E-HANDBOOK DATA…)

(SYSTEM: TRANSFER COMPLETE.)

You smiled at Yoimiya but it came out crooked and jaded. She didn’t complain that you weren’t at your top form today, but she did send you a loud “Do your best!” in her native tongue.

The Shogun walked to the throne and took her seat.

“Now then, let the class trial begin.”

Out like a bolt of lightning, the doors behind you were completely shut with metal bars in her flick of a wrist. In her twisted form of justice, she hammered the circular surface with her gavel.

“Court is now in session.”

(SYSTEM: TAP HERE TO CONTINUE)

[genshinluvr]

Where I Truly Belong

Pairings: Various Genshin Men x Villain!Isekai'd!Reader

Summary: Your arrival at Teyvat was sudden and you thought you'd be welcome with open arms and new friendship. However, you were terribly wrong. You were ignored, threatened, and chased out of the regions in Teyvat. One day, on the heart island outside of Liyue, a portal opens and an opportunity is given to you. An opportunity where you have power and control over fate. Perhaps this is where you truly belong.

Note: This fic mainly focuses on the reader, so not a lot of Genshin men will be speaking in this overall fic unless it's something huge. I don't know how I feel about this story. I have come to the conclusion that I suck ass at writing the main character as a villain. I thought this fic was going to be longer, but I think it's best to cut it short because I'm not sure where it's going, and leaving it as where it ended is good. This is my first attempt at writing a villain!reader, and I think it's decent-ish for my first time. Again, you guys might think it sucks ass and honestly, understandable if you do think it sucks. Anyway! I don't post anywhere else but on Tumblr (Genshinluvr) and on AO3 (Aaliah_exo).

Warnings: Reader gets impaled, mentions of blood, failed depictions of villainous reader

Word Count: 6.6k

Part 2 of Where I Truly Belong is [HERE].

The day you arrived at Teyvat, you were alone. The familiar faces of the characters you loved were nowhere to be found. You assumed they were going to try to find you and perhaps help you adjust to their world, but you were wrong. No one searched for you; therefore, you searched for them instead. When you found the beloved characters you love before being thrown into Teyvat, they ignored you. Even if they recognized you or had this sense of familiarity when seeing your face among the crowd, they continued on with their day as if you were never there. 

You run toward Aether, grabbing him by the wrist. “Aether! I finally found you! I—”

Aether yanks his wrist from your grasp, gazing at you like you had just grown two heads. Your heart drops to your chest, watching the blond man take a step back while the floating girl beside him gazes at you warily. Aether doesn’t say anything, and neither does Paimon.

“Do you know this person, Traveler?” Paimon asks, floating closer to Aether. 

Aether shakes his head. “I don’t know them, Paimon. I’m sorry, but you have the wrong person,” Aether states firmly, almost glaring at you.

You swallow the lump in your throat after hearing Aether’s response. Before you can say anything, a voice from a distance calls out to Aether and Paimon. You, Aether, and Paimon turn to see Lumine running toward the three of you with a big smile while Dainsleif follows behind.

Lumine stops in her tracks. “There you two are! I can’t believe you two ran off like that! I don’t understand how you and Dainsleif were traveling companions,” Lumine huffs, propping her hands on her hips.

“I was more of his babysitter, making sure he doesn’t get into trouble,” Dainsleif snorts, rolling his eyes when Aether grumbles incoherent words while Lumine and Paimon snicker.

You clear your throat. Lumine and Dainsleif look at you for a brief moment before Lumine loops her arms around Aether’s left arm, pulling him elsewhere with Paimon and Dainsleif following behind, leaving you standing in the middle of the field alone. Dark stormy clouds roll in, and you’re immediately soaked to the bone, watching the four figures get smaller and smaller. The four figures soon became blurry— you’re not sure if it’s because of the pouring rain or if it’s because of your tears. At this point, it’s hard for you to tell the difference between the two. 

You decided to stop by Mondstadt after meeting Aether, Lumine, Dainsleif, and Paimon. Once you reached the City of Freedom, you took shelter and made sure you weren’t entering the city looking like a soaked rat. After the sky clears up and you’re not soaked to the bone, you enter t the vast city. You thought the people of Mondstadt would be nicer when they see you, but you’re wrong. Huffman and Sara from Good Hunter are friendly people. However, people who have visions are the opposite. You tried talking to Albedo, Venti, Diluc, and Kaeya. Still, they all ignored you or acted like you were a crazy person.

“I believe you have one too many dandelion wines,” Kaeya chuckles, leaning against the counter at Angel's Share, nursing wine in his hands. 

Venti is sprawled over the counter at Angel's Share. You can practically see birds flying around his head. The poor Bard is not only drunk, but he’s also mumbling incoherently. Diluc sighs, cleaning the cup before tending to his duties around the tavern.

Diluc mumbles, “They’re not a customer, Kaeya.”

Venti scoots over to the Chief Alchemist, whispering loudly to the man, “Is it just me, or does this strange person look like they were fished out of Cider Lake?”

Albedo looks at you for a brief moment before gazing back at his sketch pad, not saying a word to the Bard. Even though none of them have outwardly shown you they don’t want you in Angel’s Share, you know from the way they look away from you and act around you they don’t want you in the same building as them. So, you gather up your things and leave the tavern. You’re used to being alone in your world, and seeing the people you adore treat you like you didn’t exist hurts. 

“Maybe the next region won’t be so bad,” you tell yourself.

Liyue is interesting. When you step into the beautiful region ruled by the Geo Archon, you are met with a polearm pointing at your throat. Xiao stands before you, glaring daggers at you with such distaste that it nearly made you want to skip Liyue altogether. 

“Outsiders are not welcomed to Liyue,” Xiao spats.

You know the Yaksha before you is doing his job to protect the region once ruled by the Geo Archon, but the way he gazes at you with such… hatred… made you second guess your presence in Liyue. 

You clear your throat. “I thought adventurers are welcomed to Liyue, Xiao,” you whisper, hands shaking at your side.

Xiao glares at you, not saying a word. Oh. When Xiao said that outsiders aren’t welcome in Liyue, he meant you. You’re not welcome to Liyue, not because you’re not an adventurer or a tourist from another region visiting the City of Contracts. It’s because you’re not from Teyvat. But even if you’re not from Teyvat, Aether, Dainsleif, Paimon, and Lumine aren’t even from Teyvat either. However, they’re still welcomed with open arms. 

“I won’t cause any harm, I promise. Is it a crime to walk into a region? I don’t have any weapons on me, nor do I pose a threat,” you say.

You dig into your pockets and hold your hands up to show Xiao you have no weapon on you. Xiao reluctantly points the polearm in the opposite direction of you and stares at you. You sigh in relief and walk past the Conquerer of Demons. In Mondstadt, no one pointed their weapons at you. In Liyue, though? You can’t really get upset with Xiao over it, really. All he’s doing is his duty to protect Liyue from danger.

When you step into Liyue Harbor, you stop in your tracks and look at the beautiful city. The City of Contracts is full of life, and the chatter of the citizens fills the once-silent air. After the encounter with the four outlanders, the men of Mondstadt and Xiao, you can't help but hesitate to continue further into the city. You know the Yaksha is watching your every move like a hawk. You don't necessarily blame him, but the encounter with Xiao made you hesitate.

Should you continue further into the City of Contracts? Or will the not-so-deceased Geo Archon make you face the wrath of the rock for stepping into his beloved city? Your hands shake at your sides, making you swallow the lump in your throat. You take a deep breath and continue into the city, making sure not to bump into a green-haired doctor and the former Geo Archon. You don't have anything against them, but they might have something against you, like how Xiao does when you step foot into the region. You stand in the middle of the city, staring at nothing. Why did you continue to venture into the City of Contracts?

You searched for the familiar faces from a beloved game you loved so much back in your world, only for them not to like you. It was a rude awakening, and you're unsure of why they treat you this way when you have never met them— nor did you plan on meeting the characters you have always loved. Someone bumps into you, causing you to stumble forward and snap out of your thoughts.

“Oh, I'm so sorry,” you say, turning to look at the person that bumped into you before freezing up.

“Why am I the one apologizing when I wasn’t the one that bumped into him?”

The ginger-haired Harbinger glares at you. “Next time, don't stand there and take up space,” Childe hisses, shoving past you and purposefully bumping your shoulders.

You rub your shoulders, watching the ginger Harbinger approach a certain Geo Archon, his demeanor changing almost instantly as he greets the Archon happily. 

You press your lips into a thin line before turning around and walking away. As you walk away, Zhongli looks at Childe quizzically. Childe dusts his clothes and props his hands on his hips, sighing and acting like nothing had happened. Once you're out of view, Zhongli turns to Childe.

“Childe? Is that who I think it is?” Zhongli murmurs, stroking his chin.

Childe scoffs, continuing not to know who you are even though he's very well aware. Childe nudges the Geo Archon to follow him to the restaurant where he, Zhongli, and Doctor Baizhu will be having dinner. Baizhu shakes his head, walking beside the Geo Archon.

“Just to let you know, you're a little bit harsh on them despite you being the one that bumped into them,” Baizhu mutters, shaking his head with disapproval.

Childe rolls his eyes and changes the subject as the two men arrive at the Liuli Pavilion. Meanwhile, you sit outside of the city of Liyue, hugging your knees to your chest. You made a massive mistake of seeking out these people that you adored in your world. You should've started a different life in Teyvat, living among the citizens of Teyvat and living in solitude. But of course, you being you, you decided to seek these people out, only to be disappointed in the end. 

You still have Inazuma and Sumeru to explore and visit. However, you want to avoid stepping foot in the two other regions after what happened with the outlanders, the men of Mondstadt, Xiao, and Childe. You have yet to meet Zhongli and Baizhu, so you can't make a judgment on how they would treat you upon meeting for the first time. But if Xiao reacted in such a way when you entered Liyue, who knows how Zhongli and Baizhu would react?

You nearly forgot how fast time passes in Teyvat. One minute it was the afternoon, and when you blink, the sun is already setting. Technically, time doesn't change in a blink of an eye, but it does feel like it in Teyvat. You close your eyes and rest your head on your knees. Would visiting Inazuma and Sumeru hurt? You're not going to try to meet the beloved characters you know and love. You want to see the architecture and city up close. 

And that is what you did. You went to the two regions, made sure to avoid bumping into any familiar faces, and somewhat succeeded. However, it lasted only a short time when Itto and Scaramouche brought awareness to your presence in Sumeru and Inazuma. So, you left the two regions in a hurry, and now you're on this little heart island far out of Liyue, sitting at the edge of the island.

You bury your feet into the sand, watching the waters crash to shore and wet the sand above your feet. You wiggle your toes and shield your eyes from the sun. A large portal suddenly opens beside you, making you jump and stumble back. A tall Abyss Lector emerges from the portal, arms open and hovering toward you.

“Stay back!” You scream, grabbing the nearest object to use as a weapon.

The Abyss Lector cackles and stops before you, leaving a reasonable distance between you two. The Abyss Lector continues to stare at you in silence as if waiting for you to calm down. You take a step back. The Abyss Lector crosses their arms over their chest, chest rumbling with laughter. 

“What do you want from me?” You whisper.

“Watching you try and fail over and over is pathetic,” says the Abyss Lector.

You stare at the being before you blankly. Oh, so the Abyss Lector has been watching you try to befriend the beloved heroes of each region with mirth. Yeah, you would be doing the same thing if you weren't, well, you. You cross your arms over your chest and sigh as a sense of dread falls over you. You're alone in this heart island with the Abyss Lector, probably their next target aside from Teyvat and the Archons.

“If you're going to insult me, can you do it after you kill me? It'll save me from the embarrassment,” you mutter.

The Abyss Lector howls with laughter, head thrown back, shoulders bouncing. “Kill you? I have a proposition for you, and you are to decide whether you want to do it or not,” says the Abyss Lector.

You can't help but be wary of the Abyss Lector. While the Abyss Lector has yet to harm you, the Abyss has caused catastrophic harm in the past. You decide to listen to the Abyss Lector's proposition. The Abyssal creature went on a ten-minute tangent about the offer and would answer many of your pressing questions. To your surprise, the Abyss Lector was patient with your questions and had no issues with you not understanding certain parts of the proposition. You're grateful the Abyss Lector didn't attack you upon first meeting you— technically, the Abyss Lector created a portal near you on the heart island outside of Liyue.

“So? Do we have a deal or no deal?” asks the Abyss Lector, holding their hands out.

You press your lips into a thin line. Is this really what you want to do? You can’t turn your back on the people you adore. However, with how they treated you…. Does it really matter at this point? 

You furrow your eyebrows, nodding. “I accept your offer,” you say, placing your hand in the Abyss Lector's hand.

The Abyss Lector claps their hands. “Wonderful! Please, step into the portal, and we shall start our journey together,” says the Abyss Lector.

The Abyss Lector lets out a cackle and opens the portal. You and the Abyss Lector step into the portal, sealing your fate. Time flies in the Abyss— three days on Teyvat is three months in the Abyss. You didn't mind the drastic change of time and how fast time flies by in the Abyss. It took some time, but you were able to get used to it. Because you're not from Teyvat or from their universe, you mapped out the areas on Teyvat for the Abyss Order to target. You didn't have to do the attacking and invading like the Abyss Herald, Abyss Lectors, and other Abyssal creatures. All you have to do is sit on the throne and tell them what to do.

You sit on the throne in the Abyss, leaning on your right arm and watching the Abyssal creatures roam around. As the ruler of the Abyss Order, there wasn't much for you to do. Sometimes you would embark on your journey to Teyvat with the Abyss Lector, witnessing the damage being done to Teyvat. Usually, you would feel anger and sadness when the Abyss Order is harming the citizens of Teyvat and wanting to inflict harm on the Archons, but now? You could care less about what is being done to the people of Teyvat and their Archons.

“Your Highness, it's time,” says the Abyss Lector, kneeling at the foot of the throne.

This isn't the first time you'll be visiting Teyvat while the Abyss Order is running amock on Teyvat. But for some reason, you can't help but feel anxious about visiting Teyvat. The Abyss Lector, named Agnarr, holds their hand out for you to take. You take a deep breath and grab Agnarr's hand. Egill levitates forward, nodding. The two Abyss Lectors lead you out of the throne room of the Abyss, opening the portal to Teyvat.

Sumeru is on fire— literally. You and the two Abyss Lectors stand afar, watching the citizens of Sumeru scream and scramble out of the city while it's engulfed in flames. You see familiar faces running to the farthest part of Sumeru, but you pay no attention. Other Abyss Lectors and Heralds open various portals around Sumeru City, floating toward the Great Tree. Abyss Mages emerge out of thin air, cackling and attacking those they see.

“What do you think, Your Highness?” asks Enjou, appearing out of thin air, startling you.

You press your hand against your racing heart and take a deep breath. You turn to Enjou, glaring at the Pyro Abyss Lector, who cackles after seeing your reaction. You huff and glare at Enjou, who is now levitating before you with his arms over his chest. Enjou has the tendency to scare the crap out of you at every chance he gets. On the other hand, Agnarr and Egill aren't fond of the idea of Enjou popping on and out of places to get a reaction out of you.

You take a deep breath. “Enjou, can you please stop doing that?” You ask.

Enjou hums. “Hmmm, I don't think I can do that, Your Highness. It's my job to make sure you're stealthy and always alert! Who knows, someone could attack you while we're not at your side,” Enjou says nonchalantly. 

“They needn't worry about their safety when they're with us,” Agnarr hisses at Enjou.

Egill scoffs, crossing their arms over their chest. “As if we'd let them be in harm's way. Those who try to take the Abyss Order's Ruler shall fall and watch the world around them burn,” Egill hisses.

Enjou raises his hands, shaking his head. You sigh, turning back to the scene of the burning city of Sumeru. The screams and cries fill the chilly night, sending chills down your spine. It has taken you months to get used to hearing the anguished screams of the citizens of Teyvat, but the more you listen to it, the more you have gotten used to it. While you did not want to hurt the citizens of Teyvat and only specific people who have hurt you and turned you away, the Abyss Order spares no one. Not even children and animals.

“Burning down buildings and villages won't do much for the Abyss Order,” you murmur, stroking your chin. “We'll discuss this when we return to the Abyss.”

Agnarr, Enjou, and Egill nod their heads. You yawn as Egill opens a portal to the Abyss. The three Abyss Lectors all levitate toward the portal with you by their side. Before you can step into the portal, an arrow flies by your face, forcing you to come to a stop. Agnarr and Egill step in front of you to shield you from harm, glaring at the perpetrator. You peek from their arms to see what's going on, only to realize Enjou is standing in front of Agnarr and Egill, blocking the perpetrator's view of you.

“Who dares to try to harm their Highness!” Enjou growls, his hands bursting into flames.

You hear a familiar laugh— a bitter laugh that causes goosebumps to appear on your arms. Childe. 

“As if they weren't the ones that cause mass chaos on Teyvat,” Al Haitham hisses.

You peek from behind Agnarr's arms to see Al Haitham standing there, glaring at the three Abyss Lectors. Al Haitham isn't alone. In fact, he's accompanied by twenty-six familiar faces, along with Lumine and Paimon, standing beside her twin brother and Dainsleif. You roll your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest. You yawn dramatically, grabbing everyone's attention.

“If you're all finished with the dramatic entrance, I will be returning to my humble abode now,” you say with a blasé attitude.

Another arrow is shot, flying past your face and slicing your cheek open. You lightly touch the fresh cut on your cheek and gaze at the crimson blood on the tips of your fingers. You scoff, gazing at Gorou, who glares at you and bares his fangs, growling lowly. You wipe the blood on your clothes, shaking your head.

“Oh? So, you want to start something you can't finish?” You smirk bitterly. “Fine, have it your way, pests.”

Itto smirks. “Something we can't finish? I'm pretty sure you're the one that started something that you cannot finish!” Itto proclaims.

You prop your hands on your hips, glaring at the Oni. You cover your face with both hands briefly, sweeping your hands up and back your head, and your appearance changes instantly. Your eyes are bitch black, and the tips of your fingers are pitch black and dark blue with specs of glimmering stars that mimic the galaxy. A long cape similar to Dainsleif's drapes down your back and pools around your feet.

You close your eyes and begin muttering under your breath, your hair illuminating, and the shadows below you come to life, slithering toward your attackers. The first person to be snatched and dragged was Itto because of his annoying egotistical, and overly confident attitude. You hate how obnoxious he is, and he was once your favorite character from Inazuma due to his personality. 

But the longer you stay on Teyvat, the more you can't handle his loud personality. He reminds you too much of a particular person back in your world, and, quite frankly, hurting him will be another way of harming the person you knew in your world without actually harming them. Your patience and sanity have withered away, and you want to make them feel your wrath for how they have treated you since your arrival.

The shadowy tentacles wrap around Itto's ankles, yanking him up into the air before throwing him to the side. Itto lands on the ground with a hard thud, groaning in pain. You snicker and levitate in the air, crossing one leg over the other with your arms over your chest. A portal opens up behind you, and Dainsleif, Lumine, and Aether emerge from the portal, tackling you to the ground. You open the dirt ground, letting it swallow the four of you.

“How dare you attack the Ruler of the Abyss Order!” Enjou howls with anger, throwing balls of flames at your attackers.

Another portal opens beside Agnarr and Egill. You step out of the portal, dusting your clothes off with an infuriated sigh. Agnarr and Egill quickly whisk you away, opening up another portal. Scaramouche growls with anger, pointing at the portal as you, Agnarr, and Egill levitate away.

“They're getting away! Don't let them get away, dammit!” Scaramouche screams.

Xiao growls and appears before you in a blink of an eye and manages to kick you away from the two Abyss Lectors, sending you tumbling to the ground. You groan and kneel, looking up to see Xiao looming over you. Xiao clutches his jade spear so tight that he can snap it in half. The same jade spear you managed to get for him after blowing hundreds of dollars for that weapon on the damn weapon banner. Xiao raises his polearm up, preparing to impale you with his polearm. 

You wince and look away, bracing yourself to get impaled. You hear a loud squelch, a pained gasp, and an anguished scream. You turn to see Enjou's left hand sticking out of Xiao's chest— where his heart should be. You gulp and watch Enjou throw Xiao to the side, letting the Yaksha bleed out on the grass. Agnarr and Egill rush to you, pull you by your arm, and create a portal. The four of you soon fled the scene. 

“How disappointing. I wanted to see them all perish,” you sigh, plopping on your throne while rubbing your temples. “But it looks like I'll have to wait another day to witness the downfall.”

Agnarr comes forward. “Your Highness, are you alright?” asks Agnarr.

“I'm fine, Agnarr. I'm not physically harmed,” you murmur.

Egill gestures to your cheek. You subconsciously touch the wound on your cheek, feeling the stinging thin cut. It's a mere flesh wound, nothing more, nothing less. It's not like it can kill you unless it's laced with poison. If the arrowhead were to be laced with poison, you would've known immediately. It seems like this attack was more improvised than planned, given the fact how messy it turned out for the opposing side. 

You pinch the bridge of your nose. “I'm fine, Egill. It's a mere cut. It won't kill me,” you murmur, brushing away Egill's concern.

The one thing you wish didn't happen was fleeing the scene so quickly. You wanted to watch the opposing side fall. You want to witness the bloodshed in Sumeru. Due to a certain Yaksha almost successfully slaying you, you had to be ushered immediately out of the battlefield and to safety.

“That Adeptus nearly killed you, your Highness. That is inexcusable, and he deserves every ounce of punishment from the Abyss Order,” Agnarr hisses.

You chuckle, shaking your head. It would be funny to see Xiao try and kill you. If he did manage to kill you successfully, the Ruler of the Abyss Order, then who knows how the Abyss Order will react. Watching the downfall of the Archons and the citizens of Teyvat is something you surely do not want to miss out on. 

“I agree with you, Agnarr. Those who intentionally try to harm the ruler of the Abyss Order shall fall and watch the world around them burn and crumble to the ground,” you nod.

After what happened today, you will not be returning to Teyvat until further notice. It's best to remain in the shadows while the Abyss Order does what you say from behind the scenes. In order to take down an entire region, aside from terrorizing the cities and its citizens, you need to take down the beloved Archons of each nation. But the question is: what Archon is going to be your first target? The Anemo Archon? The Geo Archon? The Electro Archon? The Dendro Archon? Heck, maybe the Hydro Archon? You have yet to step foot into the City of Justice, but seeing some familiar faces from her region makes your blood boil.

“What is on your mind, Your Highness?” Enjou asks.

You shrug your shoulders. “Which Archons do you think is the most annoying?” You ask, getting up from your throne. 

The three Abyss Lectors gaze at you quizzically. While their faces are covered, you can tell they’re confused about what you’re implying. You sigh, rubbing your temples. You’re not sure if you can pull it off, but it’s worth a try, right? Is kidnapping an Archon risky? You're the Ruler of the Abyss Order, for fucks sake. So you continued where you left off. 

“Now, I have yet to meet the Geo, Dendro, Hydro, and Electro Archon, so I can’t make a judgment on how annoying they are. However, I did meet the Anemo Archon and….” You trail off, face pinching up with disgust. “What I'm trying to say is let's kidnap an Archon,” you conclude, clapping your hands.

“The question is, who are we going to be kidnapping, your Highness?” Enjou asks.

Your first answer was to kidnap the dear Anemo Archon of Mondstadt. However, thinking back to your encounter with the said Archon, you sure as hell do not want to deal with him again. The first encounter was already enough for you, and the Bard doesn't seem like he would put up much of a fight. You want a challenge, and an Archon who is “deceased” would be the first step to go. Who would notice an Archon disappearing overnight? An Archon who isn't really dead.

That's how you find yourself standing before the Geo Archon in the ruins of Liyue. You could kidnap Zhongli and bring him to the Abyss, but you knew the Abyss would rapidly deteriorate his sanity, and you didn't want that. Yet. The Geo Archon is tied up against a tree in the Chasm, his mouth taped shut to prevent him from calling for a certain Yaksha. The Geo Archon stares at you emotionlessly.

“The citizens of Liyue aren't the brightest. Assuming their God is dead when he's roaming among them, alive and well,” you say, crossing your arms over your chest. “We never met, and I deeply apologize for this being our first meeting.”

Is it really your first time meeting Zhongli? Zhongli was there when you, Agnarr, Egill, and Enjou were in Sumeru, watching the city burn to the ground. Though, he did not attack you like how the others have tried to attack you. You weren't sure if the Geo Archon had something up his sleeves, but you can't help but feel satisfied with how easy it was to kidnap the Geo Archon. It's almost too easy for your liking.

Zhongli glares at you as you approach him. You grab the tape from the corner and peel it off Zhongli’s lips so he can speak. It’s not like Zhongli is going to call out the name of the short Yaksha to save him. A Geo Archon like himself doesn’t need a savior. Zhongli can get himself out of this situation without an issue, and you’re surprised to see Zhongli not fighting back. Would Zhongli stand a chance against three Abyss Lectors in the corner, watching his every move?

“I see you're the new Ruler of the Abyss. Such a shame to see someone not of this universe become something that destroys the world they once loved,” Zhongli says nonchalantly.

You smirk at Zhongli bitterly. “Once loved, Zhongli. What's there to love when all I've been receiving is hate and being treated like I wasn't human? Your little Yaksha nearly killed me when I first stepped into Liyue,” you hiss, clenching your fist so tightly that your nails dig into the palm of your hands.

You didn't want to become those cliche villains who talk the victim's ears off— talking about your tragic background and how you became who you are. But here you are, talking the Geo Archon's ears off about how you were treated when you encountered the people who did you wrong. You wanted to meet the characters— the people— you adored, but you were cast aside. 

Heck, even the hilichurls and mitachurls treated you better than how the Archons and prominent figures of Teyvat treated you. The citizens of Teyvat treat you no differently. They went along with their day and would glance at you every now and then when you visited the cities. They treated you better than those who had visions. And yet here you are, burning down their homes, crops, and businesses all because of a small handful of people making you feel unwelcomed and unsafe when stepping into their nation.

“I'm going to be generous and not kill you. However, I do want something from you, and it's not your gnosis. Your gnosis is useless to me,” You say, standing before the (former) Geo Archon.

Zhongli stares at you, not saying a word. You sigh with disappointment. You don't know how much longer you can take this. Seeing the Geo Archon before you, tied up and defenseless, is fun, but at the same time, it's pathetic. Then again, you would rather be stuck in the same room as Zhongli than the Bard you met in Mondstadt. You squat before Zhongli and grab him by his hair to make him look at you.

“And what is it do you want?” Zhongli asks through clenched jaws. 

Just when you open your mouth to tell him what you want, a polearm pierces you through the chest. You tighten your grip on Zhongli's hair, gasping in pain. You look down to see the blade of Zhongli's vortex vanquisher buried deep in your chest cavity. You release Zhongli and stumble back, hands shaking as you grab the polearm. Zhongli glares down at you, his amber eyes glowing with hate and anger. 

“Did you think you would succeed?” Zhongli hisses, digging the polearm deeper into your chest.

You lie on the ground, blood pooling beneath you while Zhongli stands over you. Zhongli notices the Abyss Lectors have yet to attack him. You, their precious Ruler, are impaled, and yet they're doing nothing to help you. You grab the base of Zhongli's polearm, trying to pull the blade out of your chest, only to fail. You struggled for a few minutes before going limp. Eyes glazed over as your lifeless eyes stared into his soul. Zhongli furrows his eyebrows, questioning why it's so easy to kill you and why the Abyss Lectors didn't attack him for impaling and killing you in front of them.

The tense and quiet air in the Chasm is soon broken by the sound of clapping from a distance. Zhongli looks up to see you leaning against the wall with an amused look on your face. You descended the stairs in all your glory— the very same cape flowing behind you. Zhongli narrows his eyes at you and then at your lifeless body on the ground.

“You put on quite the show, Morax. However, you killed the wrong person,” you giggle.

Your lifeless body soon evaporates into a puff of smoke as the Abyss Lectors stand beside you, forming a barrier between you and the Geo Archon. 

You sigh, running your fingers through your hair. “It's such a shame to see my clone get slaughtered in front of me,” you mutter, shaking your head with disapproval.

“You....” Zhongli trails off.

You tilt your head to the side, pouting at him mockingly. “I what? Did you think you would successfully kill the Ruler of the Abyss? Oh, please! I wouldn't make it easy for you,” you giggle.

You walk toward Zhongli and caress his face. “You're not in your prime time anymore, Morax. You’ll need to do way more than stab me in the chest to get rid of me,” you whisper. “If you'll excuse me, I have a business to tend to. Agnarr and Egill will be keeping you company while Enjou and I are gone.”

Your clone's blood is splattered on Zhongli's face— not going to lie, Zhongli looks attractive with blood on his face. You let your hand fall to your side, smirk at the Funeral Consultant, and turn around, opening a portal for you and Enjou. 

Once you step through the portal with Enjou, the portal closes, leaving Zhongli and the two Abyss Lectors alone. Zhongli clenches his jaws, tightening his grip on his polearm. Zhongli's not going down without a fight, and he will find a way to escape one way or the other. The first thing he needs to do is get rid of the two Abyss Lectors. He could call Xiao for assistance, but Zhongli can handle this on his own.

In the Abyss, you sit on your throne with your legs crossed over the other as you stare at the two Abyss Lectors. You tap your fingers on the armrest, gaze falling upon the kneeling blond before you. Dainsleif is in cuffs, glaring up at you. When you arrived at the Abyss with Enjou, you were informed that the two Hydro and Cryo Abyss Lectors had captured a certain blond. Now, you're unsure of why Dainsleif was popping in and out of the Abyss, but you have an inkling feeling it's to hunt you down.

“Care to explain by the Abyss Lectors found you roaming around the Abyss?” You grumble.

Dainsleif doesn't reply and continues to glare at you. Dainsleif has cuts littering his body, his lip is cut open, and he looks like he was dragged through debris. Nonetheless, you could care less about his condition at the moment. You sit up and rest your elbows on your knees, raising an eyebrow at the blond man. You sit back and close your eyes, pinching the bridge of your nose and letting out a slow exhale.

Dainsleif stumbles up while struggling in his cuffs, only for the Cryo Abyss Lector to grunt with annoyance, hitting the blond man on the back of his head. Dainsleif grunts in pain and collapses to the ground on his knees. You click your tongue and open your eyes, gazing into Dainsleif's blue eyes. Dainsleif continues not to say anything, glaring at the ground.

“Your Highness, are you hungry?” Enjou whispers.

You shake your head and dismiss Enjou's question. You leave your throne and step toward the kneeling blond man. Enjou reaches forward and grabs you by your wrist. You turn to Enjou, who shakes his head. You give Enjou a reassuring smile— Enjou swallows. Ever since you agreed to become the new Ruler of the Abyss, Enjou and the other Abyss Lectors, Heralds, and Abyssal creatures have yet to see you smile or laugh. You always have this deep frown and glare— you glared so much that it's permanent at this point.

You step toward Enjou. “I'll be fine, Enjou,” you whisper.

Enjou reluctantly releases your wrist, watching you turn and walk to Dainsleif. You stop before Dainsleif, grab him by the chin, and tilt his head up. Dainsleif stares at you. You want to laugh after seeing him in this state. This is your first time seeing Dainsleif in such a state. It's pathetic and comical. Someone persistent with searching for the Abyss twin, traversing through many regions and maybe even universes, just to find them and snap them out of it. And now Dainsleif is here, kneeling before you and looking pathetic. 

“Never in my life would I see you in this position, Dainsleif. It's shocking and pathetic,” you say nonchalantly. “Care to tell me why you're here? If you're here to kill me, you're going to have to try harder than that. The Geo Archon tried and failed to do so.”

Dainsleif continues not to speak. You release Dainsleif's chin with an annoyed sigh, crossing your arms over your chest. It seems like Dainsleif is even more stubborn than you thought. You wanted to laugh in Dainsleif's face. Why is he in the Abyss, kneeling before you with handcuffs? You would understand if the Abyss Lectors and Heralds captured him for roaming around the Abyss. However, the lack of response from the blond man is putting you on edge. 

Dainsleif lets out a shaky sigh. "I'm here to get you out of the Abyss. You becoming the Ruler of the Abyss Order was a mistake that was never meant to happen," Dainsleif says.

You cross your arms over your chest. Yeah, and your appearance in Teyvat was never meant to happen either, but here you are. You walk to your throne and sit, gesturing for Dainsleif to continue on. If Dainsleif continues to blabber on about something you don't care about, then you're going to call it a day and retreat to your bedroom, and the Abyss Lectors can toss Dainsleif in his prison cell. How could you not join the Abyss Order? Plus, why is Dainsleif suddenly backtracking when your first meeting was the opposite? 

You chuckle bitterly and shake your head. "Oh. Dainsleif. You're a bit too late for that. This is where I truly belong— with the Abyss Order as their Ruler. None of this would've happened if none of you treated me that way," you hiss.

You stand abruptly and begin walking off.

Dainsleif stands. "Wait! Don't leave!" Dainsleif hollers.

You turn around and glare at Dainsleif. Your eyes turn pitch black. "Goodbye, Dainsleif. If you, or anyone, continue to get in my way, I will make sure there's nothing left behind on Teyvat."

And with that, you turn around and storm off with Enjou following you. Dainsleif watches you disappear into the darkness, shoulders slumping. Your nails dig into the palm of your hands, drawing blood. How dare Dainsleif march into the Abyss, demanding for you to leave the Abyss Order when he and the others are the reason why you turn to the Abyss Order for help. The Abyss Order is the only group that accepts you and does not hurt you like how the others did. If they want you to leave the Abyss Order so badly, then they can fight you to the death because you refuse to leave. The Abyss Order is where you truly belong.

Note: I feel like this fic falls under the same route as any other SAGAU fics where the rejected creator!reader joins the Abyss Order because they treat the reader better than the Genshin characters. I haven't read fanfics for Genshin in a while, so idk what's trending nowadays for Genshin. Anyway, I am now going to close the voting for Burning Desire voting for Route 3! Thank you for your votes, and we shall wait and see what happens in the third route! I might take a break from writing (like a one-week break), but idk if I'll go through with it 💀 [this part is copied and pasted from my previous fanfic regarding the Discord server] For those who want to join my Discord server, here is the temporary link to [Zhongli's Abode]. Please make sure to read the server rules to save yourself from getting in trouble (if you like the server, you can stay, chat, and lurk. If not, you can leave if you don't vibe with it ^^). Anyway, to all my new and returning readers, keep in mind that I ONLY post on my Tumblr (Genshinluvr) and my AO3 (Aaliah_exo)! Nowhere else except Tumblr and AO3!

Taglist for my Isekai'd!Reader one-shot series and my overall taglist: @yoru-trash, @kaoyamamegami, @deartoru, @luminarymoonlight, @ins4nebish, @bokuto-kinnie, @exhaustedcommunist, @jadedist, @chalksdreams, @thelost-in-time, @ventisweetheart, @hispasian-otaku, @samarill, @testsubject0012, @kazuhaprnt, @lunarapple, @heyimkay, @eliciana, @jjvr4yxc, @sovermike-21-blog, @nightlysunn, @thelovebuggs, @urlocalheizousimp, @sunlightstarr, @asoulsreverie (Accounts that I was unable to tag have been removed. Those who don't want to be tagged in certain stories are not tagged in this particular post. Remember to check your settings to see if you're allowing people to mention you/tag you in posts or not)

Read more of my works on my Masterlist / Masterlist 2 | Maybe support me by tipping me on Ko-Fi or by reblogging my fanfics! ^^ I will also be posting exclusive fanfics on Ko-Fi as well very soon! I might post all of my stories on there too, but who knows. You can also tip me on Tumblr if you'd like as a way to show support! ^^

[yah1dka]

people who are complaining about traveling with paimon instead of dainsleif clearly tend to forget that our twin and this man weren`t cutely walking around teyvat and instead were two fucking traumatised people who barely lived their lives

no, you wouldnt like dain to be our companion just because he`s hot. did anyone notise how distant he and lumine are in animatic?

they almost never sit together, unlike paimon and aether

you want our traveler to look like this? cause thats not only the fact, that she witnessed fall of kaenri`ah, but also her sticking to dainsleif, who himself is not a ray of sunshine, made her to choose this way in life

dont get me wrong, i absolutelly love dain, but theres a reason why our protagonist looks so much better with paimon (shes annoying, but optimistic, thats counts)

[eavenne]

I think dain does care very deeply for lumine, and i also think that he probably genuinely thought lumine wanted space when she was sad. He cared deeply but didn’t express it in a way that made her feel cared for / comforted.

People often default to comforting others the way they want to be comforted themselves. Someone as stoic / emotionally constipated (take your pick) as dain, who spends the chasm quest not reacting to / brushing off everyone’s concern for him probably wants to be left alone when upset. When Paimon vaguely reaches out to comfort him after it’s revealed that his men have been guarding the hilichurls as per his last orders for 500 years (she asks why he’s so quiet), he tells her that if she’s trying to comfort him, she doesn’t have to.

“I'm just thinking, nothing more. If you're trying to console me, I can assure you there is no need.”

When paimon later suggests he take a vacation because he’s obviously in pain and exhausted, he tells her that that the word “vacation” shouldn’t exist in his vocabulary. In addition, when Dain explains how the gods cursed the khaenrians, he looks sad for a brief moment before his expression changes to anger. All this may imply that he just doesn’t like to show sadness in front of others, or that it’s an emotion he tries to brush aside.

Dainsleif being an overworking waifu aside (which actually may be part of why he keeps prompting lumine to keep going, which may have further hurt her) it’s true that lumine might have fared better with paimon as a companion. Still, dain seems to have genuinely cared very deeply for her and still retains quite a bit of fondness for her. It’s just unfortunate that he wasn’t what she emotionally needed at the time, and / or that he didn’t realise she might need something else, like a shoulder to cry on, instead of endless space. He is extremely attentive to her in the teaser in his own way - he is often looking at her and turns to her when she stops, which was mentioned by others before me. Unfortunately, lumine may not have felt comforted by this, or it may not have been enough.

Ultimately, their ideological differences were likely what separated them. No matter how close they were, their turning into enemies might have been inevitable. But the worst dain has to say about lumine in the present day is that she’s a stubborn fool; on the other hand, she tells aether that dain failed to protect his nation while dain just says her name sadly. It does seem like there was a lot of affection on dain’s part. He remembers their travels wistfully, he remembers the tales of boreas that she told him 500 years ago (not only does dain hate the archons’ servants, he also has terrible memory problems), he’s clearly deeply lonely and misses her. He just didn’t show his affection for her in a way that she felt, at least when she was sad.

[dryades-angeli]

Dainslumi and the Traveler

You may have already seen the “A Path Untrodden” video on the official Genshin Impact channel. I saw it in the video preview today and was pleasantly surprised. As a Dainslumi shipper, I'm happy that it's finally official. Lumine is the Abyss Princess and her brother Aether is the Traveler. It's already been teased.

But in this video you can clearly see that Lumine is Dainsleif's traveling companion. Do not get me wrong. Every shipping with Lumine is wonderful. I started Genshin with her and played a very large portion of the game with her. I experienced all these adventures with her. I saw how Kaeya and Childe flirted with us, how Xiao saved us... Chilumi shippers in particular have always been supportive, when it comes to Dainslumi. Basically, I have nothing against other Shippings with Lumine. And I can understand, if other Lumine shippers are sad somewhere now. But I'm glad that of all the Shippings, Aether shippers won't get their hands on this one. And this is, of all things, my favorite ship. Of course, Aether and Lumine shipper still have the game content. Depending on which twin you choose. On this you can build your shipping. Every shipping is relevant somewhere. But, and I admit this, I absolutely can't stand Aether, because he replaces her in almost every shipping. And I'm a Lumine fan. That's why it makes me happy that Mihoyo made Lumine Dainsleif's traveling companion. That there are these beautiful pictures of the two of them.

That they were at this festival together in Mondstadt, which is like Valentine's Day for us.

These scenes belong exclusively to Dainslumi shippers. And knowing that everything Dainsleif says in the game about his "traveling companion" he says about Lumine and he wants to save her makes me happy.

For me, Dainslumi has always been one of the most soulful and tragic ships ever. And I'm glad that Aether can NOT replace Lumine in this regard. That this shipping is finally left alone. Thank you, Mihoyo.

[aroacenezhaanddainsleif]

(look you can block me for this, people have different opinions for having different opinions and that's chill! i just need to SCREAM)

the amount of posts i see mischaracterizing dainsleif as completely obsessed or devoted to lumine or kaeya are going to make me fucking tear my hair out

i want people to enjoy their fanon but i am also going to fucking scream about the fact people took a guy who has mentioned these people maybe twice and made it his whole personality

dain is fucking stubbornly loyal, even obsessive. but that's to his duty, to doing his job, and helping people, more than it was ever about two fucking random people. it comes above "his prince", his traveling companion, and even the traveler, the person he's probably been closest to in 500 years!

anyway. please enjoy fanon as you wish and i encourage you!!!! but i don't know how many more (untagged as ship) things i can see about how "devoted" dain is to either of them without losing it any more than i already have ❤️

[shinystealingbirb]

hey so I watched the genshin video, the Road not Taken. And I have a lot of thoughts and I think the internet needs to know what my brain has cooked up

For context on the title. The road not taken is a poem by Robert frost. It’s a short poem that describes a critical point in his life as a path, and he’s looking back in his mind, peering as far down one of them as he can- guessing at what and where it may have led to- before taking the one less traveled, and in the end he comes back to who he is at the present, and he is satisfied with his choice.

I’m not sure what to make of that, honestly, comparing this meaning to the animation. I’m still thinking on this one. So I’ll move on.

The animation is so sweet and painful to watch, honestly but why I’m more interested in is the lore implications and background on our abyssal twin.

We learn Dainsleif was a distant companion, that Lumine was around for pivotal moments, probably before khanriah was destroyed, given how easily she walked through mondstadt. I don’t know if a fugitive, a princess of a targeted/collectively bombed and wiped out nation could wander the world without consequences, so I think she traveled and ended up in khanriah last. Like us. Which means all that chaos that seems to have always happened five hundred years ago, Lumine was around for. You know how shit always seems to go down the instant we enter a nation? There’s a chance the same thing happened to her and higher powers simply decided to fuck with us both, but I just think that part is interesting.

Now, the part I really care about. The part where we see lumine and Aether braiding hair and eating food together. It’s sweet, it made me sad and I swear I was crying in public. But that’s not the point.

The point is that Aether, the current-time twin, our MC, is putting flowers in her hair.

Inteyvats, specifically.

Which only grow on, obviously, Teyvat. In khanriah. If I remember right it’s like taking a piece of your home with you.

So when the hell did Aether have time to do that? Didn’t they enter the world and instantly get ganked by some god? That was after all the opening cutscene..

I’m beginning to wonder if they journeyed part of the world together. They arrived in a world up in flames, supposedly, and we’re assuming that’s the destruction of khanriah, right? And then the unknown god yanks away Lumine.

But the timeline isn’t timeline-ing. If khanriah was destroyed then, lumine wouldn’t have become their princess. The flames were of a different civilization then, probably, maybe an earlier one? I’m not entirely clear on the procession of early Teyvat lore, past the dragons. But the way mihoyo has given us the timeline so far is very clearly from Aether’s point of view, and because of that inconsistancy, at least partially jumbled and spotty in several areas. Whose to say we didn’t travel togethe?

Who’s to say we weren’t the ones who put flowers in her hair? In the opening cutscene of the game, lumine has inteyvats in her hair. They’d been in this world for some time already.

What did they see or do that made the unknown god consider them such a threat?

What did we see that we forgot?

Please comment, I’m sorta spitballing and collecting my thoughts at the moment, especially since I haven’t heard anyone talk about lumines flowers and how fucky they make the timeline… if I’m not totally misunderstanding it.

[mismefancy]

I am a Dainsleif x Lumine shipper. It is one of the few well known Dain ships that still continues to persist after every Dain quest we get.

But personally, I'm not into the abyss Lumine ship. I'm actually into the Dainsleif x Traveler Lumine ship.

It just does stuff to my hurt/comfort loving heart. Gosh darn it. :'D

Two immortal travelers travelling for different purposes. For Dain, to stop the Abyss and their plans. For Lumine, mainly to find their twin, Aether. Because of these purposes, both travelers do not settle permanently in one place. They continue to traverse the lands of Teyvat for their sole purposes, with no place they can truly call home because that home is lone gone. The home that is his godless nation, and the home she considers her brother.

Although different, one of the common things they have is their relationship with Aether. For as much as they would never attempt to hide their disdain and caution for the Abyss, a part of them still hesitates when Aether is in the picture.

The idea of them not only bonding over their experiences with Aether, but also find some comfort in one another as kinda lonely travelers just gets me. The two could just be together in the woods, cooking with their campfires, Paimon rambling whatever she could talk about and Lumine bickering with her back, Paimon sometimes dragging Dain to the convo, and etc. And the two then briefly talk about their fond memories of Aether, or how despite meeting many people in various nations, it sometimes still feels lonely.

Lumine's known for helping her friends and allies out. So naturally, she'd want to help Dain as well. I think his Chasm quest alone showed that even in Dain's most vulnerable, she will be there.

But Dain helping her out, returning that favour by being there for her, would give Lumine the very support she needed throughout her travels.

Paimon will always be her closest and dearest companion, but Lumine couldn't have it in her to tell Paimon of her deepest, ugliest doubts and despairs. Maybe it would've been too much to put on her, to taint that bond with nothing but so much negativity. (Even though I believe that Paimon would stay true to her no matter what horrible doubts she could tell her.)

Dain could not only comfort her, but in a way, somewhat understand her. The two lonely travelers, with different purposes and values, yet still find some comfort in each other.

Okay. Most of these are just headcanons or how I hope their relationship could be down the line. Doesn't even have to be romantic nor does it have to be Lumine as the Traveler. Platonic works and Traveler Aether can still be applied. (Dain x Traveler Lumine just has a soft spot in my heart.)

Basically, please continue making Dain an honorary traveling companion. Put some emphasis to that fact please. :'D

If not for the rant I provided, then do it for the potential of funny interactions between Paimon and Dain. Those two as a duo sounds weirdly hilarious. Lol

[kumeko]

A/N: For the @projectteyvat zine! I absolutely love Darker than Black and Dainsleif and the twins fit in so well with the AU

…

…

…

…

i. Past

The stars were fake. Dainsleif knew that, and yet he still found himself drawn toward them, looking up whenever they took a break. Those twinkling lights above no longer represented light travelling across the cosmos, the memories of a star from eons in the past. No, instead each had an earthlier attachment.

“You really like the stars,” Lumine said, interrupting his thoughts.

Dainsleif tore his eyes away from the false heavens to a sight closer to ground. Even for the night, it was dark in Liyue. The country was torn between the past and the present, between embracing modernity and clinging to traditions. Out in the countryside, stone lanterns were the only light for miles, their flickering light casting small pools of yellow-orange light. Fireflies drifted in the dark spots between, casting enough light to make out shapes.

Next to him, Lumine sat on a rock jutting out of a flower patch, her long white coattails and scarf fluttering in the wind. Her twin brother, Aether, leaned against her shoulder, his blond hair covering his eyes as he slumbered. Dainsleif didn’t have to look up to know that the Viator star was dim.

Lumine looked at him expectantly and Dainsleif shrugged. “I would not say like.”

She laughed lightly. “No, I suppose you wouldn’t. Contractors can’t feel, right?”

“We can feel,” he corrected immediately. “We just don’t let those feelings determine our actions.”

“Sometimes I wonder…” Lumine murmured, gently tousling Aether’s hair. She watched her brother affectionately, pulling him closer as he slept. “You’re different from him.”

“How so?” he asked, curious despite himself. They had been travelling together for weeks now, by order of the Abyss Syndicate, and while he had learned much of the twins during their long journey, he still couldn’t get a bead on them.

Maybe it was because Lumine was an ordinary human, stubbornly joining the Abyss to stay near her brother. Maybe it was because Aether was oddly sentimental, often making decisions that prioritized his sister over the mission. The choices were rational, Dainsleif was certain about it, but they still rang more emotional than practical.

“I don’t know,” she admitted quietly, her finger twirling one of Aether’s stray locks. “You’re more distant than him. Less human.”

“We’re still human.” Dainsleif looked at his hands, sensing the power coursing through them. It was a magic that belonged to fairy tales. “In a fashion.”

“You just don’t act like it.” She looked up at him now, her eyes almost luminescent in the dim light. A gentle breeze ruffled her messy hair. “You’re hard to get along with. You’re cold. Aether hasn’t changed much.”

“That’s because he has you,” Dainsleif replied simply, peeking at their snoozing companion. There were few contractors that stayed with their family, fewer still who wanted to. Perhaps they would all be ‘sentimental’ if they had any earthly attachments.

Lumine smiled softly. “Maybe.” She looked up now. Her eyes widened as she tried to take it all in. “I know they’re not real stars, but they feel real. Is there really one up there that’s Aether’s?”

“Yes, the Viator.” Dainsleif looked up for a familiar green star. “It’s harder to find now.”

“Because he’s sleeping.” Lumine’s hand curled into Aether’s shoulder. She frowned. “I don’t like this. Why are you all connected with a star?”

A shooting star soared across the sky. Somewhere, a contractor had died. Dainsleif hoped it was one of their enemies. Their mission in Liyue would be a lot quicker if they didn’t have to fight for every step they took. Every nation wanted to stake a claim.  “No one knows, but it’s probably the gates.”

“The Archon gates,” Lumine recited, no doubt repeating the Abyss Syndicate’s training. “They suddenly appeared at the same time you got powers and the real stars disappeared.”

“The gates probably caused all that.” Dainsleif crossed his arms. It wasn’t the first time he’d contemplated the strange quirks of fate and it probably wouldn’t be the last. No one knew where the gates came from or why. No one knew why the stars now pulsed with the heartbeat of a contractor, letting those who could decipher its morse codes read the life of each contractor.

“If we secure them…do you think the syndicate could find the answers?” There was a slight wobble in Lumine’s voice and he looked down to find her resting her cheek on her brother’s head, hugging him close. “Even free you?”

“I doubt it,” he replied honestly. “No one wants these powers to go away.”

“Not even you? What about your obeisance?” Lumine looked up sharply. “Aether at least only has to fall asleep when he uses his powers. Yours deage you. At some point, you’ll die.”

“Maybe.” Dainsleif admitted. While the payment for his powers was heavy, it didn’t scare him. Nothing had, ever since he’d woken up with this ability. “Is there any need to live long?”

It was a truth, albeit a harsh one, and Lumine recoiled as if struck. “Of course there is.”

“For you two, perhaps. Not for everyone.” Dainsleif shrugged. “Still, I have no intentions to die just yet. I will be careful.”

“That’s not—” Lumine cut herself off, taking a deep breath to calm down. Her jaw tightened as she glared at him. “You follow contracts.”

It wasn’t a question, but he nodded all the same. “Provided the price is right.”

Lumine snatched a white lily off the ground and held it up. “I don’t have much, but here. You’ll take care of yourself. You’ll take care of Aether. You won’t be reckless.”

Dainsleif stared at the flower, surprised. “I thought you didn’t like me.”

“That’s not what I said.” She smiled. “You’re hard to get along with, but we’re partners now, right? I’d like to know you better.”

She was genuine, he was certain of it, though he couldn’t fathom the reason why. “That isn’t a good deal.”

Lumine didn’t waver. “Then, I’ll protect you too.”

It still wasn’t a fair deal. Despite all of her training, she wasn’t more than a glorified servant, allowed to join as long as she guarded Aether when his obeisance forced him to sleep. Her abilities weren’t worth more than a delaying action.

“Fine.”

Despite all of that, he picked up the flower. She smiled at him and his lips twitched in return.

Maybe he wanted to get along with her better too.

ii. Present

The stars were fake. Yet, despite that, they were more constant than anything in Dainsleif’s life these days. In the five years since that starry night in Liyue, Dainsleif had de-aged ten years, left the syndicate, and even started his own mercenary group. Not even his hands looked the same as they did the day before.

Yet, if he looked up, Viator would still be in the same spot, glowing as brightly as it had years ago.

“You still like the stars.”

Even if that star was now connected to the hostile woman in front of him instead of her brother. Dainsleif studied the woman standing across the courtyard. If he hadn’t known she was Lumine, he would have thought her a stranger. Her gaze was cool, impassive as she stared back, the emotionless eyes of a contractor.

That mission had changed everything, for better and for ill.

“I would not say like,” he replied languidly, searching for a reaction.

Disappointingly, she didn’t react, not even stiffening in her defensive pose. Her grip on her dagger remained tight as she pursed her lips. “You went missing.”

“I did,” he acknowledged with a slight tilt of his head. Fortunately, Mondstadt’s streets were empty tonight, the park long abandoned by children. In the distance, the shadow of a statue kept watching, a man-made god protecting the city.

If they ended up fighting, there was no one to get caught in between.

Dainsleif stepped to his right, peeking around her to the man passively sitting on the bench. There was nothing of Aether’s smile in the boy, nothing of his charm or his wit, but then again, there was nothing of Lumine in the woman across from him.

The rumours were true.

He frowned, unable to help himself. “Aether?”

Lumine followed his gaze. As soon as she looked at Aether, her expression softened minutely, her arms lowering slightly. Then, just as quickly, that moment of weakness was gone and she was impassive once more. “He’s a doll.”

A doll. A ghost of himself. If there was something worse than turning into a contractor, it was turning into a doll. Dainsleif couldn’t recall the last time he’d met one with a wisp of personality, let alone memories of the past. The powers dolls got in exchange were minimal; they could see distant places through mediums, making their only use as scouts and spies.

There was a slight breeze and he wondered if the wind was Aether’s eyes now.

Dainsleif dug his fingers into his palm, grounding himself on the sharp pain. “That’s when you…?”

“Got his powers?” Lumine finished his question. Her eyes narrowed. “You were there for that.”

“I can’t remember it that well.” It was a half-truth. He had images in his mind, flashes of memories of when they’d entered Liyue’s gate. The region surrounding it had been a topsy-turvy mess, a place where the laws of physics didn’t make sense. Dainsleif remembered Aether’s glow, remembered Lumine’s tears, remembered how he had dragged their bodies free of the dark gravity of the place.

But he hadn’t really seen the aftermath. Not till now.

He took a step forward, focused on Aether’s vacant expression. “I didn’t think he’d end up like that.”

Lumine stepped to the right, blocking him before he could get any closer. With her growth and his shrinkage, they were the same height now. He could clearly see the anger in her eyes. “I didn’t either. Why are you here?”

Dainsleif lowered his hand. “Just passing through.”

She snorted, raising her dagger once more. “Is it for the Barbatos gate?”

“No.” His hair tickled his neck as the wind blew. Mondstadt was silent, except for the breeze whistling through the winding streets. “That gate’s a lost cause.”

“Then why?” Lumine’s eyes locked on his. She tightened her grip on the hilt. “And why are you so young? What have you been using your powers for?”

Dainsleif remembered a younger girl worrying about him. There was none of her concern in this Lumine, none of her fear. “Does it matter?”

“If it gets in the way, yes,” she replied bluntly, not even a flicker of worry crossing her face. Something in him twisted at the cold response. “So? Why are you here?”

“Visiting old friends,” Dainsleif answered slowly, considering his next words. While Lumine was a contractor now, there were still shadows of her old self in her. He could reach her if he were careful. “The syndicate is using you.”

Lumine laughed dryly. “They always were. Besides, it’s mutual.”

A practical response. It was one he’d given years ago too. “If it’s safety you’re looking for, there are other places to join.”

“Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll keep it in mind,” she replied coolly, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face. “Why are you here?”

“For you,” Dainsleif finally said, carefully pulling a white lily from his pocket. He had preserved it right after Lumine had given it to him, using his powers to keep it in an eternal stasis. It glowed faintly, reminding him of moonlight and dew, of a flickering lamp and Lumine’s smile. Cradling the bloom, he held it out.

Lumine’s eyes widened and she lowered her dagger. “That’s…” She glanced at him, then the flower. Reaching forward, she picked it up, studying it. “You still have it.”

“Of course. We had a contract.” Something in him uncoiled as she examined the flower.

“We did.” Her voice grew colder and she looked up. “I don’t need it anymore.”

She turned her hand, dropping the bloom. Without thinking, he stopped time, freezing her in place. Quickly, he plucked the flower before it hit the ground. He brushed its petals delicately before looking up at her frozen face.

“We still have a contract.” He reached up, cupping her cheek, brushing her hair out of her face. “And I will keep my end of it.”

iii. Future

The stars were fake, and yet they were preferable to the dirty clouds that stretched out above Dainsleif in the Khaenri’ah Gate. The city itself had been destroyed when the gate appeared, leaving behind collapsed houses and abandoned cars. The remnants of a people no longer here. The air was full of dust, giving everything a hazy look.

“There aren’t any stars here,” Lumine murmured, rubbing her arms as she looked up. There was a faint tremble in her voice, a faint sense of fear, and Dainsleif wondered if that was her or if that was the gate’s influence. “I didn’t think it’d be so…dead in here.”

“The gate obscures the sky,” Dainsleif explained, picking up a torn teddy bear. Its button eye dangled by a string.

She raised a brow. “Doesn’t the gate create the stars?”

“Maybe.” Dainsleif looked up at the cloudy skies. Faintly, he could make out a single star, and he wondered if that was a real one from his childhood or just another fake. If only he had enough time to explore the possibilities. If only he had time.

But he was a child now, maybe eight at most, and there was only enough time within him for one last trick.

Aether tugged on Lumine’s shirt, his head bowed as he stared blankly at the ground. “I can’t see.”

Dainsleif snapped his attention to Aether. “Don’t try to use your Sight. It’ll only drive you mad.”

Lumine gently grasped Aether’s hand, keeping him close. Years ago, it had been the reverse, Aether holding Lumine as they explored the Morax Gate. She glared at him. “You didn’t warn us.”

“I told you it would be dangerous,” Dainsleif countered calmly, dropping the bear. “You’re the ones who followed me.”

“Don’t act like that wasn’t your plan,” she sniped, snorting. “You left plenty of clues.”

“Fair enough.” He studied her profile. Anger was etched on her face, but also fear. But also hope. Perhaps there was still a chance. “Did you leave the Abyss?”

Lumine frowned, looking away. “Yes. You were right, they were too dangerous to deal with.” Annoyed, she kicked a broken bottle and watched it roll until it hit a brick wall. “I thought nothing was left of Khaenri’ah.”

“The people, no.” Dainsleif crossed his arms. The place looked like it was full of ghosts, though that was an irrational thought. Despite the new existence of magic, there still was no such thing as the supernatural. “They suddenly vanished when the gate appeared.”

“You vanished once,” Lumine pointed out bitterly, turning to him now. “This doesn’t look like a ‘gate’.”

He ignored the barbed attack. “It’s not a physical gate. A metaphysical one. It might be possible to see the real stars if we could clear the clouds.”

Lumine raised her hand. Wind swirled around her, her clothes ruffling rapidly as the gust grew in pressure. Aether tightened his grip on her hand.  When she finally unleashed it, it blew up to the clouds before dissipating entirely. She frowned.

Before she could raise her again, Dainsleif grabbed it. “Don’t. You don’t know what the gate could do. It might erase our existence entirely.”

She yanked her arm free. “Fine. Why did you call us here?” Her eyes narrowed. “You said you knew how to get us out.”

“I do.” Dainsleif stepped forward, holding out his hands. “I’ll tell you how, after.”

She eyed his hand suspiciously. “After what?”

“I just need to check something,” Dainsleif lied, taking a deep breath. Before they could react, he grabbed Lumine’s and Aether’s wrists. His powers churned as he activated them.

“What are you doing?” Lumine shouted, trying and failing to free her arm from his iron-clad grip.

“Keeping my end of the promise.” Dainsleif felt his power course through him and into them, felt their time reverse, felt himself shrink in response.

Aether’s powers had flowed into Lumine at the gate. It was only at the gate that they could flow back out.

Aether stood straighter, his eyes glimmering with awareness. “Where…I…”

Lumine gasped, tears forming in her eyes. Already, her emotions were returning. With her free hand, she grabbed Aether. “Aether! You’re you.”

“I…I am?” He looked perplexed, still processing the sudden dump of sensations and memories.

“Yeah, you—” Suddenly, she snapped back to Dainsleif. Her eyes widened and she pleaded, “You can’t! Dainsleif!”

He smiled, his grip weakening as the last of his strength surged out of him. The flower in his pocket tumbled out, landing at her feet as Dainsleif fell backwards. “It’s fine.”

Aether was back. Lumine was back.

He’d done it. It was more than enough.

Dainsleif could feel himself shrinking, de-aging, his body going backwards until it wiped itself out. Above him, all he could see were those yellow clouds. If only he could have died under the stars, real or not. If only he could have said something more.

Lumine screamed and a surge of power hit Dainsleif before he landed on the ground.

Somewhere above, a new star appeared.

[kayetra-spade-queen]

I found out Ben and Dainsleif was voiced by the Mr. Yuri Lowenthal. Imagine their relationship as probably teacher and student.

Imagine if in an alternate universe where Ben received a vision (any element you can think but I think it'll be dendro because it's green) Dain wasn't so pleased about it but he trains Ben anyways because yes

HOLY SHIT- HELP- YOU'RE RIGHT-

Ok- first and foremost, I think Ben would receive a Hydro vision than a Dendro one.

I know it's weird since my Ben had a Heart of Tandem with nature capabilities, but hear me out;

I found a note made by someone from Hoyolab that the element of the vision is usually associated with the user's personality or what they endured to get their vision.

Anemo - hardworking

Geo - perfectionist and/or calculative (also hardworking, but not to the extent of an Anemo would get)

Electro - black sheep

Dendro - obsessed

Hydro - charismatic and/or a huge sense of justice

Pyro - passionate and/or stubborn

Cryo - loss of loved ones (Chongyun is a bit of an exception due to can't handle heat)

This'll gonna be a whole thesis by the time I finished writing this-

For the reason I think Ben would get a Hydro vision was because he is indeed charismatic (although had a bit of an ego, but let's put that aside for now), and he also had a great sense of justice. The nation of Hydro is the nation of justice, and that doesn't include the fact that the Opera House is a theater stage and a courthouse as well, which symbolizes the both natures of the element they represent to the people who possess the element of Hydro.

Although it would be funny if Ben was initially wasn't happy with the element he got, and would want to have a Dendro vision instead of Hydro. But to even get a Dendro element, you have to have an obsession over something and fight it to the end goal. Ben doesn't have that, fame isn't his obsession (at least not anymore), and he doesn't necessarily have anything that would make him make it his prime focus like how Baizhu is trying to attain immortality. Ben's not like that.

You can argue that Ben's obsession could be of keeping everyone in the universe at peace and that's completely valid. It's just that Ben's personality as a whole overshadows that, similar how Noelle would've gotten an Anemo vision due to her hardworking nature, but because she's a perfectionist, it was overshadowed, and she got a Geo vision instead.

Still, I think Ben would've accept the vision anyways; who wouldn't? Manipulating elements and using them as a weapon to fight? Not to mention it's still accessable in all of his alien forms (to some extent). But I'm low-key sure Ben would mostly use it if he's human and wasn't able to turn into an alien at the time so he won't have to just keep getting the hit without fighting back.

Now about Dain, I would really love them to have a mentor-student relationship as well, it's an interesting concept indeed. I did once thought of Ben would've met the Abyss Sibling (in my case it's Aether cuz I have Lumine as my Traveler), but since we don't know how much time passed between the Abyss Sibling and Dain's split to the Traveler's starting venture, I would rather kept that by the time Dain and Ben met, Dain was no longer the Abyss Sibling's travel companion for the sake of it. And at the time, Ben hadn't received a vision yet.

It would be hella conflicting for Dain by the time Ben actually got a vision, because Dain still had no trust for the gods.

The only reason why Dain still had a relatively ok relationship with Ben was because Ben was pretty neutral about archons and Celestia, and he only got the vision because his will reached the heavens.

I have 2 weapon choices for Ben; polearm and claymore. It'd be hilarious if he had the sheer strength especially in his human form to carry around a claymore.

And since Dain looked like he's a sword wielder, I think it'll be great if he taught Ben how to properly wield a sword. The size of the sword isn't a problem, they're swords at the end of the day. Learn the basics, implant some new techniques yourself with and/or without your element, you're good to go.

Although Dain would still disappear more often and would visit once a blue moon since he's still chasing after Abyss Heralds and still seeking for the Loom of Fate. Ben would have plenty more time to implant his own techniques more than learning the basics of swordsmanship (but that does not mean he doesn't learn them altogether).

And about Khaenri'ah, Dain would definitely told Ben (and maybe Rook, Max, and maybe Azmuth for extra spice) about it, but he won't be very specific or too in detail about it, and would definitely tell Ben to "find out yourself".

Although Dain is distrustful of the gods, that doesn't mean Dain have to push his narrative onto Ben (because we all know that Khaenri'ah started the cataclysm by tampering with the power of the abyss *eyeing Rhinedottir*, which lead to Celestia to intervene because the abyss is spreading to the other nations).

As for if Ben would try to investigate about it himself, that really depends. He can't really abandoned his duties as the protector and peacekeeper so he can have an expedition, but he would be interested in finding out. If Ben actually decided to go through with it, it might be because he was pushed by Gwen, maybe even Azmuth (although unlikely).

In short, Dainsleif and Ben would be a great mentor-student duo, Ben would be cool with a vision (although he would really want a Dendro one, but it is what it is), and Ben would be interested in finding out about Khaenri'ah at some point if he was pushed enough.

[ladysirenity23]

Before I start the Liyue arc in the Sagau Headcanons ..

Here are some stories I want to post in wattpad soo choose for me what to post first with these introductions :]] will do a poll after

"𝘔𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘺 𝘐𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴"

You sought to kill your mother's former protégé as he returns as a teacher in your old high-school while being ignorant to the people who'll be affected by your petty revenge

X fem reader

Warnings:

child-neglect;

intense mentions of gore;

sadistic mannerisms;

toxic parent reader;

Very slow redemption ;

Love interests;

All Might

Endeavour

Mirko

Hawks

Fat Gum

Midnight

Eraserhead

Present Mic

Vlad king

Overhaul

Oc

+

"voleuse de coeurs"

Settling down in your homeland was never the life you'd wish to spend in, so you go to a trip all over Teyvat!Learning about the mysteries of each nations,Escaping each and every crime you have committed, And on the plus side!You may have stole a couple of hearts on the way, and an archon's gnoses while your at it!wait-

X fem reader

Love interests;

Aether

Lumine

Kaeya

Diluc

Childe

Rosaria

Eula

Amber

Kazuha

Ayaka

Thoma

Xiao

Razor

Bennett

Fischl

Sucrose

Albedo

Ayato

Chongyun

Ganyu

Scaramouche

Keqing

Xingqiu

Sara

Itto

Dainsleif

Oc

+

"Ang 𝕮𝖆𝖗𝖎ñ𝖔𝖘𝖆"

In which a once sealed goddess now roams the world of Teyvat with two companions who'm she tried to kill upon meeting them.

Xfemreader

Love interests ;

Venti

Zhongli

Baal

Dainsleif

Xiao

Ganyu

Kaeya

Aether

Lumine

Tartaglia

Scaramouche

Diluc

Baizhu

Oc

+

[throwaway-yandere]

The Longest Devout Believers (Yandere!SAGAU Various/Reader)

A/n: This is just a small side story/prequel from around 400 years ago. I couldn't add it anywhere else in chapter 1 so here's the prequel!! Lumine best girl.

Happy birthday Ayaka/2nd-anniversary Genshin!!!

Characters present in this chapter: (Main Focus) Abyss!Lumine, Dainsleif, and Venti (Briefly Mentioned) Kaeya, Traveler!Aether, Zhongli

CW: yandere self-aware genshin au, "impostor" reader, violence (won't go so far and say "gore", but there's mentions of blood)

Unreliable Synopsis: Your travel companions are a lot more feral than you suspected.

Hysteric Humanoid:

Side Story I (You are here)

Next Chapter

-------------

"When men encounter enemies in the fight, a robust heart is better than a sharp sword."

-------------

[??? YEARS AGO]

It was a rough day, again.

You tuck your face between your thighs. It can't be helped that their comments had effectively spoiled your mood for the rest of the day.  You're too "soft".  They eagerly threw insults and threats into the breeze since the country of freedom does not limit one's speech. You were positive that if your companions had left you to experience Ludi Harpastum alone, they would not have stopped at just hurling rotting tomatoes.

Lumine took off your azure glasses and linked your fingers in hers.

"(Player Name)..." She whispered, her bright eyes meeting yours. Lumine never once shied away after being caught gazing in your general direction, nor did she once make you feel alienated for having Khaenri'ahn eyes. 

You blushed as she kissed your fingertips.

"There are no fakes, no clones, no frauds– you are The Creator. Rhinedottir stole your consciousness and dragged you into our world. You brought us life."

"But..." You bit your bottom lip. 

"I didn't... My earliest memories were of me downloading some resource data and verifying file integrity. I just played this game before, and that's it. If I were The Creator, my earliest memory would've been of me creating the soil– or making a new life. I... I can't even summon the elements like you d–"

"But you can control gravity, can't you?" She wiped the single tear that escaped your eye. "I could be your elemental progenitor, just use me as much as you wish."

She invested too much blind faith in you.

You're not The Creator. Why does she insist on telling such a sloppy lie?

She's delusional.

Lumine laughed shallowly as she brushed her lips against your cheek. You're used to this by now. She always sounds like she's on the verge of laughing when teasing you. You squeaked until she pulled you close to her body into a tight hug. Hesitantly, you leaned your head on her shoulder.

Her eyes darkened the moment you turned to look the other way.

Lumine will kill every last one of them. The traveler did not tell you, but she will. Her best weapon would be unscathed, but it didn't mean she couldn't employ a duller, more agonizing blade. She'll flay their skin and hang their heads from the festival ropes, ecstatic at the blood that drenches Mondstadt's concrete floors.

She will come back.

You pulled away.

"Besides, (Player Name), that doesn't matter." She grinned from ear to ear. "You're with us now. And we'll have no better blessing than that!"

Lumine yanked you up, removing you from your sulking position.

You frowned. "Aren't you too relaxed about this?"

"Hmm? Not really. On the contrary, you're being too serious about everything." Lumine laughed. "Lighten up. We don't want you getting wrinkles like Dainsleif."

"Like who, exactly?"

"Ah, there you are, Dain." Lumine cheesily wrapped her hands around your waist.

Your face warmed up, and you pried her off, but your attempts were in vain. Dainsleif cleared his throat. He moved away to avoid you getting sandwiched between them, uncomfortable. 

"Aww, don't act shy, (Player Name)!"

Lumine pouted at him before she gave you a cheeky butterfly kiss. His eyebrows furrowed, unable to understand her need for physical touch. Dainsleif covered half of his face, despite already wearing a mask. You could tell he was feeling embarrassed by her actions. 

She secretly shot him a dirty look.

Lumine knows what she's doing.

And Dainsleif won't be provoked so easily.

"(Player Name) here was just talking about you! They said they wanted to meet Andrius."

You gave her a look that says "no, I didn't." and she shot you back with a "yes, you did."

It's not as if it matters. You can't help but be enchanted. Lumine assigns the majority of your destinations; she simply created a scapegoat in case her strategy fails. Besides, your knight doesn't have the guts to blame you for anything. You were virtually pampered under his watchful eye before Lumine joined the party. Only the traveler is capable of questioning and dismantling his overprotectiveness.

Dainsleif sighed as he pinched his nose. In times like these, his ironclad duties take precedence over her chaotic desires, insipid and unpaid they may be.

Despite lacking any attractive aspects, you value how he conveyed his dissatisfaction still. Based on what you recall from “the game”, he will barely smile and appear on guard around the protagonist in the future. The Dainsleif who swore an oath by your side is a lot more loose and expressive.

He acted so differently when you recalled The Creator's future insights. The future Dainsleif you saw was cold, calculating, and most of all bitter. His smile was nearly extinct. That Dainsleif looked overworked and numb.

You worry that something worse than losing Khaenri'ah will happen that would extinguish his emotions...

You snapped out of your train of thought as you heard Dainsleif groan, annoyed.

"We cannot afford to waste time in Mondstadt." He said.

Lumine huffed.

"But I'm sure Andrius wouldn't mind meeting some travelers."

Actually, he would. If The Creator's insights are anything to go by, he hates humans. Even more so a traveling human.

"But the nobles would," Dainsleif muttered.

"What if they wouldn't?"

"They surely would–"

"The Clans have nothing to do with Wolvendom–"

"We're still in enemy territory–"

"Stop speaking over each other." Your hands chopped them both on top of their heads. They stared at you fondly as if you were an annoyed little kid, which worsened your exasperation. 

You exhaled deeply, wearing your azure glasses back. "I get it, I get it. Now, would you both do me a solid and just be quiet for once?"

It should take another three or four centuries before the "game" begins. Your comprehension of this world's timeline is muddled, yet you know of the protagonist's– Aether’s– fate in the future. When their squabbling becomes unbearable, you console yourself by thinking that they'll "split up" in a few hundred years... Admittedly, that timeframe isn't helpful, but at least they're doomed to battle in the future. They just don't realize it yet.

“Of course, My Lord.”

"Y-Yes, Your Grace."

—------

The destination took a detour from Liyue harbor to Wolvendom effectively under your command.

Wolvendom was nothing like you pictured it to be. According to The Creator, this is where they brought Aether to meet Razor, the wolf boy. The former should be sleeping, and the latter would not exist for generations. Nonetheless, Wolvendom appears somehow more lustrous and green at the present moment. The wolves also make little effort to conceal their fur from strangers. They were more confident and comfortable, and these two things were not mutually exclusive.

So, the riftwolves haven't made their way to Mondstadt yet.

'Hmm, it would appear so, ███.'

You flinched, but neither Dainsleif nor Lumine seemed to notice. The breeze blew and murmured something of great importance. You will not dismiss it.

You stopped walking and listened closely.

While the smaller animals frolicked in the woods, the wind swept through and ruffled the trees' leaves. It's not harmonious or loud, but it still talked in one weighty riddle. It called out a name— it called out to you. And it's a message that only you can hear.

They both immediately sensed that their collective footsteps got a tad bit quieter and turned to look at you.

"I finally remembered."

Dainsleif looked down on Lumine, visibly perplexed. She shrugged in return.

"Remembered what, (Player Name)?"

"(Y/n) (L/n)."

They did not bother hiding their confusion. Dainsleif removed his glove and pressed the back of his palm against your forehead. Judging by how he looked “concerned” at your lack of temperature, you were probably fine. You glared at him, offended.

"Who's that?" Lumine asked. 

"Thank you for asking like a normal person and not checking if I have a fever." You sent him a snarky retort, which made Lumine snort.

Dainsleif's nose scrunched. "I'm your vassal. It is my duty to see to it that you remain healthy and unharmed."

Sounds exactly like him. He's the type that might apologize but never changes his mind.

You both ignored him.

The wind blew and spoke that name. 

(Y/n) (L/n). 

"It's my real name."

You gazed at them in sheer reluctance, hoping for them to either encourage you or admonish your claims. There's no evidence for you to back it up. But you know that it had to be your name– no one else's. It came back to you after 100 years.

"I am (Y/n) (L/n). That's... my name. Not (Player Name)." You gulped. "Do... Do you trust me?"

The two went silent.

“(Y/n)...” 

You watched nervously as the two contemplated. You'd like for them to say a word, or hand out a soft argument against your claim– but nothing like that happened.

Dainsleif closed his eyes and tested your name again. 

“(Y/n)... (Y/n). (Y/n). (Y/n).”

He glanced at you before quickly looking away, his ears all red. Dain cleared his throat, readjusting his tight collar. His eyebrows furrowed. He behaved like a pup backed into a corner, looking at you as if he's begging to be released.

“A-Am I saying that right, My Lord?”

… Surprisingly cute.

Your name sounded wonderful when it came out of his lips.

You grabbed his hands.

“Can you say Fuufuu Mujimuji Daruma next?" You asked eagerly. Your eyes practically sparkled while you stared in amazement. 

It was too much for him to bear. Dainsleif leaned back, pressing the back of his palm against his cheek. 

"... What?"

You winced, still smiling. "Ah, right. That joke was too advanced. I'll ask again in the future once you meet that little ninja."

Neither of them seemed to question what you were babbling about. You frequently foreshadow people and events that have yet to materialize.

But Lumine wanted your attention too.

“My turn.” Lumine beamed, pushing Dainsleif aside, which made him glare pettily. 

“(Y/n), (Y/n), (Y/n), (Y/n), (Y/n), (Y/n)!”

Your heart melted.

You did not expect them to eagerly call you by your name. Your lips formed a big stupid grin.

They accepted your real name.

You worried over nothing.

“Oh wow. What a marvelous job. Do you want a gold star?” You teased.

Lumine giggled and confidently puffed her chest out. “No thanks, I’m already a gold star.”

You laughed again while Dainsleif rolled his eyes. 

She’s not wrong though; she is a five-star character. Probably a 10/10 person too. If The Creator's future memories (as much of an oxymoron that is) are to be trusted, then the twins descended to Teyvat as luminescent stars too. Whoever catches her eye would be lucky to have her, but you wanted her to know that.

You shrugged half-heartedly. “That’s right. You’re a catch, my fr–” 

You wanted today to end on a positive note, but the blood that gushed out of your arm said otherwise.

"NGH!!!"

No matter the place or century, there is never a night without its dangers. You limped backward.

Your knees buckled immediately as the icicle stabbed through you. Dain gasped and immediately crouched to shield you.

The three of you turned to look at the creature lurking behind the dusty woods.

It was a cryo abyss mage.

It waved its staff and danced proudly. 

"Found you, impostor!"

You gazed at your fresh wound, shocked. Not because of how it felt, but how it looked. Blood seeped out into the open air, and it was mesmerizing.

Your blood always looked mesmerizing. Like pixels.

"(P– (Y/N)!!!"

Dainsleif's guilt-ridden face snapped you out of your trance. His eyes narrowed. 

For him, it’s just an abyss mage. For him, this wound was just unacceptable. 

Perhaps if the enemy were a larger threat, he wouldn't beat himself up badly. Scratch that, yes, yes he still would. He had been a capable knight for centuries, but he couldn't believe he let his lord get injured over a barely-lethal opponent. 

The twilight sword pulled you behind him. His grip on your hand was unusually tight. You wanted to reassure him that you're okay and he did well, that this was the first time in years that you got wounded, but doing that will damage his pride.

Dainsleif never once failed to protect you until now. 

Thus, Lumine took the lead.

She jabbed the mage with the hilt of her sword, effectively removing its mask, before slashing it down in one fell swoop. 

"GAAHHHHH!!!"

It was over, but she didn't stop there. 

Lumine repeatedly stabbed it, and the abyss mage's muted screams weigh heavily on your mind. Her expression was clouded by an emotion you were unaware of. It cried until it couldn't breathe. But Lumine didn't give in. She continued to mutilate the body, almost as if she wanted you to remember the sound of tearing flesh with each stab.

This was the first time you'd heard her innocent giggles amidst a terrifying scene.

Lumine tugged and pulled out the pathetic mage's flesh. In each drag, she recklessly weeds out its bloodstained fur. The blonde traveler giggled softly. She was not grinning wide, but you have to be blind not to see the out-of-place gentle smile on her visage. The traveler did not flinch once whenever her opponent's cries grew louder and strained– but the intensity of her stabs weighed heavier and heavier until you could hear her sword tear through the dirt underneath. You can't believe she finds this amusing.

"S-stop..."

She picked up its head. You closed your eyes, but you know all too well that it wasn't the sound of crushed Jueyun Chilis you heard. It was the abyss mage's skull.

The mage's final screams will be all that you'll dream of tonight. 

Lumine continued slamming its head against the ground, pulverizing it as she saw fit.

Your heart dropped. Remembering how this abyss mage used to be human.

Used to be Khaenriah'n.

"S-Stop!" You shook, mortified. "Please stop! They're already dead!"

You stumbled over your pleas before Dainsleif softly squeeze your hand. You jerked up and opened your eyes. He accidentally sent you a jaded look, which made you realize that this was not Lumine's first time doing something graphic.

Lumine frowned, before thrusting her sword deep into its chest one final time.

You've never seen her sharpen a sword before. Every stab must have been excruciating.

"Oh. Sorry that you had to see that, (Pl– (Y/n)."

You swallowed unevenly, unable to tear your gaze away from the corpse. You could no longer recognize your assailant at the sight of its mangled insides.

Dainsleif guided your chin up before cloaking the corpse with his power.  He didn't want his Lord to view a distressing sight.

You staggered drearily closer to Lumine.

"...You're only sorry that I saw it?"

Lumine nodded. "Of course. Why would I apologize to the enemy?"

She stood in front of you, wearing the smeared blood of her victim on her hands and feet. You flinched as she cupped your face with her cleaner hand. Her gaze softened, remorseful.

Lumine looked at you with eyes that said you're acting hysterical again.

You hated that look. You hated how she stared at you with condescending sympathy.

“Your Grace, we had to send a message. We couldn’t let those foul beasts get any more strange ideas.”

You bit your lip, tears threatening to spill.

"But–"

"Drop it, My Lord," Dainsleif whispered. "Just forget about it. Please, allow us to patch your wound first." 

You couldn't. Not after seeing the eyeless flesh that your "kind" companion stabbed with abandon. Dain’s words were not a threat, but a considerate warning, and that is precisely what made it worse.

That abyss mage used to be one of your people.

They're no longer human, but that doesn't erase the fact they used to be one.

What would their family think? How would they feel if they found out their father or son got torn to shreds by Lumine?

The Abyss Order's future leader?

"It's just that in The Creator's– my future knowledge, Lumine will lead the Ab–." You rambled shakily, loud enough for both of them to hear. "I don't– it's– I– I'm sorry."

Lumine flinched, slowly processing what you said. "... I'll join the abyss?"

You pretended not to hear her.

Dainsleif busied himself with cleaning your wound. His skill in mixing alcoholic drinks translates well with his repertoire of concocting medicine. You didn't react as the alcohol singes pain in your arm.

Your blood was strangely cube-like, but he reassured you that it was normal. You've never seen Lumine or Dain bleed before and you're not selfish enough to hurt them just to sate your curiosity.

After that, Dainsleif knelt, facing the ground ashamed. 

He didn't let go of your hand.

"My Lord– please forgive me. I had been inadequate."

You pretended not to hear him too.

There’s no time to act pathetic. Thanks to Lumine’s little maneuver, you’ll have to spend the night in Wolvendom.

You took a deep, shaky breath. 

“B-Both of you scout the area while I patch myself up. We’ll camp here for tonight.”

Dainsleif looked up, silently hurt and confused.

You hesitantly pulled his hand away. "Lumine, I'm sorry that I keep bothering you, but before you go can you put up a geo construct… just in case?"

"Of course! (Y/n)–" she savored how your name rolls naturally off her tongue. "There is no such thing as too much trouble if you're the one asking."

You noticed how Dainsleif's somber eyes never left you while Lumine effortlessly spiked the earth's crust with her heel.

"I'll be safer here." You motioned to the barrier. "Lumine's talents never failed us."

Dainsleif stiffened at your reckless choice of words.

Lumine never failed you, and he did.

He clenched his fists behind his back.

"...Do you no longer trust my services, my Lord?" Dain asked as emotionlessly as he could muster.

You smiled.

"Be sure to accompany her, Dainsleif."

That reply did nothing to soothe his heavy heart.

—------

Wolvendom is far more desirable than old Mond's bustling streets and the wolves provided better company. For reasons unknown, seelies and animals were more hospitable and kinder than the humans you’ve met when you embarked on this long journey. Just what do these creatures see in you?

You patted the bunny that snuggled up in your sleeves with your uninjured hand. It slept comfortably, its white fur brushing over your thighs. 

The rabbit did not deserve your stern gaze. It's not its fault that it was born with white fur, but the color reminds you of the scene that occurred moments prior.

How easy would it be to tear this rabbit's fur apart too?

You trembled. 

Definitely not easy enough to grab fistfuls of it in one go as Lumine did.

But she did all that for survival, right?

It's selfish for you to impose your moral compass in a dire situation. "One of us has to go", and Lumine was kind enough to ensure that it won't be you.

An empty chuckle escaped your lips.

You lie to yourself that it was a reasonable thing to do. Traveling with the two made you a "full-fledged self-gaslighter", you could let this one slide too, can't you? It's not as if Lumine is some sort of villainess– everything she did was for you. Dainsleif even stopped you from interrupting, and you trust that he's more level-headed than you are. You shouldn't worry your little head about it anymore. 

"I'm just gonna skip the city and ask how are you enjoying Wolvendom so far, Your Grace?"

You jolted and looked to where the voice came from. The rabbit unfortunately ran away.

When you looked up, a well-dressed man graced you with his presence.

Should the winged man that perched on top of that giant tree be none other than Mondstadt's archon, then it's obvious why he wouldn't inquire about your experience with his country. He appeared different from how he would casually dress up. With a white robe draped across his waist and a large hood covering his eyes, you could easily overlook his obsession with alcohol. 

He flew down and took your arm gently.

"Did you know that rabbits are symbols of spring and fertility in Mondstadt? Hehe, it's mating season right now– their honking noises are keeping me up all night." He said. "Oh, but I guess it's creepy for me to talk about this while holding your hand, huh?

You gulped.

"Venti–" You yelped. "I mean!– Lord Barbatos–"

"Ah-ah-ah! No need to change it, Your Grace! In fact, please don't call me Lord. I'm your most loyal acolyte!" Barbartos chortled. "Calling me by my future fake name, huh? Well– I guess those years were more exciting than the present, so I can't blame ya!"

... Acolyte?

In one swift motion, he removed the bandage and the wound began to heal. His methods were more effective than Dainsleif's vulneraries, yet your eyes did not deter its focus on him.

You thought it was the forest calling you earlier, but maybe it was him.

"You… You know what happens in the future?"

Barbatos cheekily grinned. "Oho? Did you forget that I know every song, from past, present, and future? Your Grace– I have Chrono vision too. Spoilers: I'm actually your favorite archon!"

You smiled forcefully.

"I see…" You lacked the guts and energy to tell him that you can't recall anything other than what you'd experienced. There's no way for you to say he's wrong about his last claim. Barbatos was aware of this and took advantage of that fact.

His smile widened.

Gotta have a great head start, right?

Dainsleif had warned you about The Archons. His distaste for their traditions and sheeple minds are laced in his words as easy as breathing. Their beliefs are a destructive scourge for Khaenri'ah, and he urged that if you meet one, you have no choice but to flee.

And yet… Barbatos' eyes seemed to be sincere.

"Are you the one who helped me remember my real name?"

He tilted his head.

"... Can't say I know what you're talking about." He lied plainly.

Your eyebrows furrowed. "Are you sure?"

His eyes darted elsewhere. "Positive, Your Grace."

That response made you wearier.

Is he a skilled liar, or is he telling the truth? Then again, who else would help remind you of what your real name is other than the wind itself? If it wasn't him, then where did that noise come from?

Does that mean you named yourself?

You tried not to think about it anymore. He's not going to answer that question anyways.

"... Why are you calling me Your Grace?"

Barbatos shrugged sarcastically. "Beeecaaause you're The Creator, duh."

"I'm The Creator's impostor." You deadpanned.

"Nope. You're the real deal." Barbatos shrugged. "And no other creator will descend in this world. Surface and otherwise."

"But I’m not The Creator."

"Hmm?" Barbatos paused, propping his chin in the palm of his hand. 

"C-Clearly I'm a fake, right?" You said, fumbling over your defense, which was rather difficult when your conversation partner is an archon. "I didn't descend here like some divine God, Rhinedottir made me."

Is that what that foolish woman told you? 

Whatever. At least you forgot your contract with Morax because of her.

But this is the price?

Rhinedottir messed up when she stole your eyes– and made you believe you're anything less than perfection. She shouldn't have replaced your pupils with synthetic Khaenri'ahn ones.

Rhinedottir fucked up when she thought she could play God.

Barbatos forced a grin. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't be wearing those stupid azure glasses.

"You're not a fake. You're more real than all of us combined. What you are isn't an imposter, Your Grace. You're an outsider."

You curled up.

"That doesn't sound friendlier than an impostor."

"Hmm… Well, I guess so! But have you never wondered why you bleed in the way you do?"

You paused.

That was one of many unanswered questions you've had since you started traveling with Dainsleif and Lumine, but it's hardly proof that bleeding red-black pixels make you The Creator. Besides, Dainsleif said your blood turning into red-black cubes was just the usual chemical process in Rhinedottir's frameworks… and you're too overwhelmed to follow his line of reasoning.

Barbatos sighed.

"If you don't believe me, then you really should travel around Teyvat. Without those two protective idiots, mind you. Get yourself lost in different cultures, learn different songs and proverbs– maybe then you'll be sure that you know the answer yourself."

You deadpanned. "Sounds like some blatant self-advertisement, God of Freedom."

"Ehe, you know it Your Grace~." Barbatos steadied his wings. 

"But alas, the wind has returned, and so too will chalk spurn. This spirit is off to greet the next primordial being, wouldn't want a product of Khemia to be seething."

That short poem sounded awful, and the bard was made aware of its poor quality when you visibly cringed. But barfing nonsensical flowery jargon was never the purpose of his poems. Later, you realized what he said.

"Wait, are you leaving already?"

Barbatos ruffled your hair.

"We'll meet again soon! Not soon-soon, but we'll get there eventually." Barbatos snickered. "But when we do, promise me that you'll choose me over the other six, okay?"

He winked.

You laughed humorlessly. "Sure, whatever you say."

"Good!" Barbatos giggled. "I swear I'm not like that old blockhead, but I'll consider this a verbal contract!"

The wind "acolyte" left as quick as it came.

In the end, you decided you won't tell Dainsleif about this encounter. 

—---------

"–That's not going to win them over. They don't see us as potential lovers because they trust us too much. If you give them that, they might just start calling you Dadsleif you know~." Lumine snickered.

While you were resting, Lumine and Dainsleif scouted Wolvendom for potential threats. Tons of wolves loitered, but they didn't pose any harm unless approached, and in addition to that, they seem to enjoy Lumine's company. Dainsleif, on the other hand, was a different story. While Lumine spoke with the Wolvendom's inhabitants, the knight stood back and wove the Abyss Mage's "remnants" into something more useful. A scarf.

It's still a work in progress, but Lumine could tell from the neat stitching that Dainsleif desperately wanted you to wear this scarf. He couldn't work with his gloves on, and she saw how swollen his fingers had become. He's been practicing for months, it seems. The old captain rarely wastes time on people with whom he doesn't see a future with, and you're always on his schedule lately.

He cut off the extra thread with his incisor, before wiping his lips.

It's nearly perfect. It's soft and comfortable– it'll surely prove his skills. He can't afford to disappoint yet again. Though, maybe if Lumine didn't senselessly pluck that mage's fur, the scarf would appear more refined.

Learning how to sew helped Dainsleif feign normalcy, in a way.

So much so that he almost forgot that he skinned this fur from his fellow countryman's corpse.

Hah...

Not that it mattered to him.

This person– this abyss mage hurt you.

It should be glad Dain found a purpose in their miserable life.

Dainsleif sat down, not because he was tired, but to have a better conversation. He appears composed, passionate even if you have a good eye for body language. But his starry eyes tell a different story.

There's hardly any sanity in his eyes whenever he thinks about you. No sane man would offer woven Khaenri'ahn hair as a scarf.

Dainsleif is aware of that. He knows that what he's doing is wrong– that he's risking your trust in his mental state once he gives you this scarf.

But if Lumine already crossed that border earlier, why shouldn't he as well?

... Dainsleif couldn't decide.

He believes he's saner than that, and yet...

There's no way you wouldn't appreciate this scarf, right?

"That's probably true, but I'm making this because Lord (Y/n) looked… cold." He didn't like how your hands always felt like ice. "Besides, we shouldn't be romantically attracted to My Lord in the first place."

Dainsleif looked rather upset as he muttered the last part.

He's fine with keeping his feelings to himself. If he couldn't have you, he made peace with being alone.

"Hmm? So you don't like (Y/n)?"

She already knows the answer to that. The two travelers were painfully aware of how Dainsleif had been struggling with how to deal with his "unnecessary" emotions. 

Both of them knew they are equally obsessed with you.

Dainsleif sucked air between his teeth.

"... None of that matters."

"Heh. So you just want to play as the martyr? Smart." Lumine smiled, feigning innocence. "Careful, Dain. I might just steal your precious Lord from your hands."

His azure eyes darkened. 

"I'll rip you to pieces." He declared in a husky whisper.

Dainsleif's eyes widened and he covered his mouth, suddenly realizing what he just said.

"Forgive me, Lumine– I did not mean it. It's a joke."

His claims were difficult to believe, considering how he's not the first person you'd think about when concerning jokes. Lumine's expression was unchanging, which meant reading her thoughts was out of the question. She paused long before she giggled suspiciously loud.

"Of course. The Creator's best knight wouldn't say something so selfish, after all."

He scoffed and went back to stitching.

They never settled that argument. Both travelers refused to let up on whether or not you're the real Creator. Lumine pressed that you're the real deal whereas Dainsleif turned deaf to her rebuttals. The air thickens whenever Lumine pushes Dain's buttons– and it's worse when it has something to do with you. Deep down, both of them knew that if this question was answered, you will be forced to choose a side.

And there's only one other person besides yourself who wished you were a normal human. It's Dainsleif.

He refused to accept that his life is nothing more than a video game. That's why he will never call you "Your Grace".

Selfish and heretical Dainsleif.

Lumine eyed him closely. Both you and Lumine could tell every emotion on his face after the first 100 years, whether he was sad, happy, or something more hidden and restricted. 

But she's different. She tends to be distant despite her extroverted friendliness. Lumine is skilled in getting along with others, but would withdraw the moment they've grown too attached and dependent. Perhaps that exact trait is what will turn her into the Abyss Princess. 

And the reason Dainsleif spent the next hundred years learning to be stoic.

"Dain."

He looked up with pursed lips.

"Should we become enemies one day…" Lumine cast her gaze at Wolvendom's colosseum as if awaiting Andrius's appearance instead of stalling for words.

It's a well-known secret that you're a "soft" person– your mental state often threads between a thin rope of either hysteric or unresponsive. The deadline to your friendship may be abundant but it doesn't change that it's numbered. Should Lumine leave your side one day, she only wishes what's best for you...

She laughed weakly.

"Would you still look after (Y/n) for me?"

He already failed you earlier. He doesn’t have the heart to make empty promises, but a little hope won’t do any harm.

Dainsleif smiled bitterly, holding your new scarf against his chest.

The scarf he stitched felt lighter.

As if the scarf never once carried an unnamed Khaenri'ahn's soul.

"Only if they allow it."

Lumine smiled.

But Dainsleif is a liar.

He won't do it for her— he'll do it for himself.

-------------

[??? YEARS LATER]

"Your Grace, can't you humor me just for today— where'd you get that scarf?"

"Hmm? Ah, this? Dai... Someone made it for me."

"It doesn't fit your attire."

You chuckled.

"Love, the point of my getup is that nothing should fit."

"Then what a waste of a perfectly good scarf! Shame, I bet I can pull it off better than you."

"I know. And I know what mind games you're trying to pull. You kept staring at it the moment we first met— that's why I got you this."

"... Your Grace, is that—"

"Your very own handmade scarf sewn by yours truly? Yes, my friend. Happy 21st birthday, Alberich."

-----------------

Taglist: @creation-magician, @mitsukashi, @pioreads, @ah-johnny

[astrophelstella]

Worthy

Genre: One shot, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

"Defeat me, command me to step aside, show me that you are worthier than I to rescue him."

There was a pause. A great silence between them stretched on as the words sunk in to her head. She needed to process them again as something brewed in her chest. It's as if time had stopped.

A snap.

"How dare you."

It was spoken like a whisper, but it could still be heard. There was incredulous belief as she spoke.

Star pupil eyes stared back at her. Slightly taken aback by her words.

"How dare you." In a flash of electro, she moved as lighting, and grabbed his neck.

A loud crack! could be heard as she slammed him into the closest wall. The force of which caused massive damage, leaving cracks behind where his body was thrown into. She kept his deathgrip on his neck, no doubt leaving bruises. Thunder was heard in the distance, reflecting her feelings.

He began choking for air as he looked at her face.

Golden eyes glowed inhumanly at him but the major notice was the unmistakable, unrelenting rage burning in them. As if they were windows to the pits of hell. They no longer looked human. Lumine no longer looked like the righteous Traveler. But something far less human. Less good.

"What gives you the right to say that to me? Bough keeper." She said the last word like a curse. "What gives your the right to judge me? You. Are. A. Blink. In our lives."

Dainsleif had never expected someone like Lumine to regard him with such a look. Or to even have this outburst. There was geo energy trapping his limbs and anemo stealing the breath from his lungs, electro energy sending dangerous sparks close to his face.

“I am his other half! His sword! His sister! The last of kin and the only one who has his safety in mind!" Somehow, she pushes him even further into the wall. Almost histerical in speaking. The pain made him claw at her hand. "He's been by my side since the day I was born. Our bond forged through centuries of traveling through worlds. We've faced wars, gods, extinction- FATE. What makes your measly 500 years of being travel buddies in anyway equal?! You couldn't even save him from the Abyss! Yet you have the audacity, the DELUSION that you could even come between us!?!"

Her companion, Paimon's shrill voice could barely be heard, as she shouted at Lumine to get a hold of herself. But to the blondes, it barely registered. Too caught up in the altercation. They didn't even notice she flew off to get help.

She turned and threw him onto the ground where he gasped air into his burning lungs. The pain on his back stung as he tried to get up but was left hacking for air.

"I understand your-"

She kicked him in the face, sending him back. "YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND ANYTHING!"

His collar was grabbed before he could recover and he was brought face to face with those burning eyes once again. He had the faintest feeling he had crossed a line that no one in Teyvat had managed with the kind hearted Traveler.

"I have the only right. Hear me, Twilight Sword?" Said like an insult again. "I had hoped my brother was only wrong about you, blinded by emotions and circumstance to see you as an enemy. But if this is how you see things... Then I see his point."

She looked like she wanted to kill him.

Fortunately, an interruption.

"Traveler, that's enough." Tighnari, with a scared and horrified Paimon peeking over his shoulder, spoke. He sounded like he was approaching a wounded animal. "Please let him go. I dont know what's going on but you need to calm down."

At the presence of one of her friends, her grip tightened, glancing furiously at him and glaring at Dain, before slacking. Releasing his hold he fell back.

"Leave. Don't show up again."

Another twin had come to hate him.

With Dain gone Tighnari led her back to the camp, as gentle and soothing as he could. With plenty of experience to mitigate the leftover rage she felt. Paimon was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Are you okay to tell me what happened back there?" He asked, carefully, and setting down some incense pots. The scent smelled refreshing. "I've never seen you lose it like that."

She didn't want to at first. But this entire ordeal had left her mind in a mess. She never spoke about her brother’s situation openly and especially her feelings, but she felt like an explosive barrel about to explode. So she told him. What Dainsleif said, her brother’s situation, her history, her reaction.

"He doesn't get to say that." She pressed. There was less anger and more pain. "He doesn't. I was the closest thing to him. I'm the one who's going to bring him home and everything will go back."

Tighnari doesn't say anything as he listens to her. That's when Paimon inevitably speaks up.

"Traveler... you've never lost control before. You can't let what Dain says affect you so much."

Lumine turned away, staring out into the horizon.

"Why did it affect you so much?"

"What? Because he-"

"You have incredible discipline over your emotions. I've seen it during fights, as you battle gods, face atrocities, even during your mission to overthrow the Akademiya. You never had an outburst. Your principles and beliefs are almost unshakable, clearly. If what he said was so wrong, you simply would have told him so." He stared at her back, refusing to see his gaze. "Why lose it over a simple statement. Unless some part of you believes it."

Did I fail him? Should I have woken up sooner? Was I distracted by everything?

What if we both disagree in the end?

"Traveler." A comforting hand on ber shoulder. "You are worthy. You have every right to find your brother again. Whatever doubts you have, they are unfounded."

Are they?

"Tighnari's right. But what made you start thinking you couldn't save your brother..." Paimon trailed off. "Was it what Lesser Lord Kusanali said?"

"Lesser Lord..."

You're brother hails from Teyvat.

Have our fates changed, brother?

She walked away, sword appearing in a flash if light. She needed fight something.

--------------------------------------------------

Note: I changed the original line from the trailer from 'her' to 'him' since this refers to Lumine as Traveler.

Just a short snippet I made. I wished we saw the traveler get more personal like this. The closest thing we got was during the Sumeru quest. Sorry if this is OOC btw, still new to writing for Tighnari and Lumine. I just wanted Traveler to snap for once.

Also, I know there's a possibility that Dain wasn't talking about the abyss sibling when he said that line in the Travail trailer. But I wrote this wondering what the Traveler's reaction would be if it was. Bc the AUDACITY OF THIS TWINK-

[losthomunculus]

ok kinda embarrassing that as The Fischl Guy I haven't looked into her story more but

This sounds A LOT like Lumine went to Celestia or the Abyss, questioned their authority, and was tainted, becoming the Abyss Princess. (btw for consistency Aether is the MC, Lumine is the Abyss Twin in this post)

Perhaps the King of Ravens could be Dainsleif? They traveled together before, right? And though I doubt they still have contact I think it's possible that his duty to Irminsul will end up in her favor (perhaps cleansing her).

see Dain's official introduction, it mentions a strand of blonde hair, likely that of Lumine. She's now his enemy who he will have to kill or save.

Every nation we've been to so far has faced some sort of catastrophe, and it's obvious there's war with Celestia on the horizon. And what nation are we going to see last?? Khaenri'ah/The Abyss.

We know little of Dainsleif's actual duties as "Bough Keeper" but considering he's associated with both twins and Irminsul itself I think it makes sense he's Oz here. Although he's not Aether's companion, Flowers for Princess Fischl isn't 1:1 to canon (considering Princess Fischl doesn't even have a twin).

That would make Aether the one currently acting as Princess Fischl.

Lumine says herself she's already been on this soul gathering journey, but she was unable to cleanse the darkness herself. I'd assume this is because she can't be Princess Fischl alone, as she and Aether are two halves of a whole. Their constellations reflect each other and they're interchangeable in the narrative.

Also Aether has shown off his cleansing powers with Dvalin's tears all the way back in the beginning sooo... Seems it's gonna be his job to cleanse Irminsul alongside Lumine and Dainsleif.

Now you may be thinking wait but what about Paimon she's been here all along?!

I think Paimon is the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles tbh. People are like "noo that's too obvious" but if you look at how Nahida was reverted to the form of the child and the symbols on Paimon match the Unknown God it's just... blatantly obvious.

She's probably so placid right now because whatever Aether is doing is something that has to be done. Maybe once she resisted fate but now that she's been factory reset she isn't part of the "fate resisting royals" ie Celestia. Aether is simply walking the lines of fate as they're supposed to go.

All in all I think this is a "Rose Quartz is Pink Diamond" situation where people think there must be a deeper secret going on instead of being able to accept the obvious answer. There's a name for this fallacy but I always forget and just think of the Pink Diamond thing.

so yeah whatcha think? I havent actually read the ingame books yet and I'll probably write about them once I do but for now I think it seems Fischl's story is meant to tell us about Aether and Lumine's.

[nishicchikouchi]

"Show me that you are worthier than I to rescue her" —Dainsleif, Genshin Imoact Trailer

Its these kinds of lines that make me squeal and think, maybe Dain and Lumine could have a relationship other than travelling companions when they were travelling. AUGHHHHH Goodness I love the Abyss Lumine and Dainsleif.