Archive of Our Own ^beta

The light was sharp and bright. Xiao blinked to get used to it. He rubbed his eyes and looked around while he slowly got used to the light. He felt a smooth, solid surface against his back and realized that he was sitting under a tree. The leaves were shimmering in pink and orange and the bark was shining like silver in the light. Xiao would’ve stayed and admired the tree in awe, but something weighed his heart down. He got up and began walking through the grass that shimmered like rainbows. There were more trees like the one he woke up under, all equally beautiful. Here and there in the trees’ shadow, the most beautiful flowers bloomed. Their petals glimmered like clear glass as they thrived under the trees. But Xiao couldn’t bring himself to appreciate any of it. How could he ever admire any beauty again when he had lost the most beautiful thing of all?
Xiao soldiered on in his grief and each step became increasingly difficult to take. His heart felt like it weighed as much as a mountain. The gentle wind continued to blow from behind him, silently supporting him. The empty silence in the forest gave room for Xiao’s thoughts to spiral and become louder and louder, like they were vendors trying to drown each other out at the market.
“Why would he do that? I’m not worth it.”
“What happened after I left him? Did someone find him?”
“How could I let this happen to him?”
“He’s gone.”
“He isn’t coming back.”
“I failed.”
Xiao felt the weight on his shoulders grow unbearable. The wind grew stronger to push him forward, but Xiao stopped. He fought the wind with his body weight for a while, until it stopped.
“He’s gone. Forever.”
Xiao fell to his knees. He slowly wiped the burning tears in his eyes that threatened to spill. His breath hitched as he recalled the events prior.

The Abyss had attacked the Chasm from below. Huge cracks of black mud opened and a lot of the miners disappeared as unbelievable amounts of monsters invaded the underground tunnels. The Adventurers Guild did everything they could to keep the situation under control, but even they were having trouble. So the former Geo Archon asked Xiao to help with the situation. The Traveler backed him up and he was going to ask some other people to join the fight as well. Xiao agreed and his partner, Wanderer, insisted on coming as well. Xiao refused at first, but after a lot of convincing, he finally allowed the other to come with him. Wanderer had fought in the Abyss before, but Xiao wasn’t sure of the details of the situation. It had something to do with the Fatui, a military organization under the direct command of the Tsaritsa, and its elite of Harbingers.
Either way, they traveled to the Chasm. When they first arrived, the fighting had not yet reached the surface, but the defense line was threatening to break at any moment. Most of the Millelith were there, guarding or fighting. They were scared, but they were determined. Xiao somewhat admired their courage. They were mere mortals, but their mental durability and strength never ceased to amaze him.
Wanderer was, unlike the soldiers, not scared at all. Rather, he seemed excited by the threat to his life. Xiao concluded that it probably had it’s origin in the fact that he was not human. Sure, he had seen Wanderer fear quite a number of things, but most were rooted in the other’s mind and was not product of some eminent threat. Xiao was not afraid of the coming battles either, he found a kind of comfort in the thought of dying is this way. He had to admit that he was a bit worried about Wanderer, but he reassured himself that his partner would be fine.
Thanks to the assistance of Xiao and Wanderer, the monsters were pushed back. The fighting grounds were now further down in the mines. Wanderer insisted on going back to the base camp for a day when he saw Xiao’s injuries, ignoring his own. Xiao gave in, and they were visited by Aether. He was surprised to see Wanderer there, but laughed it off. He expressed his gratitude to them both and Wanderer brushed it off. They overall had a great time chatting to each other. Who knew that it would be the last time Aether would ever speak to them both.

Xiao felt a hot tear roll down his cheek and fall down in the grass. He bit his bottom lip as he tried to keep it in, but he knew that it was futile.
It felt like a war was being fought inside him. His heart ached and his throat felt swollen. It was hard to breath and every breath came out with a shudder.
It was nigh on impossible to think that it was possible to feel this hurt, to feel so much pain.
“If only I could’ve been stronger. If only I could’ve seen that Abyss Herald coming, then he wouldn’t have-“
Xiao blinked as he finally let the tears fall as they pleased. But he refused to let a single sound fall over his lips.

A few days later, the battle had yet to end. The fight had broken up into smaller separate battles in different parts of the mine. The enemies closer to the surface were weaker, and the Millelith took care of them without any problems. A bit further down, they were joined by adventurers to fight off stronger enemies. And in the deepest parts of the mine were where Xiao and Wanderer fought, along with a few adventurers, most of them with visions, one or two Millelith, and martial artists, also with visions. On that level in the mine, there were more Abyss Mages than hilichurls. They constantly encountered Abyss Heralds and Lectors, but the couple made quick work of them. However, the humans weren’t that durable or strong and they gradually started to disappear. Some were lucky enough to be found and sent to the surface, but some were less fortunate and met their end in the cold, dark tunnels.
Before Xiao and Wanderer realized it, they were all alone. But they continued. They were slightly overwhelmed when a horde of Abyss Heralds emerged from the darkness below, but the two adjusted quickly.
Xiao was efficiently fighting two Abyss Heralds at once while Wanderer were slashing through multiple shields on the opposite side of the cave. They barely realized that they had been separated, but Wanderer turned to check on Xiao after a while.
What he saw made him call out Xiao’s name as he quickly flew towards his partner.

Xiao cried silently as his tears rolled down his cheek and traced his chin before they fell to the ground. He felt… empty. Like something had sucked all emotions, thoughts, and sensations out of him except the pain. The unbearable pain.
When would it subside?
“You know, you could’ve waited with the tears until you knew that I was completely gone.” An all too familiar voice said.
Xiao froze and slowly looked up. His yellow eyes met a pair of purple. Their owner smiled and placed a hand on his hip.
“Now, are you going to sob on your knees all day? No offense, but I hardly have any time for that.”
Wanderer reached out a hand as he smiled.
“Come on, Xiao.”
He let out a surprised huff as Xiao threw his arms around him.
“You’re really here..?” He said in a whisper.
Wanderer put his hands on the other’s back.
“Yes. I waited for you.”
Xiao clung onto the other like he was afraid that he was going to disappear. Wanderer pulled back to wipe Xiao’s tears.
“I have to admit, your face with tears is pretty, but I prefer it dry.” He chuckled and connected their foreheads as he intertwined his fingers with Xiao’s. Xiao suddenly noticed that Wanderer’s vision was missing.
“Your vision..!”
Wanderer sighed as he shrugged.
“A small price to pay. It’s why I’m able to be here.” He smiled with an amused look in his eyes. “Turns out that the Anemo Archon is a pretty decent god after all.”

Xiao just noticed the incoming attack from the Abyss Herald behind him when he heard Wanderer call out his name. He barely registered the other flying towards him and shielding him with his own body. A strong gust of compressed wind dealt a devastating hit to the Herald and all the others around as the first Herald’s weapon impaled Wanderer’s chest. He let out a hitched breath and collapsed. Xiao grabbed ahold of his limp body and teleported away. He appeared again with Wanderer away from all the fighting. He examined the injury with wide eyes and shaking hands. Wanderer weakly reached up to his partner’s chin and gently smiled.
“Xiao..?”
Xiao looked at him with distress in his eyes.
“Thank you… for everything.”
“No, no please… don’t leave me, please.” Xiao begged as his eyes became glossy.
Wanderer didn’t respond, he just smiled at Xiao and stroked his thumb against Xiao’s cheek. Xiao wrapped his arms around him and Wanderer did the same. His body went completely limp and his arms that once held Xiao fell to his side. Xiao laid him down on the ground and looked at Wanderer’s peaceful face with a horrified look. Wanderer’s eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open and his purple hair spread out over the gray stone. He looked like he was merely sleeping. Xiao blinked away his tears. He stood up as his eyes never left Wanderer. Xiao’s thoughts were rushing around like a circus in his head. The world slowly faded as he turned around and returned to the fight, never to be seen alive again.

Wanderer began to walk with Xiao in hand. He smiled at the other who asked where they were going.
“To our next destination.” Wanderer chuckled. “We don’t want to be late, now do we?”

Aether sighed as he approached the memorial. His conscience was weighed down by grief. He wished he had been part of the fighting, but he was also unable to deny the fact that Sumeru had needed him more. Nahida had disappeared without a trace and chaos had been unleashed when the rainforest started to burn. Still… maybe he could’ve done something. Something that could’ve changed the outcome. What if they could’ve survived if he had interfered? Aether shook his head. He reached down in his pocket and took out two dead visions. One with a Sumeru frame and one with a Liyue one. The gray color swirled in dark clouds inside the jewels that once brimmed with Anemo energy. It filled the observer with a strange sad feeling. Aether put the two visions right by each other, close to the broken Jade spear that was also recovered from the depths of the Chasm. Aether gently smiled with a hint of sadness in his eyes when he remembered that Xiao had fought to the end. The yaksha only first allowed himself to let go when there was no monster in sight. Thanks to him, Liyue was safe.
Aether turned around when he heard footsteps. He noticed Zhongli walking towards the memorial with his face turned downwards.
“Hi, Zhongli.”
Zhongli had a slight expression of surprise when he looked up.
“Traveler, what are you doing here?”
Aether shrugged.
“I’m dropping off some more… things, I found while looking down there.”
Zhongli sighed heavily when he saw the dead visions.
“I suppose this is proof that they are indeed-“
He stopped himself, as if he couldn’t quite say it.
“Gone.” Aether finished the sentence. “Yes, I guess so.”
Zhongli looked away and raised a gloved hand to his eyes.
“Are you… crying?” Aether asked, somewhat surprised.
“…yes. Am I not supposed to when a dear friend has passed?”
Aether shook his head.
“It’s not that, it just seems… unusual, for you. Of course you are allowed to mourn, I do too.”
Aether turned his attention back to the things he had brought and placed a fresh Qingxin flower beside the spear.
“I have to admit,” Zhongli said, “that a tiny bit of hope that one of them was still alive down there remained in my mind.”
Aether sighed.
“I’m sorry, Zhongli. I wish I could’ve done something.”
Zhongli shook his head.
“No. I’m the one who should be sorry. You visited them, talked to them while they were here. I never did. I knew how dangerous it was, yet I didn’t interfere. All because I didn’t want to lose my mortal life.”
Zhongli looked down as he spoke, each word weighing heavier than the last.
“In the end, it’s my fault.”
“No! It’s not. It’s the Abyss. They bear the blame for all of this. And I will not forgive them, ever.” Aether exclaimed.
Zhongli gave him a small smile.
“Perhaps. Alas, throwing blame won’t bring them back to life.”
Aether nodded.
“Yeah… all we can do is keep their stories alive.” He smiled.
Zhongli nodded.
“You’re right. Well, I should head back. Take care, Aether.”
“You too, Zhongli.”
After Zhongli left, Aether remained at the site, quietly going through memories.
“Well,” he said, “I hope you two can reunite in your next life. Whether that’ll be in Teyvat or not… I can’t say. I just wish that you’ll be happy.”