Welcome To Genshin Impact

Traveler's Troubles

[A SURPRISE UPDATE! Actually my ankle hurts and I got a one day holiday and 10 little painkillers. After reading a few pages of Crime and Punishment in which Raskolnikov is driving me crazy with his monologue, I fell asleep lol. When I woke up, the boredom seeps in and I think, 'Hmm, maybe I need to highlight the traveler too.' aaaaaand that's how this chapter came to existence. Thanks Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Author of Crime and Punishment). ]

My name is Aether. Ever since the Unknown God took away my twin, I was sent here to Teyvat. After a hundred years of slumber, I woke up to see the sky again.

Ever since I met a floating small child named Paimon, she dragged me everywhere for adventure. We met a lot of nice people and made friends. I've got to say, her voice is kinda annoying sometimes. Ugh, that high-pitched voice hurts my damn ears when she shouts.

She might be annoying but I have to admit, if we never met, I might still be staying at the beach, fishing.

Or maybe I will never resonate with Anemo that day. Let alone Geo and Electro. I will not be able to harness the power of elements without her telling me I can do it.

But... The reason I've agreed to Travel is to find my twin. I don't care if Hilichurls destroying carts. I don't mind Fatui planning to collect Gnosis. I even helped them solve the issue of a whole continent but NO!

Mondstadt? Only Amber helped me by pasting missing posters everywhere.

Liyue? That old man Zhongli unexpectedly has a contract that won't allow him to spill where the heck Lumine is. The worst thing is he told me that AFTER I HELPED HIM. Isn't this just a total scam?

Inazuma... I've lost hope already. I don't think they have the slightest idea who Lumine is. I'll just end up solving their whole problem again and end up with a chunk of Mora.

The siblings... Yes, them. They knew Lumine. They had never met her but they knew her. They knew about this world. They are aware of the existence of the Abyss Order. They're not from this world, just like me, but from different universes. Maybe that's why we can relate to the sense of distance in our connection to this world.

If I want to know more... About this world... About Lumine... I have to ask them more. I can't rely on Archons anymore. They're all the same.

I sat down under a Sakura tree alone. Paimon is still asleep in the Serenitea Pot realm, sleeping peacefully, unaware of the world around her.

There's a pond nearby that connects to a waterfall. I see fish swimming. Two of them have the same color as the rest and move in synch as if they're twins.

Tears start falling from the corner of my eyes as I watch them. It's sad to think that they have each other, unlike me. Ah, what's wrong with me? I'm jealous of fishes now?

"Aether?" A familiar voice. The person who would call me by my name, not the 'Traveler' title.

"*Sobs* Huh?" Oh god, I'm still sobbing. But what's weirder is... What's a Fatui doing here?

He approaches me slowly, hands on his sides and no weapons in sight. He isn't here to fight? But how does he know me?

"Aether, what's wrong?" He asked in a surprisingly gentle way. Usually, Fatuis are quite cocky.

"Who... Who are you?"

"It's me, Alastor." He... I meant she whispered. I was surprised to meet her in Inazuma. When did she become a Fatui? "I joined Fatui to dig in more info about this world, but please keep it a secret, even from Paimon. Call me by Vodka when I'm working."

That's... Kinda smart.

"So... Aether," She's not whispering anymore. "Is there something bothering you?" She sits on a flat rock, just beside me.

"I... I miss Lumine." I wanted to say more than that. Why she joined the Abyss Order, why she wouldn't tell me the reason, why she leaves me behind.

"Oh..." She paused, thinking hard about something. "I don't have the exact reason, but I do have some speculations. Wanna hear it?"

"Sure." It's better than nothing.

She takes a deep breath, "It all started with a Nation named Khanrieah. A god-less nation that prospers and advances in technology. Ruin Guards, Ruin Hunters, all such deathly machines hail from that nation. It is said their technology is otherworldly, which I suspect was the contribution of your twin.

However, such development threatened the authority of gods. Hence the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, along with other gods, destroys Khanrieah. The people were cursed. Those who cannot resist the curse become Hilichurls, Mitachurls, Samachurls, Lawachurls, Abyss Mages, and Abyss Herald.

Seeing the nation she built with her blood sweat and tears fell into destruction, she wants to at least save you. But before you could cross to a different world, the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles caught up. She took her, sealed your powers, and sent you to that beach."

I was so immersed in that story that I didn't realize she had stopped. Then, it dawned upon me. The unfortunate character in that story just now is me. While I'm sleeping, Lumine built a whole damn nation and after I woke up for a while, I was forced to sleep again. And again, while I was asleep, she's leading a gang of rebels. Why did she leave me out? Am I worthless to her?

"Don't think negatively. She doesn't leave you behind without believing you can survive. Why? Because I did the same to my little brother LMAO! BAHAHAHAHA!"

My lips curved slightly upwards. Poor Vranz. But Alastor's statement is convincing.

"Aether, you're a good friend of mine and I don't want you to die in the hands of god, especially to that Kiana rip-off."

A Kiana what now?

"So here's a gift from my brother and me. We worked super hard to get this ok." She took out something from her inventory. A long, beautiful sword with a glowing blue blade that reminds me of the breeze.

"Whoa... How did you two manage to get it?"

"Gambling with Mihoyo." She said with her arms crossed, cursing someone under her breath. This Mihoyo person... They must be very rich.

[Look here, even if Aether, Venti, and Paimon saw the trailer, they can't read words from our Earth.]

"I beg you, throw away that fucking dull blade. I know, you even defeated that menacing toad Azhdaha with the most basic equipment but please put it away. You can keep that dull blade in your inventory if you still feel an attachment to it. Might as well solo Celestia with it." She says with a deadpanned expression.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. "Thanks, Al- Vodka." I almost slipped.

"Yeah, yeah, take this Skyward Blade. My break time is almost over. Bye bye!~" She ran away, waving her hand before disappearing. I inspect the newly acquired blade with interest and awe. Then an idea struck me, why don't I test it out?

Without further ado, I lift the sword and swing it as hard as I can. A powerful wind current is made. It was so strong than using a dull blade! So cool!

*DUSH!*

Huh? Did something huge fall- OH GOSH I'VE CUT DOWN A SAKURA TREE! I MUST RUN BEFORE KUJOU SARA GETS HERE!