City of Freedom || Genshin Impact

Fateful Arrival

"Are you ready, Aether?" Lumine asked me, as we were about to step in the portal.

I nodded in response. We entered the portal, wondering the type of dimension we'll set foot on next.

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The place we landed on was different from the other worlds. It looks like the area we were on was above the clouds. It was seemingly peaceful, but there was something off about it.

"Something's not right." I said.

"I feel it too. Should we move on?" she replied.

As we were getting ready to leave, a black patch suddenly appeared in our way.

"Aether!" I heard Lumine shout. A woman dressed in black and white emerged from the patch, introducing herself as the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles. Her aura was sinister and demonic, and she suddenly started attacking us with a lot of gigantic cubes. We merely got away from her initial hit. We then used our power and charged at her.

Her cubes were fast and we barely dodged them. As we were about to strike her, she knocks me back and immobilizes Lumine. All I could do was shout as the cubes slowly consumed her.

Filled with rage, I struck the Sustainer causing an explosion. Is this the end? -  I thought. But when I looked up,  swarm of cubes loomed over me, and trapped me in the same way she did to Lumine. 

"Give my sister back!" I pleaded. But it was too late. My sister...was gone.

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I awoke on a deserted shore, with dry grains of sand beneath my feet. Thank god Lumine had taught me basic survival skills. I took pieces of sticks nearby and rebuilt them to work as a low quality fishing rod. The wood was cracked, but if it meant that I could at least get some nutrition, it didn't matter.

I tossed the rod in and slowly awaited to catch some small prey. 

Gosh.. I thought to myself. How long will this take?

 I looked around in boredom until I sensed a timid tug on my rod. With strength, I used both my arms to pull out the mysterious food...turns out it wasn't food and instead was.... a child?! They must've nearly drowned... I thought to myself. I quickly reeled the rod back and looked at the small child in wonder. They had blondish pink hair and puffy sleeves. What an unusual outfit - I thought. When she finally came to her senses, she said her name was Paimon, and she was "super thankful that stranger saved Paimon from drowning". I smiled as I was finally not alone in this world. What was strange about her was that she floats. I've seen many creatures do this but I haven't met a human that can float, at least without wings. Is she even human?

After a while, I started to set out a little further. There was cliff near the beach, and Paimon told me it was Stormbearer Mountains. I climbed the rock face, but I had barely any stamina left to my surprise. I fell to the ground and got knocked out.

"Are you okay?!" Paimon said as she dashed to me. I tried to move, but I groaned in agony. My back hit a rock and sharp pain echoed through my whole body. 

"Oh no....wait-" Paimon suddenly stopped. The sand got stained in blood, and it slowly seeped out into the water.

"This isn't normal blood.....just what are you?" she gasped.

"I'll tell you sometime. Let me just rest."

After a week of resting, my back was fully healed. 

"Paimon hopes you won't forget what you said~"

I told her my story..my life as an outlander, the Sustainer, and Lumine...

"So you're telling me, that you're a traveler from another world? But when you wanted to leave....you got blocked by an unknown god?"

"That's right...how many years ago was it? I don't know. But I intend to find out."

"Paimon will help you find her! As thanks for saving me, Paimon will be a great guide."

I smiled. I might still have hope after all.

"Come on! Let's get going!" Paimon shouted.