The Phoenix's Clipped Wings | Kaedehara Kazuha

Chapter 14

Well, Kazuha havers and enjoyers, this is the time you've all been waiting for.

Kazuha reunion soon.

-

It's been almost a month since then and Aether still hasn't found a trace of either Dainsleif or Phoenix.

During the last month, he spend his days doing commissions and at some point asked Zhongli about what happened 500 years ago. But the retired god gave him no answer and it made him frustrated.

Frustrated at the fact that no one knew anything and if they did, they never answered his questions. He was tired, tired that would was running around form between the two nations, helping and fighting for people of a world he would leave at some point. In return, he was given nothing but more chores to do, their errand boy.

Aether had actually cut off his ties with the people of Mondstadt because he couldn't help but feel disgusted at the things they were saying about Phoenix. Treating her like she was below them just because she left Inazuma.

Speaking of Phoenix, when she jumped into the portal after his twin, she left Sora at the entrance of the cave and all this time, the small, white cat was sadden at the sight of not seeing her come back and he's been feeling down this whole time.

He would often wait of the door in any room to they were in, expecting Phoenix to open it but she never did, in fact -.

"Aether...." Paimon's voice brings him out of his thoughts, "the cat is running away." He looks to down to see Sora gone and see him running towards the city.

He showed no sign of stopping before Aether ran after him, "wait!? Where you going!?"

He shouts.

Passing a couple of people he knew, he almost lost sight of Sora and when he managed to locate him.

He was just standing at the bottom of the stairs as Aether was about to grab around of him, he ran up the stairs. He looks up to see the silhouette of a figure as their features were blocked out by the sun light behind them.

Sora lets out a loud meow making the figure turn around and Aether's eyes wide.

His eyes met a pair of dull, red orbs that still had a hint of [E/C] that stared back at him with such coldness.

They give off an intimidating aura that made other stay away as Sora runs towards them.

".....Phoenix?" Aether calls out as the female looks down at him, her eyes narrowing at him.

She doesn't say a word before she was blocked from his vision by Zhongli who keeps her behind him.

"Traveler, what brings you here?" He says as Aether begins to walk up the stairs.

Phoenix's ruby eyes were still narrowing at him before she looks up at Zhongli.

Paimon turns angry at seeing this, "first you refuse to tell us anything about what happened 500 years ago and now you're trying to prevent us from seeing Phoenix when a whole month passed without knowing if she was alright!?" She yells out.

Zhongli looks at her before sighing.

"Let's take this somewhere private."

—

"So, you're telling is that she's under the control of her powers right now and that's why she looks so scary!?"

Zhongli nods before looking down at the sleeping female who seems to be back to normal.

"Her teacher had two sides to her, one being her normal self and the other being more....violent under certain circumstances." He explains as Phoenix moves in her sleep before relaxing.

"Is she even aware of this?" Aether asks.

"Of course, her teacher left behind everything regarding her before she disappeared." Zhongli explains before Phoenix suddenly sits up, holding her head as if in pain.

She looks up to make eye-contact with Aether before she looks confused.

"...albedo? What are you doing?" She murmurs in a daze before shaking her head. "no.... you're not albedo... you're... Aether?"

She questions confused, "I can't quite remember...."

Zhongli quickly lays her back down. "It's just a side effects of using your powers, just go to sleep and it will all come back to you once you wake up."

Phoenix nods head, listening to him before closing her eyes.

Zhongli sighs for what seems like the millionth time. "Aether, there's something I need to discuss with you."

—

"And so, in order to make him back down, I unleashed some of my power so he could stop pestering me." You explain to Aether as the two of you walk outside the city.

"I guess with him pestering me for the last three years about wanting to marry me, I finally snapped." You says as you both stop to look at Guyun Stone forest.

"I guess I over did it but I'm sure he got the message." You finish off explaining why you used your powers in the first place, some random man from the village keep bothering you with the idea of marrying you when you almost rejected him a thousand times but he never backed down.

After all, you had no time for that, you had a god to defeat and a nation to free.

Aether nods, before opening his mouth to aka you what happened with his sister.

"If you're wondering what happened with the Abyss Order, it looked like she separated me and Dain. She was able to direct the portal elsewhere when I went in and I've been wondering to get back here. She sent me pretty far from Liyue." You sigh, "I'm afraid I don't know what happened on Dain's side, he hasn't contacted me since then."

You look at Aether who looks sad upon hearing this, you frown as you place a hand on his shoulder to reassure him. "If he does contact me, you'll be the first person to know. I'll help you bring your sister and you both can finally go back home."

He smiles before Paimon comes back with Soda in her arm, "Paimon thinks it's time to finally go to Inazuma but Paimon isn't sure how to get there."

You smile at this, "I know someone who can take us, I'm sure you both have heard of Captain Beidou before. Let's say she's a good friend for mine."