Secret Nemesis | Aether x Reader

XI

Falling to the ground, you tumbled on the streets of Mondstadt, your vision growing dark. Your energy quickly draining, you saw a familiar blonde braid make its way towards you. Frustration filling you, tried to tell Aether to watch the boo but it was as if your mouth was sewed shut. You couldn't say anything.

Soon enough, your vision turned dark as you lost consciousness.

"Y/n?" a voice called out. "Y/n!"

~~~~~

All out of nowhere, lights illuminated the dark place that you were stuck in. Spotlights, one after another flooded the area until one last spotlight lit up where you stood. A few steps away from you stood a grand throne, embellished in gold and gems, it shone so brightly to the point that it hurt your eyes.

As soon as the beams of light died down, you looked up at the throne and there sat none other than an Abyss Herald.

"Step away," the herald looked down at you. "Don't try anything and you'll live."

Suddenly, the scenery changed and you saw the younger version of yourself laying on the ground deathly pale and covered in dark red blood. Out of nowhere, Lumine knelt down on the ground after walking up to you. Looking down, she looked at you in pity before taking you in her arms and carrying you away from the place that was supposed to be your deathbed.

"Princess," the herald you had seen earlier before had appeared behind Lumine. "Taking that child in would hold back our plans."

"I can't leave a child to die out here," Lumine stopped in her tracks and turned to him.

"Very well, do what you want."

Once again, darkness filled the area and changed what you saw. This time, you appeared in the throne room that you had run from. Lumine sitting on the throne and watching her brother, she put her hands to cover her face. You could vaguely see both yourself and Aether fighting enemies of the Abyss. Smiling, your heart warmed knowing that she had still been watching over the two of you.

Shaking, she closed off the window that allowed her to see you and her brother.

"King!" Lumine shouted, her voice echoing through. "I know you can hear me. I have no intention of pulling through with this plan. All the people that would be hurt. My brother being heartbroken. Y/n being sacrificed. No more. This plan of yours cannot continue."

"You dare disagree with me," the Abyss Herald you saw from your first vision appeared in the room. "This is why I told you not to save that child. You have grown too attached especially since she has grown closer to your brother."

"Enough with this-"

Summoning her blade, Lumine ran towards the Herald and with a gold light surrounding it, she created a large and golden blade of light. Swinging her sword at the herald called King, she glowed with power that filled the room. To the surprise of both you and Lumine, the herald held out its hand and stopped the strike.

"You stand no chance against me," he looked down at her while letting out his own power.

Forcing Lumine down to her knees, he continued to add more pressure. Unrelenting and powerful, Lumine's face showed it all. She was suffering from the show of power from the herald

"You are next," he suddenly looked at you with a wave of power that made you start to shake from intimidation.

Quickly backing away in fear, the dream suddenly turned dark.

~~~~~

Abruptly sitting up, you could feel sweat running down your forehead. You tried to slow your heart rate and breathing but the eyes that you saw in the dream made you tremble in fear. There was no way that you would be able to beat an enemy that powerful.

It wasn't that you were a coward, it was simply the rule of the jungle. The strongest rule and the weaker follow. Those eyes that shone with power intimidated you and you feared the day that you would have to meet that "King" to save Lumine.

"Y/n?" A groggy voice spoke up.

Looking down towards where the voice spoke, you saw a dark eyed Aether slightly looking up at you. Smiling towards him, you could sense the genuine concern that he had for you from his appearance.

"Y/n!" Aether jumped up and hugged you as soon as processed that you were finally awake. "You're awake. You surprised me when you suddenly appeared in Mondstadt. I was so scared. You didn't wake up for 3 days. I thought you were dead."

"I'm not the type to die that easily," you laughed, trying to calm down Aether's concern for you.

Putting his hands on your cheeks and squeezing them together like the cheeks of a chipmunk, he made you looked up at him, straight eye contact, "Don't joke about that too much. You have no idea how much you scared me y/n."

Hugging his figure, you chuckled and placed your chin on his shoulder, "I won't anymore. Promise."

"Good," he smiled at you. "Now lets go see everyone else. They also got worried about you when you disappeared and then suddenly appeared. Everyone has been tense out of late so seeing you should calm down everyone."

"Wait," you held Aether's wrist before he could walk away. "The book. What happened to the book that I was holding?"

"You mean that?" Aether pointed to the book that was placed on the side table near the bed. "We found you holding onto in like your life depended on it so I just left it there."

"Thank goodness," you sighed in relief.

"What is that book about anyway?" Aether asked you, confused with the great concern you had over it.

Your eyes turning serious, you prepared yourself to tell him the truth, "You should sit down Aether. It's time you know."