❤︎︎𝘼𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙨𝙩❤︎︎

"𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝐵𝒶𝓇𝒷𝒶𝓉𝑜𝓈."

Aether was hiding out by windrise, he had been sleeping in the tree most of the nights. No one came up there so it was perfect. Though.. he realized that he was starting to run out of fresh clothes, so he spent most of the day being shirtless. Plus, the wind felt good on his scars. Until one day.. changed that all, the day that Venti climbed up the windrise tree and spotted the traveler while he was resting..

~That day~

Aether had been sleeping a lot lately, almost forgetting that he had a life most of the time. It felt like he was homesick, and lost.. never wanting to show his face. He was eating a few sunsettias, peacefully looking down at the statue of seven from a branch of the tree, the view was quite beautiful, especially at sunset. The traveler stayed on that branch the whole day, waiting for sunset, when it finally arrived..he only watched it go down for a moment, before simply heading back into the hidden, resting on the base of the tree.

The trees leaves started to rustle, making Aether groan in his slumber, though he always groaned, and sometimes talked in his sleep. But this time it was different, he was about to wake up from the rustling..but the soft breeze kept him asleep, singing the same song as always, it reminded him of his sister who always sung the same tune when he couldn't sleep. Once again, he fell back into his deep sleep. But the rustling came closer, and a new breeze of wind danced into the aroma of the usual tune.. though it was still calm, and perhaps a little..welcoming? Though it still had a strike of thunder through it, that thunder was of concern..

"AETHER ? AETHER! WAKE UP.. ARE YOU DEAD?"

Someone tackled the sleeping traveler, though he remained asleep.

"TRAVELER? AETHER? COME ON COME ON WAKE UP."

The stranger shook the traveler in their arms, almost shedding a tear. The travelers eyes slowly opened, he took a moment to unblur everything.. his eyes being hung by the intense eyebags, below the windows to the travelers soul. His eyes shot open in a flash, as he tried to escape the strangers arms, but failing.

"AETHER ! calm down please !! You scared me .."

The stranger hugged Aether tightly, almost digging their hands into the back of the traveler. Which, they actually were...

"OW OW OW-!! VENTI !! THAT HURTS!"

Venti immediately let go and looked at Aether nervously.

"WHAT HURTS? WHERE !! ILL HEAL IT!"

"...uhm.. it's my back. You were digging your hands into it."

"Huh ?"

Venti turned Aether around, only to see two, large, and deep scars on his back, they stretched down far, along with reaching upwards, almost towards his neck.

"What are these from ?! DID SOMEONE DO THIS TO YOU?"

"No Venti.. that's..where my wings used to be."

"YOU..HAD WINGS ?!"

"It was before I landed on this world, it was apart of my power, before the unknown god took it, along with my sister."

"You must have been real powerful to fight off that god huh.. wish I could see it."

"trust me, you wouldn't."

"Why not?"

"It..was...traumatizing honestly, at least in my eyes it was."

"..does the memory of that day... hurt you ?"

"A lot. I couldn't even see most of the time. It was all..explosions..and..anger."

"Anger.. I see. Have you ever found your sister yet ?"

"She...didn't want us to have a happy ending."

"What do you mean by that?"

"She left, Venti. She was working with the abyss..she IS the abyss."

"SHE CHOSE THE ABYSS OVER HER OWN BROTHER?!"

"Keep it down, I know, it's shocking.. but I'm still trying to hide here."

"Now that you mention it. Why did you even leave .?"

"I've explained this one too many times. It's obvious that everyone used me, I help them, and get nothing in return."

"I'm sorry that happened to you my friend,, I wish that we could go back..and change that."

"It's too late, I'll get over it Venti. Please..don't be concerned about me."

"It's hard to not be concerned when you've been through all is this, I never knew that people of Mondstat had such a lack of respect to people, especially the honorary knight himself."

"I guess not everyone is as nice as you think, we all have to have a dark side."

"....I guess..you're right."

"Glad we agree."

"Now, I think I should have some bandages on hand.."

"Venti, please. You don't have to heal them, I've dealt with them for long enough. Plus, don't scars need to breathe ?"

"I guess you're right, but they're really deep. I should treat them."

"No, seriously there's no need."

"No Aether. Enough. Let me help you, you DESERVE it."

Just like that, the traveler went silent. He hung his head low in devastation and embarrassment.

"Thank you."

Venti said, glad that Aether finally allowed him to heal his scars. Fortunately, the archon did have those bandages he mentioned. He gently wrapped them around the travelers back, making sure he doesn't apply any pressure that will put Aether in pain.

"All done, it also covers your chest, so that's a bonus. Just in case if your found you know, don't need anyone staring ~!"

Venti chuckled jokingly, hoping that the traveler caught onto the joke.

"Pff- I guess..I guess you're right. That would be weird."

"Knew you would agree, how about you go back to sleep ? I'll make sure that there's no knights nearby. I'll come by recently to check up on you or alert you of anything that includes you being missing."

"Thank you, Venti."

Aether only smiled slightly, already almost falling asleep.

"Don't thank me, just thank the wind that brought us together."

And so, the bard climbed down the tree, leaving the traveler to sleep once again.

~Present~

Aether climbed down the Windrise tree, he always went to a nearby hilichurl camp at night to cook some food in the pot they have. Though sometimes there were hilichurls there, and sometimes not. This time, there was. Aether stepped towards the camp, immediately alarming all of the hilichurls. The hilichurls charge over to the traveler, he ripped their feet off the ground with a swing of his sword. On his knee, a foot pressed on the ground, he flung himself into the air and plunged his sword into the head of the hilichurl, the power of the plunge knocked the rest of the hilichurls back. He swung his foot at one of the hilichurls, making them fall once again.. leaving open room for Aether, which of course, he took advantage of. The traveler continued slaying all of the hilichurls. Of course, he got messy. His scarf stained red with the blood of the hilichurls, along with his face.

"Finally, time to cook, and beg that I don't burn my hands.."

————————————————————

Can you tell I like writing fighting scenes ? And adding stuff that isn't important?