Alatus [Obey Me! x GN! Xiao!reader]

Prolouge

"[NAME]!" Aether cried out. The mask covering [Name]'s face dissipated slowly as they clenched their arm. [Name] didn't even really hear the blond's call until they felt the pressure of the situation they were in.

Continuing to use their powers on the compass in front of them, their eyes darted around the vortex surrounding them and the chasm group. Aether held Paimon as he slashed at lost souls, while Yelan and Yanfei counter-attacked with precision. Itto lay passed out in Kuki's arms, her expression full of concern as she glanced around, trying to gauge the situation.

Feeling the power nearly drained from their body, [Name] looked around at the people they had been stuck with for who knows how long. Realizing the dire situation the group was in, and knowing they wouldn't be able to maintain their power much longer, they slowly released the amount of energy used on the compass. An idea struck them—perhaps not the smartest, but it was all they could do to ensure the others' safety.

Sensing the sudden lack of power, Aether's eyes widened as he turned to look at the adeptus. His golden gaze met [Name]'s drained [Eye Color] eyes. Before he could reach out to help them, he felt a rush of Anemo power surrounding him.

Everyone stopped what they were doing as they felt the wind coursing around them. Yelan and Aether understood the situation instantly and rushed forward.

"Don't-!"

"[Name]! Please-!"

Before Aether could finish his sentence, he felt the rocky ground of the Chasm beneath him. The bright light made him squint as he realized he was above the surface and not in the cursed catacombs of the underground.

Standing up hastily, causing a headache to strike, he looked around in search of a certain [Hair Color] haired adeptus. He saw Itto sitting on the ground with Kuki and Ushi, along with Yelan and Yanfei helping each other up. Paimon was still on the ground, rubbing her head after the fall. However, no matter how much he surveyed the area, he couldn't see the vigilant yaksha anywhere.

His eyesight blurring, Aether fell to his knees as he realized what had just happened. [Name] had sacrificed themselves. They gave up everything for them. They gave themselves up for them. [Name] was gone. No, that's silly. The mighty adeptus [Name] couldn't be gone. They were probably just at Wangshu Inn resting! That had to be it.

Aether didn't even hear the others calling out to him as he stared blankly ahead. Somehow, he thought that they'd show up in that exact patch of dirt any second. He meekly called out their name softly, the brief spark of hope that they were still there holding him in place as he waited for them to show up like they always did.

[Name] always popped up in the coolest of ways. Always showing up mysteriously, their Anemo powers flowing around them, causing anything nearby to shrink away. Aether never shrank away, though—not even when they sent him piercing glares. He couldn't help but be compelled to just stare into their eyes. They were just so... alluring.

But there was no cool entry or glares of pretty [Eye Color] eyes staring at him. Aether shook as laughter overtook him. It wasn't maniacal, nor loud, just laughter of disbelief. His laugh slowly broke apart as sobs racked through him. Hot tears rolled down his face as he nearly fell onto the ground. The only thing keeping him up was Yelan's arms holding him in a side hug.

Everyone else watched as the traveler broke down. Tears and grief swept over the group as they realized why. Aether called out their name repeatedly through broken cries, wishing that they'd come to him and tell him that they were there and that everything was fine.

His wish wasn't granted.

░ ░ ░

Falling to impending doom shouldn't have felt as serene as it did. Maybe it was the fact that the karmic debt that kept [Name] awake in a never-ending battle faded away for the first time in centuries. Or maybe it was the thought of being able to see their sisters and brothers on the other side.

Closing their eyes, [Name] continued to fall through the never-ending vortex. Through their eyelids, a glimmer of golden light shone. Squinting at the brightness, [Name] opened their eyes slowly, watching golden streams of magic flow toward them, breaking through the darkness.

A sense of calm surrounded [Name] as the wind from the passing beams flowed through their hair and across their face. It reminded them of the early mornings at the mountain peaks of Mt. Hulao while on lookout. Sometimes Aether and Paimon joined them on their outings to the mountain. Why? They didn't know. Something about loneliness?

As they tried to think, [Name]'s body began to be engulfed by the light, causing their eyes to shut at its brightness. Suddenly, they felt themselves sitting in a plush chair.

"What the-?" Slowly opening their eyes to get an understanding of what was going on, [Name] was met with a completely different environment from anywhere they had ever been. Was this another trick of the Chasm? Were they not truly free of the torture? [Name] felt their karmic debt resurface, but it felt fainter than it usually did.

'Strange,' was all [Name] could think before they realized they weren't alone. Feeling the overbearing presence of cardinal sin overwhelming their senses, they tensed and were about to summon their trusty spear before they carefully looked in front of them.

It looked like a courtroom—not that [Name] had ever really visited one. They had only ever briefly seen one because of Yanfei. They were sitting in a wooden chair with red cushions sewn in, a large oak table spread horizontally in front of them, barren of anything but polished wood.

Finally looking up a little further, [Name] saw the beings that produced the cursed atmosphere.

They were sitting in a row of seats, one elevated higher a bit farther back. Almost all the seats were filled, though some were missing occupants. [Name]'s attention was mainly focused on the tanned man sitting at the tallest seat. His red hair parted sideways, while golden eyes peered down, holding a glint of glee in them as they made eye contact.

"Welcome to the Devildom, [Name]!"

Published: October 6, 2022

Edited: June 11, 2024