Chapter Text
“Father actually gave me a month away from my duties. A rare gift… though I fail to see it as such,” a young blond man muttered to himself.
This was Aether—though his true name was Samael—the eldest of the Archangels. He wore black underclothes with a pair of matching gloves, layered beneath a long-sleeved, gold-accented white coat that reached his ankles. A golden necktie, shoulder pads, knee guards, and boots further added to the absurd amount of gold in his attire.
Leaning against a tree atop a cliff near Whispering Woods, he gazed over the city of Mondstadt. The cool breeze rustled through his golden hair as he took a bite of an apple. Below him, the city bustled with life—merchants called out their wares, the Knights of Favonius patrolled the streets, and children’s laughter rang through the air.
“Mundane. Predictable. Boring,” Aether mused, his sharp golden eyes drifting upward as he twirled the apple’s core between his fingers.
His siblings, the other Archangels, had been thrilled when he announced his visit to Teyvat. His younger brother Jophiel nearly tackled him in excitement, his twin sister Michelle beamed with joy, and even the ever-serious, workaholic Gabriel had given him a rare nod of approval. Their reactions had been mildly annoying, but he couldn't bring himself to be irritated. It had been ages since he last set foot on Teyvat—since the war against the Vidyadharas and the Sovereigns.
At the time, he thought this trip would be a rare moment of relaxation. Instead, he was realizing that relaxation did not suit him.
Exhaling softly, he tossed away the apple core. Watching humans go about their daily lives was tedious. The battlefield had always been his stage. Stripped of war, of conquest, he felt… aimless.
“Perhaps I should not have come,” he murmured.
Stretching his arms, Aether stepped toward the cliff’s edge. He was done watching. If the city of Mondstadt could not entertain him, he would seek entertainment elsewhere. His gaze shifted toward the distant ruins of Old Mondstadt—a place said to be crawling with monsters.
A fight. That’s what he needed.
With a powerful leap, he launched himself off the cliff. As he plummeted, golden wings of pure light emerged from his back, unfurling just in time to carry him skyward. With a beat of those radiant wings, he soared toward the ruins, eager to find something—anything—that could remind him of his purpose.
_______________________________________________________
The ruins of the old city of Mondstadt, once ruled by Decarabian, the God of Storms during the Archon War, stood in silence as remnants of an era from the distant past. Their towering stone structures had been worn down by time and the relentless wind. Broken bridges lay scattered across the ruins, and nature had long since reclaimed what was once a grand city. To most, this place was nothing more than a graveyard of the past—dangerous, eerie, best left undisturbed.
To Lilith, it was just another adventure.
She stepped carefully over the uneven stone flooring, adjusting the strap of her bag as she surveyed her surroundings. Dressed in the signature colors of the Adventurers’ Guild—white, green, and brown, with accents of blue—she looked every bit the seasoned explorer. A Pyro Vision hung from her belt, pulsing faintly, and in her right hand, she held a Favonius Sword that had seen its fair share of battles and adventures.
“Alright, let’s see…” she muttered, unfolding a slightly crumpled map. Her sharp amber eyes flickered between the parchment and the ruins before her. “If the records are right, there should be a hidden chamber somewhere around here.”
A smirk tugged at her lips. Most people wouldn’t bother exploring these ruins—not just because they were old, but because they were crawling with monsters. Hilichurls, Slimes, and the occasional Eye of the Storm made the ruins a deathtrap for most. But Lilith? She thrived in places like this.
She took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp, wild air. The scent of damp stone and old moss filled her senses. This was her stage—not the safety of city walls, not the mundanity of routine, but the thrill of discovery and adventure.
A sudden sound of footsteps in the distance made her grip tighten on her sword. She narrowed her eyes, listening intently. Something was moving.
“Hilichurls, maybe?” she sighed, rolling her shoulders. “Can’t go on an adventure without a warm-up fight, huh?”
As her Vision glowed, flickers of Pyro energy sparked around her hands and onto her sword as she readied herself. The unmistakable sounds of approaching creatures grew closer. Whatever lurked in these ruins, she was ready for it.
After all, that was the whole point of coming here.
_______________________________________________________
The ruins of Old Mondstadt stretched endlessly before Aether, their crumbling walls whispering stories of the past. He walked with an easy stride, golden eyes scanning the remnants of the fallen city. The wind carried the distant howls of monsters, but he barely paid them any mind. He was here for one reason—to fight.
Aether sighed, rolling his shoulders as he stepped over broken stone slabs. “There has to be something worthwhile here,” he muttered under his breath.
Ahead, a group of Hilichurls lurked around a campfire. At the sound of his approach, they turned, gripping their clubs and crossbows, raising them in unison as they sensed his presence. Aether tilted his head, unimpressed.
With a swift motion, he summoned his sword, the blade forming from particles of light that gleamed brilliantly under the sun. He didn’t need his powers for this. In a blur, he cut through them with precise ease, slicing them apart before they could react. His movements were fluid, efficient, effortless.
A sharp whistle cut through the air—a crossbow bolt, aimed at his back. Without looking, he caught it with his bare hand. The Hilichurl archer barely had time to process what had happened before Aether vanished from sight. A split second later, he reappeared behind it, delivering a powerful kick that sent the creature flying into a crumbling stone pillar.
More enemies emerged. Slimes of various elements bounded toward him from a nearby lake, sensing his presence. He cut them down without hesitation, his blade slicing cleanly through their gelatinous bodies. It was all too easy. No challenge, no thrill—just the same mindless foes over and over again.
“This is getting ridiculous,” he muttered, flicking the slime residue off his sword.
Venturing deeper into the ruins, he hoped to find something more formidable. But the further he went, the clearer it became—Old Mondstadt held nothing but more of the same. Hilichurls, Slimes, the occasional Mitachurls, all falling with minimal effort. Even when he let them surround him, choosing to fight with only his fists, they barely put up a fight. Not even the larger enemies could pose a threat.
He exhaled sharply, disappointment creeping into his expression. He glanced up at the sky. Celestia, his home, awaited his return, but something held him back. A strange, nagging feeling told him not to leave just yet.
Then, a sound.
His ears twitched as he caught the distant clash of steel and the unmistakable bursts of Pyro flickering beyond the ruins. Someone was fighting.
Curious, he moved toward the source of the noise, keeping his presence hidden in the shadows. As he drew closer, he caught sight of a lone figure—Lilith.
She moved with precision, her sword cutting through her enemies with controlled strikes. The Pyro Vision on her belt pulsed in sync with her attacks, sending bursts of fire into the Hilichurls surrounding her. Aether’s eyes gleamed with interest as he observed her movements. She was skilled—not extraordinary, but skilled.
He crossed his arms, leaning against a broken pillar as he watched. There was something entertaining about seeing a mortal fight, especially one who carried herself with such confidence. He could tell she wasn’t a knight or some noble warrior—she was an adventurer, someone who fought not for duty, but for the thrill of the unknown.
Still, he was starting to grow bored again. She was handling herself well enough, and he saw no reason to intervene. He turned to leave—
A gust of wind howled through the ruins.
Aether stopped in his tracks as the shadows twisted, and from their depths, an Eye of the Storm emerged.
Lilith’s expression shifted, her body tensing as the airborne monster loomed over her. She readied her stance, gripping her sword tightly, but Aether could already tell—she was at a disadvantage. Humans weren’t meant to fight creatures like these alone.
Something within him stirred, an instinct he couldn’t quite place. Before he could even rationalize it, his feet were already moving.
With a single leap, he landed between Lilith and the creature, his sword raised. “Stand back, mortal,” he declared, a smirk tugging at his lips. “This fight is beyond you.”
Lilith blinked, startled by his sudden appearance, but Aether had already focused his attention on the enemy. Unlike before, he refrained from using his powers, relying solely on his swordsmanship. The Eye of the Storm howled, sending powerful gusts of wind in all directions. Aether dashed through the tempest with ease, his blade slicing through the air. He landed precise strikes, forcing the creature back.
The battle lasted only moments. With one final slash, Aether brought the monster down, its body dissolving into nothingness. He exhaled, spinning his sword before sheathing it with a flourish.
Turning to Lilith, he straightened his posture, tilting his chin up ever so slightly. “You should be grateful,” he announced, his tone dripping with pride. “You were hopelessly outmatched, but luckily for you, I, Archangel Samael, have graced you with my presence. No need to thank me too much, mortal one.”
Lilith stared at him, her expression unreadable for a long moment. Then, with a slow blink, she tilted her head and gave him an unexpected remark.
“…You’re a lot shorter than I expected,” she said flatly.
Aether froze. “What?”
“I mean, I’ve read ancient books and scriptures about celestial beings before—seen old cave paintings and murals during my adventures,” she continued, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “They’re always depicted as these tall, majestic figures. But you? You’re…” Her amber eyes flicked over him again. “…not what I imagined. We even look the same age—height and everything! Though, you’re still taller than me… but barely,” she remarked.
Aether gawked at her, momentarily at a loss for words. He was supposed to be the one in control of the conversation, the one standing above mortals with an air of divine superiority. But here was this human, effortlessly cutting through his carefully crafted image with a single remark.
Lilith smirked. “What? Did I strike a nerve?”
Aether’s eye twitched. “…Tch.”
This mortal was going to be a problem.