A Star's Fate | aether x reader

Prologue-

You had been here for a few months now. A star destined to travel between worlds, you eventually came across this one.

However, it was different.

Even if you wanted to leave, you couldn't. You felt the strain of a seal that had been cast upon you and the mysterious crackle of fate thickening the air. The cruel anxiety of being trapped with no escape pulled at your heart and it made you want to flee in a panic.

Though for now, you had no actual reason to escape. The world you had been cautiously observing for the past months didn't seem that hostile. The area surrounding you was composed of vibrant grassy hills full of dandelions, some still standing proud in their golden glory and others gently blowing away in the breeze, and you often saw travellers calmly passing by.

One menacing place that loomed over the rest of the peaceful terrain however, was a city surrounded by enormous stone walls and a lake, it looked like a grand castle out of a movie. You observed how the dutiful guards who constantly stood by the entrance would check the backgrounds of those entering, and as you had nothing, you stayed away in fear of suspicion.

For now you had been living in the wilderness, usually fishing for food and always hiding from passers by. By eavesdropping on their conversations, you managed to gather some basic information. It seemed that this world, 'Teyvat', was ruled over by beings called 'Archons', and you picked up on two locations that were named often. 'Mondstadt' and 'Liyue'. You assumed the walled off city was one of them.

Just then, you were interrupted from your recap of your lonely time here by your stomach grumbling, it was morning and you hadn't eaten anything yet. With the support of a tree you slowly stood up and stretched before heading to the beach you'd been fishing at.

You could see the stretch of water over a hill you had yet to pass over, the ripples gleaming in the sunlight as the flowers around also glowed with dew. It was as if someone had burst a bag of glitter over the land to see the dull ground shimmer. Actually, it was a bit blinding.

In your blindness you continued on to the sandy shore, not noticing a figure already there fishing. You shielded your face from the water's fierce glare, finally noticing the person, however they had already heard you approaching and had turned around.

"Aether?!"

"(Y/N)?!"

You simply stared at each other for a few moments in surprise. You hadn't seen your childhood friend since your childhood, and actually, he hadn't grown that much in height.

From the many years you had been separately travelling between worlds, you noticed his blonde hair had grown longer and was now tied into a braid. He also wore a cropped brown top with golden accents, matching the rest of his outfit. Though, he still wore the same white scarf, after all, it matched with...

Wait, where's Lumine?

"What are you doing here (Y/N)?"

"I could ask you the same thing," you moved to sit on a rock next to the one Aether was on. You explained that you had just stumbled upon this world but now you couldn't leave. "What about you?"

"I..." Your expression grew concerned as Aether's eyes moved to gaze down at the floor. He then told you what had happened here before he woke up a month ago, about the unknown god and his sister, his face becoming more and more solemn as he did so.

Your heart dropped, you, Lumine and Aether were best friends. You even travelled a few worlds together before parting ways with the twins. And now after the many many years they had spent with each other, Lumine was missing. Your heart hurt for Aether.

"But I don't care that I can't leave this world, because I'm going to find her."

You smiled softly, "Well isn't it convenient that I'm here. Let me come with you," Aether's eyes flickered to yours, "After all, she was my best friend too."

A smile replaced his gloomy face, "Thank you."

He listened as you repeated some of the things you had heard from passers by and told him about your situation and the city.

"The 'Archons' sound like gods, maybe if we speak to them we'll find out about the one that took away your sister." Aether nodded.

"And for that, I think we need to go to the city you mentioned. We'll figure something out with the guards," he reeled in his fishing line.

And with that, you both set out on your journey through the vast terrain of Teyvat, unaware of the many troubles that lay ahead and the sinister web of destiny the gods had now caught you in.

Because the stars do not simply tell fates, they also have one of their own.

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Paimon, still in the ocean: 😡