|| The Harbinger's Guest ||

|| Part 1 ||

Aether only saw the streets of Snezhnaya for a brief moment as he was escorted out of the ship.

He wasn't sure how long he had been at sea for. His captor (or tormentor), Scaramouche, wouldn't say. All he had done was sit there, toying with him. Occasionally he tried to get information out of him, his poor attempt at using his time alone with Aether well. He knew he enjoyed the toying part more. The worst he would do was when he'd just sit outside, not saying a word. Aether had come to recognise those violet eyes every time he saw them in the darkness. He couldn't ever find any pity in them.

He tugged against two Fatui agent's grip as they directed him off the platform, forcing him towards a carriage along the snow-slicked ground. The people around him raised their heads in curiosity, but they tried to remain as unnoticed as possible. The cold bit at Aether mercilessly. Waves crashed in the distance. Aether was sick of that sound.

Scaramouche shadowed the group, and Aether had not seen the Doctor leave the boat. Perhaps he was already gone. Aether hadn't seen the masked man throughout his trip to this nation, but apparently he had visited him once. Aether could not remember it.

He looked over his shoulder one last time towards the foreign ship, watching as Fatui agents unloaded the cargo within. It was strange for him, seeing the enemies he fought daily do simple tasks. It reminded him of the people in Liyue working in the docks during the day, except at those docks, people wouldn't seem so... frosty. Children ran around, but even they seemed wary. The people in Liyue had homes and families to go back to. Aether wondered; would the Fatui have those things too?

The agent on his right shoved him harshly, forcing him inside the carriage. Aether tripped on the step and stumbled forward, landing on one of the cushioned seats. It didn't seem like the type of carriage a prisoner would be carried on. The interior was black, with red velvet cushioned seats. Black curtains were drawn over the windows. The chains around his wrists felt out of place here. Outside, Scaramouche crossed his arms as their gaze met.

"Now you're scared to share a space with me?" Aether seethed. "I guess there's no bars to hide behind."

Scaramouche glared at him. "You should feel grateful enough for the mercy I've given you," his lips turned into a smirk. "But I didn't think you'd miss my company so much, Traveler."

"I'm full of surprises. Maybe sit down and I'll tell you all about them," Aether taunted.

"I'm not interested, if a fight is what you're looking for," Scaramouche drawled. "It wouldn't do much to entertain me, especially in the state that you're in. We're done here."

Without another word, the agents slammed the back door of the carriage shut, and almost immediately the floor beneath him began to move. Aether fiddled with the chains, looking around for any way he could escape. He could try smashing the windows, but he had a feeling that wouldn't be too easy. His mind felt heavier just standing here.

He sat himself up on the moving floor, and with as much strength as he could he threw himself against the window. There was a loud thud, but the window remained intact. All he had now was an aching arm that would surely leave a bruise. Not his smartest move, but there weren't many other options. He looked at the door, trying to examine it for any way to unlock it. He started to feel more and more dizzy...

No, this isn't right.

He felt his head begin spinning, and now he noticed the cyan smoke emerging from beneath the seats. Aether sat back down, keeping his lips tightly closed as he refused to breath. He looked around frantically, for anything he could use. Nothing. The room was basically empty.

He leaned against the wall, his head growing lighter as he ran out of breath. He gasped for some air, followed by a harsh cough. A sweet scent flooded his airways. That breath hit him like a wave, making him lose his consciousness rapidly after. He fought to keep his eyes open, but his body refused to follow his commands. It took only seconds for everything to go black. Only seconds until he sank into the cushions.