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Aether watched as another blow from Columbina forced itself down onto the Doctor.
Unfortunately, he blocked it, using the power from his last remaining moon marrow; it was the artificial one he had made. He teleported away and used another of his powers, but his moves were becoming increasingly predictable.
He had previously questioned whether it looked the part. Aether didn't respond at the time because he didn't want to boost the doctor's already inflated ego, but now would he dare to concur with Dottore? It does indeed look the part. It matched the color scheme very well, and if an unsuspecting person were to be asked the same question, they would have concurred as well.
Aether watched as the false Trilunar God struggled to resist the power wielded by the true Trilunar Authority. He had depleted all of his former strength, leaving only his artificial moon marrow, and he was completely and utterly weak. Theoretically, Aether, or one of his friends, could fight against him and be superior.
He still remembered when Dottore trapped him in a fake memory and so courteously invited him to be right at his side. Even the traveler, who had encountered a variety of villains, was surprised that Dottore, of all people, asked so politely. It was certainly unlike him.
He acted like a jealous ex, citing: “Anything Columbina can do for you, I can do better.” It was admittedly humorous how smitten he was, like a parasocial relationship. Though Aether had wondered what about him was so special to have caught the eye of the Second of the Fatui Harbingers.
Well, now he knows why he asked so nicely. Aether is the Fourth Descender of Teyvat, with power comparable to that of the gods, maybe even surpassing the Heavenly Principles themselves. If Dottore wanted to transcend fate, he would need someone as powerful as the traveler on his side.
Unfortunately for him, the blond-haired traveler would never work with someone as cruel-minded and lacking humanity as he.
However, the traveler did sincerely consider Dottore's offer for more than a moment, despite the reluctance to acknowledge it. The points Dottore made made sense. Only a handful of the 100 characters he has encountered have aided him in locating his sister.
Could Aether have been with Lumine at this moment if Dottore's claims were faultless? Mingling, frolicking with her? While all his friends died a barbaric cessation? Obeying a deity whom they had no right to obey? While the Heavenly Principles watched on without a care in the world?
Would he have the strength to do that…? Leaving his friends all alone?
He was helping them safeguard their nation, their homeland—the place where all their memories came to be. He would do anything for them.
Would it be contradictory for him to play along with Dottore’s claims just to grasp something that has been out of reach for years and more? Something he’s been wishing for? No one even bothered to help; everyone just turns a blind eye now.
Lumine did say he would have to complete his journey, just like she did, and then he would finally see the truth of his world.
What if he would cut it short? Will she be mad at him?
Or would they finally be able to leave this forsaken world and let everyone perish, knowing they could’ve done something?
No. Aether would never do that. He doesn’t have the heart to watch all his friends die because of him. He would never, ever forgive himself for that.
And he would never accept a deal with a disingenuous psychopath like Dottore. The false deity is a pure villain with a tragic backstory, but such a backstory does not excuse him from all he's done—the blood on his hands.
Just look at Sandrone: murdered in cold blood by his hands. He didn't even appear phased, throwing Sandrone away as soon as he was finished, like a child who had grown tired of his new toy.
Dottore's cold, unethical scientific methods to achieve what he so desperately wants will never be appreciated by Aether. He wishes to challenge the fates of Life, Death, Time, and Space. And for what purpose? Why does he desire to awaken the Heavenly Principles? What is all this for?
Just because he can’t trust humanity, he projects it onto other people and murders them in cold blood?
Aether looks around at the boss arena. Lauma and the others are around, occasionally landing hits on Dottore. Columbina is attacking him with the true Trilunar power. He stands no chance. Meanwhile, Aether is just standing there, staring into space as he watches this whole thing unfold.
Something deep inside him tells him that this is his fault. That he wouldn't be here attacking his friends, everything would be alright, and Sandrone wouldn't have given her life for someone as fundamentally self-centered as the traveler if he had agreed to work with the madman.
Is he selfish?
He did, for a split second, consider Dottore's offer to work alongside his little sister again, even if it meant that the Doctor would swallow up all of Teyvat, particularly Nodkrai. All of his friends in neighboring nations, as well as those from far away, would be affected. And everything would be his fault.
Most of the previous descenders either stole something from Teyvat or waged a war that lasted millennia. The traveler is none of those. All he wants is to get his sister back into his arms once more.
The Doctor is after the traveler because he is a descender, possessing powers passing the higher authority. The former believed that if he had the traveler on his side, he could rule the world and finally fulfill his lifelong dream, which Prime could never achieve. He was after the traveler. He needed him to absolutely accomplish everything.
So in theory, if Aether died, Dottore would achieve nothing. He would go back to square one and/or give up entirely. Obviously, the latter wouldn’t happen, but the former would and would potentially buy Aether’s friends some time to save their nation once and for all.
He watches as Columbina gets ready to deal the final blow.
Would it all be worth it, though? Killing himself, saving Dottore, just for his friends?
…
“Today, the moon lights up this world once more.”
Dottore’s mouth falls open at the immense power coming from the Trilunar Goddess. Quickly, he raises both arms and spawns a shield to protect himself. But, with only his synthetic moon marrow, his power is lacking and is most definitely not comparable to hers. He knows this and decides to push through anyway.
He teleported to the side, successfully avoiding and destroying the hit. However, not before another attack dawned on him.
Before Dottore could even react, a flash of blond crossed his vision—and he got pushed back with phenomenal strength.
…
‘Suddenly, I pushed you aside and jumped into the street.’
A shadow blocked his vision. Before he could even realize what was happening, gasps echoed throughout his boss's arena.
When he opened his eyes, he saw an unfathomable sight. Something that not even he, as a scholar or researcher of his caliber, could fully articulate.
He got hit with the attack delivered by Columbina.
The blond-haired traveler.
The Fourth Descender.
The person who was supposed to be the final missing puzzle piece in his work.
He stepped in front of him and blocked the attack, which, unfortunately, meant it pierced straight through him.
Blood dripped down onto the floor, splattering and hitting Dottore’s face.
Their eyes slowly widened, mind and brain and eyes realizing what was happening at different times. Their mind reacted first, then their brain sent signals to the muscles, telling them to move. But they all were frozen in fear.
Time went by slowly. Slower than anyone could have thought. It took an impossibly long time for Aether’s body to hit the ground. When it did, a distinct thud resounded, bouncing off the invisible walls. Everyone stayed still, still reacting to the scene in front of them.
‘Your eyes and my twisted body were like hazy reflections of the blood that sprayed everywhere.’
“Traveler!” Someone yelled. Aether didn’t know who it was. Then, more voices came, each one blending. … Is he alive? He can’t tell. Everything is hazy, a faint red shadow covering his vision. He distantly heard crying and screams. Are they crying for him?
Aether felt himself being pulled up, standing on his legs, albeit weakly, like he could fall over and die within any second. “Traveler, say something!” A voice echoed. It sounded like Lauma…or Columbina…maybe Flins? No, it sounded too feminine to be him.
He didn’t know what was happening. He was there at first, watching attacks pummel Dottore, and then his feet moved without his brain's permission, trapping him between the doctor's and Columbina's final blows, which were both extremely powerful. Obviously, it was intended to defeat Dottore permanently.
His vision soon materialized, and the doctor's intense stare greeted him. Aether wouldn't be able to tell because the mask obscured the lower portion of his face, but he appeared shocked. He caught a glimpse of tears trickling down his cheeks.
…did he do it?
Haha…
His eyes were drooping, and his friends tried to get him to lie back down and stay awake, but he wasn’t having any of it.
He wanted to tell everyone what he had actually intended to do.
Using all his strength, Aether raised his head, gazing straight through the doctor. Now there were two, and everything was doubled. Weird. Did he clone himself mid-battle?
He opened his mouth. “S—serves you…right, Dottore.”
‘If that praiseful heat haze laughed, “Serves you right!” again.’
Silence.
“…N—No matter how h…hard you try or give me ultimatums, I will never join the likes of you.”
“Traveler—”
He was starting to lose his grasp on the English language and, therefore, struggling to speak correctly, but he pushed through.
“I hope my dying causes you suffering for a millennium to come.”
A deep, sharp laugh escaped Dottore, and Aether faintly noticies his fists tightening.
“Because if I’m not alive, then you have no hopes of achieving whatever it is you wish for.”
“...I’m glad I could be that one person who can defeat you.”
He coughed, blood splattering all over his hand, the floor, and his friends. His abdomen ached, and he groaned, but he pushed.
“I will never work with a l—lying psychopath like you."
Dottore's fingers dug into the palm of his hand, surely drawing blood he didn't care enough about.
“…Go to hell, Dottore.”
Aether slumped forward, body stiff and unmoving. He was dead. He got out what he truly wanted to say to him.
In his last moments, he thought of Paimon. Oh, how soul-crushing it would be for her to find out her best friend and travel companion of all these years died just to keep Dottore alive. Just for him to live without the hope of chasing his dreams with his one major variable.
Would she be mad? Angry? Utterly enraged? Alternatively, would she be understanding and forgiving of the traveler's intentions? If only slightly, he is certain that she would comprehend.
How would his sister feel about it? killing himself on behalf of the adversary.
Honestly, Aether doesn’t care anymore. He’s free now: free of always saving, protecting, and comforting people he doesn’t even know. None of them helped him find Lumine. He bets they barely even cared; they just wanted someone to help with their own problems.
He hopes Dottore is happy.
Everything was too fast, none of them could process what was happening, nor the traveler's words.
But, what Aether didn’t see was Dottore’s mask breaking, climatically falling, hitting the floor beneath him, with tears streaming down his face.