Archive of Our Own

Like a broken marionette doll, his limbs flew aimlessly. He couldn’t grab anything as he continued falling  at a rate faster than anyone should be falling. Flipping through the air, feeling his own breath being knocked out of her lungs. He was paralyzed and utterly helpless. As he fell into an endless darkness, he wondered if this was the end. If this was how his story ended.

"Traveller!" A failed attempt at trying to grab his hand as he kept falling and falling and falling. It made his stomach jump to his chest, it made him feel anxious as to when he'd hit the ground. For there had to be something at the end of a bottomless pit, right?

He was never afraid of death. It was a natural part of life. Even stars had their time and died once there was nothing left to burn. Death was just another part of the journey, another chapter, he was never afraid of it. But he was afraid of his time being cut too short. He knew in his heart that it wasn't his time yet, that he still had enough to live for. Most importantly, he had yet to find Lumine and until he did, he refused to die. He couldn't die without knowing if she was safe. He couldn't die before they were reunited.

“Aether!” He heard someone call out but he couldn’t open his eyes. It felt so far away that even if he survived this fall somehow, he would never be able to get out. Fight. He tried to will his broken body as it kept falling and falling and falling. Please.

"Aether!" The voice called out again, it was bright and innocent. The sound reminded him of the few seconds of silence when the sun would rise, slowly warming up the earth as it peaked over the horizon. The way the morning dew would sparkle at the first sign of light. It made him recall an old story that he once read. The story said the beginning of all life, of everything, started from light being called into nothing.

"Big brother!" He finally heard and his eyes snapped open. There was only one person in the world that would call him that. The one that was there since the beginning, his light, his sister, his twin.

"Good morning, Big Brother." She peaked up before jumping on top of the bed and taking his hands. “The sun is up so you should get up!” 

“Lumine.” He breathed out, the name almost tasted foreign on his tongue. How long had it been since he last said her name to her? “Lu?” He tried again as his voice trembled as he slowly got up from the bed and looked at her. She was here.

But this wasn’t the Lumine he recalled seeing in their last battle with the unknown god. No, it was a younger Lumine, untouched by the harsh reality of the universe. An innocent smile on her lips as she looked at her brother with that bright and cheerful expression. And while the smile was something he had longed to see, it brought a terrible feeling that sank deep into the pit of his stomach.

Was he dead?

Aether couldn't hear the words that left her lips nor did he see the look of worry that went across her face. Panic flooded his system, and he felt like he couldn't breathe. All he can think about was how impossible all this was. One moment he was falling, and now he was here and she was here. Which could only mean that his biggest fear that he was too late, that they would never be able to meet, that--

He had to be dead.

That was the only way this was possible. After all, this was his sister...but it was his sister from a past that felt so far away that he couldn't tell if it was a memory or a story. Was he being greeted on the other side by the person he longed to see most?

Wait. Didn't that mean that she...No no no no no no no....

The he felt a familiar warmth. A warmth that he could not mimic not even in his best dreams. A warmth that he felt like he would never feel again. A warmth that he thought he had forgotten.

"Big brother?" She tilted her head to the side, her big round golden eyes looking at him with a concerned gaze. Her small hand touched his cheek, wiping away the tears that had fallen without his knowledge. "Did you have a bad dream?" The sweet voice that he had longed to hear was in front of him. His resolve to stay strong quickly crumbled. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a tight embrace. She felt so real. She was in his arms, he could feel her heart beating. And that was when he noticed that his own hands, his own body was that of a child’s.

Was he sent back to the past? Or was everything that happened, the hundred of years of wandering and being separated from her all a bad dream? Was this some sort of purgatory for beings like them? Why did he hope that this was the case? That even if it meant that he would never meet his friends, that it didn’t matter. If this was a place where stars went after they had burnt out, it wasn’t a bad place to be.  At least he’d be with Lumine again. At least he wouldn’t feel like he was missing half of himself.

“Big Brother…?”He heard her muffle before sighing and slowly wrapping her arms around him. “It must have been a terrible dream for you to act this way.” Gently patting his back, a broken sob left his lip as he pulled her in closer and buried his small face into her shoulder. She smelled like home, like sweet lavender and chrysanthemum. She smelled of the flowers that they could never find on any other world. The flowers he longed for but could never find.

He didn’t care if he was dead. He didn’t care where they were because at least here he was with her. At least here he would be reunited with Lumine. At least he would be with his other half again. He could tell that this wasn’t some figment of his imagination. She was here, she was with him. He knew it in his bones that this was Lumine in his arms.

“Big brother…You’re getting my clothes wet.”

“I-I’m sorry, Lu.” But even that didn’t make him pull away from her. “I just really missed you.”

“You’re being silly… I’m not going anywhere without you.”

You can’t promise that. He thought and couldn’t help but wonder if everything he saw, experienced, if all of that was really just a nightmare or if it was a premonition. Either way, he wouldn’t let her go again. He would change their future. He had to protect his sister this time. He had to…

“Come on now. We’re going to be late for breakfast.”

“Breakfast?”

“Yes, with everyone! I was told to wake you up so come on!”

Everyone.

If this was truly just a dream, he never wanted to wake up. If this was his chance to fix the past, then he wouldn’t take it for granted.

Running hand in hand with Lumine, his eyes took in the sights around him. A familiar place, a home that they had lost so long ago.  He was on the world they were forced to leave. The white marble halls sparkled under the beaming morning sun. As they walked through the open courtyard, through the gardens where flowers bloomed in abundance. How long had it been since this place was no devastated by war and pain? How long had it been since he felt peace? Lumine turned her head and he watched as his twin sister smiled brightly at him. Her big round golden eyes were full of joy as she pulled him along.

If he was dead, this was heaven. He thought to himself as they approached the dining hall and when he opened the door, he felt his eyes burn from the tears that he held back.

Sitting there at the table was everyone, just like Lumine had told him. Everyone they had lost in the war, everyone they had lost in the fight against gods that had come down onto their world. Everyone they had ever loved, alive and well. His older siblings smiled gently at the youngest stars that entered the dining hall. Their parents, warmly gazed at the twins.

“There are the two sleepyheads.” Their eldest brother, Orion said with a low chuckle before he put a date into his mouth and motioned for them to come to the table. “It’s about time you two came. I was thinking about placing a bet of how our breakfast would turn into a supper by the time Aether woke up.”

“Oh do not tease him, Rio.” Their older sister, Celeste said with a laugh that sounded like wind chimes, her golden eyes sparkling brightly. “I’m sure our little brother was just very tired. Perhaps he had an adventure in his dreams.”

Not a dream. A nightmare. He thought quietly as he stood still and took in the scene before him. How long had it been since he last saw those two? His brother had been the first to fall during the war with all that remained of him being his bloody sword. And the last time he saw Celeste was when her golden eyes were stolen from her and all he saw was empty sockets and blood everywhere. But now, they were alive, they were happy, they were with them again.

Looking up from his book, Helios pushed up his glasses and frowned slightly. “Aether. Your eyes are red.” Aether’s eyes darted to Helios. Helios, who was the last of his family that survived after making sure the twins escaped and left their planet. Helios, who looked at them with a sorrowful gaze as he patted both of their heads and told them to be strong and never lose each other. Helios, who smiled even when a sword went through his chest and apologized to the screaming twins for showing something terrible to his little siblings before he shut the portal door. Aether felt something wet fall down his cheeks and even Helios looked surprised at the usually happy twin suddenly crying. His sharp gaze softening, Helios twirled a lock of his long hair around one of his fingers. “Did you make him cry, Lumine?”

“I did not!” Turning sharply, she saw that Aether was crying again and quickly moved to wipe at his cheeks, “Why are you crying again?”

“It seems as though Aether’s the real baby. Maybe he should be calling Lumine, big sister.” Orion teased with a grin

“No! I’m the youngest!” Lumine protested before taking Aether’s hand in hers. “And Big Brother Aether is the best big brother in the world…” His twin sister protested before she looked at Aether with a pleading expression. “Big Brother, tell them! I didn’t make you cry. It's not my fault, is it?”

As he looked at the small pout on his sister’s lips, he felt a strange playfulness overwhelm him. “Ahh…but I did cry when I saw you.”

“Aether!” She whined while Aether’s broken laugh came through. And soon he was surrounded by the warm laughter of his siblings that he had missed so dearly. It was strange to be laughing while he was crying, but he supposed it wasn’t a bad feeling. His family was alive. His family was here.

“Aether. Come here.”

He slowly looked up at the voice that reminded him of a warm fireplace and safety. His father looked at him from the head of the table before he motioned for him to come towards him. Reluctantly he let go of Lumine’s hand and walked towards the man. When he finally stood in front of his father, he was quickly lifted and seated on top of his lap. Aether noticed the grey hairs in his father’s beard before his eyes lifted to look at his father’s warm expression. “You can tell your papa. What’s wrong?”

His father who had died before the war. He was a kind king. A benevolent king that was killed by invading gods that saw their peaceful nature as a weakness. He was here, staring warmly down at his youngest son.

“Papa…”He rotated the word around in his mouth before smiling up at him and shaking his head. He didn’t want his family to worry about something that may not happen. He didn’t want to concern them about the burdens in his heart. “I’m fine. I just had a strange dream. And was just surprised by Lumine.”

“Well…if that’s the case…Are you sure there’s nothing else, Aether? Nothing else you’d like to tell us?” He turned his head to see the sweet smile on his mother’s lips, her blonde locks pinned up and set with a crown.

“No, mama. I just had a bad dream and I guess I’m still remembering it.” He couldn’t even look at his mother. His mother who had taken an arrow for him. His mother who had died to protect her children. Screaming at Helios to take them far away, to protect the twin stars from harm, he could still remember it all. And yet…how could she sound so…alive and real if it did happen?

“Okay…Well if there’s anything else..you can always tell us.” He nodded in response to his father who stroked his blonde locks that didn’t even reach his shoulders yet. “Now you better go back to your sister’s side. She looks like she’s going to burst into tears if you don’t.”

Aether turned to see Lumine staring at him from her place at the table. An empty seat beside her and the frown that she had on her lips. He smiled softly and quickly jumped down and went to his place beside his twin sister.

“I thought you wouldn’t come back.” She whispered as he put the napkin on his lap.

“Where is my place if not by your side, Lu?” He said before he reached out and took her hand in his and gave it a soft squeeze. “We are twins. We aren’t supposed to ever be separated.”

They were children again. They were with their family again. They were together again. And Aether couldn’t recall a time he was happier. As they played in the large gardens, Orion helped him with his stance, and a proud look appeared in his older brother’s eyes. “Aether you’re a natural! At this rate, you can ask father for a proper sword to practice with.”

The weight of the wooden blade was light and easy compared to the heavy weight of his brother’s sword that he wielded once he and his sister had to run away.

“That’s right, Lumine!” He could hear Celeste’s bright voice as Lumine conjured up a sphere of water in her hands.

“I am doing it!” She was so pleased and quickly turned around and dashed towards Aether. “Look, Big brother! I’m—AH!” Tripping over a rock, the little sphere of water flew in the air and landed on top of Orion’s head with a splash. Meanwhile, Aether threw his sword to the side before dashing to Lumine’s side.

“Lu!” His voice was full of panic as he fell to his knees and looked at her for any injuries. He saw that she had scraped her knees and hands from the fall and frowned. “Why did you rush over? You could have just called me and I would have come! Why would you put yourself in danger?”

“I-I…” Lumine’s lower lip trembled as she looked down at the injuries with a small hiccup. “I just…wanted to show you what I could do…That I was strong too.”

His gaze softened as he gently took her hands and looked at the injuries. “I know that you’re strong…”He whispered softly to his sister who had tears in her eyes. “I just don’t want you to get hurt trying to get to me…I don’t want anything to happen to you, Lu.”

“What would ever happen?”

Bad things. Terrible things. Things that would mean that they couldn’t be together. He shut his eyes and sharply inhaled through his teeth. His grip around her trembled and she slowly turned her hand around so that she could hold onto his.

“Are you thinking about your dream again?”

He nodded slowly in response. Even if the others didn’t know, Lumine did. Of course, she did. She was his other half, if anyone knew that a dream like that could shake him, it would be her. Putting her hand on top of his cheek, she gave him a small smile. “Big Brother…”

“Hey you two.” Orion said as he put a towel to his head and frowned slightly at the youngest siblings who seemed to be caught in their own world again. “I’m the one that got wet and attacked by our little Lu. Why aren’t you worried about me?”

“Is Big Brother Orion really complaining about a bit of water?” Lumine said with a confused expression as she tilted her head to the side.

“You see…your big brother Orion is a big baby.” Celeste said with a laugh while Helios came over and sat beside Lumine before taking her hands. A soft yellow glow surrounding their hands as he healed them.

“You have to be more careful, Lu.” Helios said softly before looking at Aether with a gentle gaze. “And that goes for you too. Both of you are working so hard..like you’re fighting against time.”

Aether’s brows knitted at the remark before he looked at Lumine who was warmly gazing at their eldest siblings bickering. The way Celeste’s beautiful voice rang and Orion’s boisterous and warm laughter. He understood why he felt that way, but why did even Lumine look at them nostalgically.

“Lumine?” He called out carefully and when she turned to look at him, the expression that concerned him vanished and she gave him a cheeky smile.

“Yes, Big Brother?”

“Nothing…”

As more time passed in this new-old world of his, the more Aether struggled to sleep and soon developed insomnia. It wasn’t that he couldn’t sleep, it was that he didn’t. He had begun fearing that if he fell asleep and let himself relax, that he would not come back here. That this place that he had missed and become so precious to him would vanish and he would be alone again.

So, he tried his best to will his child body to stay up for a bit longer. He can always doze off throughout the day, but…he couldn’t truly find sleep.

“Big Brother?” A small voice whispered into the room as he heard the door open and the pit-pat sounds of light footsteps. Lowering his book, he looked to the side of his bed and saw Lumine. Her blonde hair was a bit messy and the big round golden eyes that looked up at him quickly squinted. “I knew it.”

“Knew what?” He said curiously as he watched her hoist herself up onto the bed and crawl onto the space beside him. On her knees, she frowned and crossed her arms as he looked at her a bit confused.

“I knew you weren’t sleeping.”

Ah. He got caught.

Smiling at her weakly, he sheepishly closed the book and nodded. “Yeah..but it’s okay..i get enough rest.”

“Liar.”

And it was the sharp and cold way she shut down his excuse that startled him. It was rare for Lumine’s voice to not carry the soft warmth that she was known for. As she looked at the burning candle to the dark circles forming under his eyes, she sighed before motioning for him to make room.

“Lumine?”

“If you’re afraid of that bad dream, I’ll have to be next to you to fight them.” She said as she tucked herself under the blanket and plopped her head onto a pillow. “I can’t stand the idea of you suffering, Aether.” She whispered softly into the pillow. “So, with me around...I promise you’ll only have good dreams.”

He gently reached out and played with a few strands of her golden hair, watching it shine under the moonlight that came through the windows. He watched as she breathed in and out, slowly and peacefully. He wanted to protect this moment. He wanted her to never have a restless night. Nights that he knew they both suffered as they jumped and traveled through countless worlds.

“And how will you fight them?”

“I will enter your dreams and stay with you. That’s why you can’t sleep, right? Because you are trying to fight the bad guys all by yourself? If I stay with you…you aren't alone and afraid.” She said sleepily and his finger stopped stroking the top of her head. Did she know? He had to wonder. Did she also come back to this place?

“What have I ever done to deserve a sister like you?”  He said warmly before sighing and slowly laying down beside her. He turned to his side so he can look at her and smiled at how she tried to stay awake. A small hand rising to rub at her sleepy eyes.  “How did you know I wasn’t sleeping, Lu?”

“You looked dazed at dinner. And at lunch. And you kept dozing off even when Big Brother Orion was being very loud.” She yawned before she took his hand in hers and held it tightly. “And I’m your twin..how could I not know that something was wrong.”

Observant. Empathetic. Kindhearted. Those were all traits that Lumine showcased at even a young age. She was always meant to be someone good, always a light in everyone’s life…even his.

“You’re just as sleepy as I am…”

“Then we can be sleepy together and wake up together in the morning.” Her words were beginning to slur. His eyelids were starting to get heavy as he felt her warm hand in his, reminding him that she was there.

“Will you really be there when I wake up, Lu?”

“Where else would I go? I have to wake you up for breakfast anyways.”

“You won’t go anywhere?”

“I’ll be here…I won’t go anywhere.” She responded and he finally sighed and let sleep take him. As long as he can hold onto her hand, as long as she was by his side, he knew that he was safe. He knew that this place wasn’t a place that could just disappear so easily. He knew with her by his side again, with her warm hand in his, that he would have a peaceful slumber.

Aether smiled gently as Lumine pulled his hand, her laughter ringing as they climbed up the tower to get to the best view of the shooting stars. Aether didn’t mind though. He would do anything to protect that precious smile of hers.

The youngest star turned around and gave him a bright smile before finally reaching her destination. “It’s so pretty here.”

“It is.” He whispered and looked up at the sky and pointed at a pair of stars. “Look, there’s our constellation.”

“Twins.” She whispered back. “Even our stars can’t be separated.”

The innocent gaze, the sweet naiveté that she still had, he didn’t want to take it away. He didn’t want her to worry about a future that may not happen. He didn’t want her to wonder about the what-ifs and possibilities of the world.

“That’s right.”

Two twins staring up at the night sky with the quiet and soft warm winds blew through their blonde locks.

“Your hair is getting quite long.” She noted with a smile before she played with his locks with one hand, tossing it in the air.

“I think it’s going to get longer.”

“You should braid it so it doesn’t get in the way.”

“I don’t have a ribbon to braid it with.”

With a smile, she slowly took off the soft green ribbon from her hair and motioned for him to turn around and he obliged because he would do anything for his sister. Aether just enjoyed the feeling of her fingers through his hair. A pleased hum left Lumine’s lips as she finished her braid and walked back to his side and nodded. “Yes, that looks very good on you. Suits you quite well!”

“I’ll have to thank my sister for making me look so good.”

“Oh, please! You know you’re the prettiest boy…don’t tell Big Brother Orion or Big Brother Helios that.”

A low laugh behind his hand, before Aether nodded. “It’ll be our little secret.”

“Oh Look! A shooting star! Make a wish, Big Brother!” She said before she clasped both of her hands together and closed her eyes.

But what would he wish for when everything her ever wanted was here. His home was safe and at peace. His family was alive. Lumine was by his side again. This was what he always dreamt of, a dream he always wanted to go back to. If he could wish for anything, it would be that he never had to leave this place. It would be that this was his reality and that this peace that he felt would never go away.

“Did you make a wish? She said as she opened one eye and gave him a giddy smile.

“Yeah.”

“What did you wish for?”

“For nothing to change.”

“Ppffftt. That’s boring!” Lumine said brightly before sighing and extending one hand as if she could catch and hold a star in her small hand. “Well…I wished for…”

He put a finger to her lips and gave her a playful smile. “You shouldn’t reveal your wish so easily, Lu. You should keep it close to your heart.”

“That’s not fair! I want to share my wish with you! You told me your wish!”

“Well that’s because my wish is boring!” He joked playfully. But a part of him was afraid to hear her wish. What if she wished for something adventurous? What if she wished to be able to travel and visit other worlds? What if she wished to fly away from this safe home? “And I want to make sure your wish comes true no matter what. We have to take every precaution.”

“Hmmph.” She pouted and turned her gaze away from him. Gold eyes lifting to look at the meteor shower, he was going to take it all in. He wouldn’t take it for granted, this fantasy that made him so happy.

“…Big Brother?”

“Hmn?”

“Do you ever wonder what the stars look like on other worlds?”

The distant way she spoke startled him and he quickly snapped his head to look at her. His browns knitting and the question if she knew about their past rose. “What do you mean?”

“I mean do you think the stars look like same..or if they sparkle less…or if they..” She turned around to look at him with a serious gaze. “Or if you can’t find them at all.”

“Lumine…?”

And just like before, the serious expression on his twin’s face quickly melted away into a bright smile. “I mean I’m sure that there are stars we can’t see here but can be seen somewhere else. Aren’t you curious as to what they’d look like?”

“I don’t care about other stars…I care about the stars that we can see here. The stars that guide us home. I care about our stars.”

“Hmnn.”

“Lu…Do you want to see…other stars?”

“Only with you, Big Brother.”

"Let's play hide and seek!"

“Hide and Seek?” He lowered the sandwich he was eating and stared at Lumine whose eyes were sparkling like gems and whose smile was brighter than any star.

“Yes!” She quickly got up to her feet and patted at her dress to get rid of any dirt or dust. “I’ll hide and you seek!”

“I don’t like that game, Lu.” He already knew what it was like to look for her and struggle to find her. He didn’t want to experience that again. He didn’t want to go back to that feeling of feeling…half missing. He took hold of her hand before she could move again and a pleading gaze in his golden eyes. “What if something happens? Can’t you just stay?”

“Nothing will happen! And even if something bad happens…I know that we’d always find each other. We are twins after all! We are always going to find our way back to each other!”

“Lumine…..”

“Don’t be boring and start counting, Big Brother!” She joyfully squealed and before he could even say no, she had already run off. His hand stretching out and catching nothing but the air as he watched her leave his side again.

Fear wracked throughout his body and made him freeze on the spot as he watched her figure vanish into the distance. “L-Lumine?” He stuttered and even when he tried to move, he couldn’t. He felt panic rush and his hands tremble. He didn’t like this game. He didn’t like not having Lumine with him. He didn’t like this familiar feeling of an empty hand return back to him. “Lumine!” He yelled out and finally, his feet felt like they could move.

He began running as quickly as he could and looked around the gardens that they were playing in. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. This dreadful feeling of his hand not being able to catch hers. It brought back memories of when she was taken away from him, of when those dark cubes of the unknown god consumed her and took her away from him.

Bile rose to the back of his throat but he shook his head. He didn’t have time to let himself be haunted by memories or dreams or whatever it was. He had to find her. He had to find Lumine. All will be alright once he does. Nothing bad will ever happen if he can just find her.

He saw the hedge maze and quickly dashed towards it. From his memories, he knew that there was a gazebo in the middle. Lumine’s favorite spot to have tea.

He kept running around and when he hit a dead end, he felt a pang in his heart. It was all too familiar. Like when he was told that they had seen someone that looked like him but the trail went cold and he was back to square one. He turned around with a grimace and dashed to the next path. He could feel his breathing become erratic as he kept running and meeting dead end and trying again. He could feel his mind run too fast for his own liking. He wanted to puke at how fast this world was going and yet how slow his body was. He felt the gravity pull at his feet. His chest tightening slowly and making it more difficult to take his next breath. But he didn’t stop.

His gold eyes kept looking for her trying to spot a familiar shade of gold.  “Please…No…Not again.” The pinch in his chest as he met another dead end ran back and went searching for her again. “I told you I didn’t want to play this game.” His broken voice whispered as he kept searching.

He wondered what would happen when he did find her and that made him stop in his tracks. He always wondered this. What would he say to her when he found her after hundreds of years of being separated. Would she look at him angrily? Would she be upset at him?

He could just imagine her sobbing with an arm covering her eyes as she wailed loudly. The sound that would make his heartbreak and shatter into a million pieces before he could rush to her side.

Would she be crying because of him? Would she allow him to run up and hug her? Would she allow him to apologize and tell her that he wouldn’t leave her side again? Would his heart be able to handle her open sobs as she hugged him tightly? Would he hear the words that he feared most?

It’s too late! You took too long! You didn’t care about me enough! You didn’t really want to find me! I hate you! Go away! 

He shut his eyes tightly and kept running through the maze. He didn’t care if she said she hated him, he wouldn't leave her side. He would apologize over and over again. He would tell her that he would be better at this stupid game. He would tell her that he was sorry and that it wasn’t true. He did care, he did want to find her, he didn’t mean for it to take too long. Maybe he would joke that she was just too good at this game, he would do anything to make her smile again.

But then…would she still vanish from his grasp again and leave him alone? He swallowed slowly as he finally began finding the path to the middle of the maze. He would be alone and he hated that. He couldn’t stand it anymore. He couldn’t go back to that place again. He wouldn’t survive it without her.

Aether was just so tired. He was just so tired and he wanted to sleep peacefully but he couldn’t without her. Aether was just so tired. His bones ached, his muscles ached. And as he took a step closer to the place where he was sure she was, he felt the broken sobs leave his lips. “I don’t want to do this anymore.” His voice cracked and he wiped the tears with the back of his hand. Only to realize that they were not soft but clothed in the black gloves he wore as part of his armor.

Not only did his clothes change but his hand was larger.

Aether slowly looked down and saw that he was wearing the black attire that he had grown accustomed to. He was no longer a child which could only mean..that this place..this peaceful world..was coming to an end and was never real to begin with. No… His eyes looked around and slowly saw the world around him being to vanish into darkness, the hedges behind him being eaten by a cloud of darkness that didn’t stop.

A choked gasp as he looked around for Lumine. He still needed to find her. He couldn’t just let this world crumble without her. He didn’t care if he vanished, just as long as it was with her. They were twins, they weren’t supposed to be separated from each other! He couldn’t see anything as the darkness began to come closer and close in on him. His chest heaving as he felt a heavyweight on it. His body felt like it was burning.

“Lumine!” He screamed and the brokenness of his soul was revealed. The pain that he held back and hid from everyone he had ever met. The way his voice shattered through the air and pierced through the matter that seemed to be vanishing around him. “Lumine!” He screamed again and then he felt a pair of warm arms wrap around his torso.

He gasped out loud as he felt her in his arms again. He felt like he could finally breathe as he felt a familiar presence in his arms.

“I’m here.” She said softly and he looked down to see her, older just like him. But it was his Lumine embracing him tightly, her face buried into his chest as she held him. “I’m here, Aether.” And just like that, a burst of blinding white light came forth from her body and wrapped around him. Spreading and covering him protectively as he heard the chaos from outside.

His arms wrapped tightly around her, burying his face into her shoulder like he did when he first saw her in this world again. “Please…let’s go back…Please…I don’t want…” A soft sob as he cried knowing that the rest of his family were gone. That their laughter would never be heard again, their bright smiles would never be seen. He wouldn’t feel Orion’s hand on his head as he ruffled his hair. He wouldn’t hear Celeste sing them a lullaby before she tucked him into bed. He would never feel the warm healing touch of Helios who always clicked his tongue with annoyance but then looked at him softly. He would never be able to eat with his father and ask him all the questions he ever wanted to. He would never feel his mother’s kiss on his forehead before she called him her precious sky.

But he can still have Lumine. He could still be with his twin sister. He could still…

“You knew…” She said as she slowly pulled away from his chest and looked up at him. Large tears falling from her gold eyes as she looked at him sadly. “You knew that this place wasn’t real…You always knew…” Her voice broke and he winced at how she was no longer a child with innocent eyes and neither was he. She looked just as he last saw her, with a look of sadness in her eyes as she slowly put a hand to his cheek. They were no longer children.

They were two broken twins that had lost everything and more. They were the last of their family, the last of their kind. Their innocence was stripped from them and replaced with nothing but battle wounds and tragedy. They were no longer the children that could laugh easily and spend their time doing whatever they pleased.

“No…It’s real…It’s real..we can go back…Please Lumine...Let’s just stay there…Let’s just forget about everything else and just….Let’s go home.” He sniffed as he tried to deny the truth he knew deep in his heart. He knew and yet he kept wanting to deny it. Because their truth…their reality….their fate….was too cruel and he was just so tired.

Her hand slowly moved to his hair and lightly stroked it. Her fingertips traced warmly through his hair, the warmth from her palm spreading from his head to the rest of his body. the gentle look in her eyes did not hide the sadness that lurked beneath them. “Silly brother…You…know we can’t turn back time like that.” 

“Please…Lu…I can’t…I’m not strong enough…I can’t…” His face contorted in pain as he his vision of her became blurry through the tears that never seemed to stop. “Please don’t…Please don’t ask me to…”

“Aether…”She whispered as she slowly leaned into press her forehead onto his. "You have to go back."

“No..No!” He was frantic as he pulled away before realizing that he had lost her warmth and took hold of her hands. “ I won't leave you again. I won't...go back without you...I don't want to go back without you, Lu! I’m…I’m…”

“It’s not our time to meet yet…You have to go back…You have friends that are worried about you…Friends that care.”

“No! I don’t care! I don’t care about a world that pulled me away from you. I don’t…Please..Don’t send me back..Don’t let me be alone.”

The sad look in her eyes as she stared at him before she slowly shook her head. “I can’t…You need to go back, Aether…if not for them…if not for that world that doesn’t deserve..to see gods..ruin it like they did with ours…if not for the countless innocent lives that I know you care about…do it for me.” And the heavy brokenness in her voice made him want to scream. There was nothing to go back to without her. What was the point of letting him be happy with his sister again if they were to be torn apart again?

“You’re not there…How…”

“You still have to find me, Big Brother…Our game hasn’t ended just yet.” And as she slowly pulled her hands out of his grasp, he trembled and shook his head. He saw her being pulled into the darkness while he stayed in the light that she created for them.  No. No Please don’t leave. Please don’t let go of my hand. Please!

"I know...that we'll meet again.” And with eyes full of tears, she smiled brightly at him and held her hands close to her chest. He desperately tried to get her back into the light and take her hand, to save her from the darkness that seemed to consume her. “I never told you…but I miss you too, Big Brother.”

“Lumine!”

He gasped out loud, hand stretched out to the sky. He sat up quickly as he pounded at the front of his chest, trying to alleviate the feeling of choking on his own breath. He looked around and saw the concerned and scared look on the faces of his friends. But Lumine wasn’t here. He trembled and clenched his hands tightly and then felt a large coat be placed over his shoulder. Paimon appeared in front of him before tackling him and hugging him tightly.

"Paimon thought you were dead!"      

You should have left me for dead. He thought coldly as before he gently patted the top of the fairy's head. “What happened?”

“You fell..You fell and we couldn’t catch you...You fell into an endless pit…and we thought.” Amber said through her sobs before wiping at her tears with the back of her hand. “It’s a miracle you’re alive!”

“It’s a miracle that you don’t have any major injuries…that sort of fall…” Kaeya sighed and looked like he could finally breathe again.

“I did everything I could but I would still like for you to let us help you walk back to the headquarters.” Jean said calmly and Aether noticed the tear-stained cheeks.

“Who…Who helped me out of the pit?”

Silence and he looked around the group before Lisa finally sighed and crossed her arms across her chest. “We found you here. We don’t know how you got out…but you’ve been missing for almost an entire day…we thought the worst…But then Paimon sensed you…We found you here…you looked…”

“Paimon knew that you weren’t dead! Paimon knew that you would come back!”

A bitter smile appeared on his lips before he nodded and as he tried to get up, his knees buckled and he lost all his strength. Kaeya quickly dashed to his side and helped him up. “You can lean on me today…”

“Thanks Kaeya.”

As they slowly began walking back to the City of Freedom, making sure to check on Aether as well as answering the many questions he had, Paimon made a comment that made his heart stop.

“Is that a new ribbon? Or has Paimon never noticed the green ribbon that keeps your braid together.”

Startled he looked down to see the worn ribbon, a little faded but still showing off the original light green color.  He quickly turned his head back. Ignoring the pain he felt shoot down his body and stared at the place they had just come back from. His golden eyes desperately looking for any sign of her but feeling that familiar sense of disappointment when there was nothing but a dead end.

“Shall we go home?” Lisa asked carefully and Aether turned his gaze towards her and the emptiness in them startled the electro user. “Aether?”

“Yeah..let’s go back to Mondstadt.”

A hooded figure stood quietly, watching the group help the blonde man up to his feet, she could practically hear the broken laugh that he would force out so that his friends would be reassured that he was fine…or at least pretending to be.

It brought a pang to her heart but it didn’t matter. It wasn’t their time yet. She wiped at the blood that dripped from her nose with the back of her hand before turning around and limping away.

“Princess.” A distorted voice called out, its eyes darting down to see the gash and wounded leg. “Why did you…” The abyss mage had seen an unmistakable power that she must have used to save the… traveler.

Not caring for the pain she felt, she looked back over her shoulder, a sad gaze in her eyes. “I promised him that I would give him good dreams.” She said weakly as she wrapped her arms around herself. The cold she felt was making her body ache in pain, or maybe that was her body screaming at her for falling and catching her brother’s body. Protecting him from harm while not caring for her own safety. A small broken laugh left the young woman’s lips. “He did say I always put myself in danger…”

“We should get back to the abyss, Princess. Before they see you.” As they guided the blonde woman towards the door that opened with only darkness greeting her, a bitter smile appeared on her lips.

“He never did let me reveal my wish.” She whispered softly to herself as she carefully walked into the shadows that never suited her but became a part of her. Wrapping itself around her and choking out the light that she held close to her heart. “Big Brother…” She closed her eyes and slowly exhaled before smiling sadly. “I wish for you to be happy. Even if it’s without me.”