Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was that hot summer night that irrevocably changed the trajectory of Genya’s life. Three months after the massacre of his family, leaving only him, his long gone nii-chan, and the unspoken regret that haunted his every move. The preteen shuddered into himself despite the sticky heat that clung to his skin, bringing his legs to his chest as he munched on dry berries and decaying bird meat.

He wouldn’t be here, had he not blamed his nii-chan, had he not screamed such awfully untrue words.

Murderer.

Genya could laugh at himself as that word wrung his brain at every waking moment. How could the nii-chan that saved his life from the monster that stole their mother be a murderer? How could the nii-chan that put his own life on the line be anything but a goddamn saint for not putting him in his place right then and there? Although, as the boy sat out in the woods so far from home, basically on a silver platter for whatever demon that could be lurking around, he’d wished nii-chan did. He wished nii-chan had beat him, hit him, yell, scream, and shout at him. He wished that nii-chan took Genya with him, furious but still with him.

He wished that nii-chan hadn’t abandoned him.

But as the boy gulped down the last morsel of bird meat, the twitches of the leaves, the pitter-patter of wild boars were amplified, forcing all of Genya’s attention as he strained his ears in search of any nearby threats. He felt himself flinch as the ear-piercing shriek, before feeling his body soften into the dry grass.

‘It was just a bird.’

Genya nestled his back onto the tree, relaxing but keeping his eyes wide open. Danger was just around the corner, and with no one but himself, every minute could be his last. So, Genya ignored his drooping head and heavy eyelids, waiting for the golden patron of safety to break through the horizon once more.

He hoped his older brother was faring better than he was. Hopefully he’d found a nice house to retire to every night. Genya hoped that now he wasn’t around, Sanemi could find a better job. A stable one with enough pay for better food, better clothes, and even the occasional ohagi. He hoped that his nii-chan wasn’t using stray stones to hunt wild birds with barely enough meat for one meal.

Minutes trudged along, yet it always felt like hours had gone by. As Genya looked up, he scoffed at twinkling stars painted vividly across the velvety blue sky, shining as if the light of Genya’s life hadn’t snuffed out. As if the deaths of all his younger siblings were meaningless. As if all their hopes and dreams that were snatched from them in just a second was just an unlucky event.

They deserved to grow up.

They deserved a future as bright and joyful as they were. Sumi deserved the kimono business that she’d already begun practicing for. Teiko and Hiroshi deserved to go see the ocean, and Koto and Shuuya deserved the chance to dream like all the others did. They didn’t deserve the quick and bloody murder by the monster that stole their mother’s face.

Suddenly, a rough balmy hand gripped his shoulders, leaving Genya no time to scream as he was flipped on his back. Genya gasped as a horned figure dominated his sight. He fumbled around, kicking and scratching as he tried to escape its strong grasp. Landing one good punch, the demons claws were briefly off his body. Jumping to where his dull knife was, he waved it in front of the drooling monster that eyed him.

‘That’s it, you’re done for. You’ll never find nii-chan and you’ll never apologize.’

 As Genya lunged towards the snarling figure, he prayed to God that he’d survive this night, to see the nii-chan that saved him and abandoned him at least once. At least from a distance.

He couldn’t die without making things right. So, he grit his teeth, ignoring the sharp painful spikes that grappled his body, stabbing his weapon into the demon. Its orange eyes widened before releasing a guttural scream that reverberated through the woods, its zombie grey skin etched with deep wounds that let gushing blood seep through onto Genya’s hands. The demon’s fists collided with his body as it writhed in agony with ear-piercing shrieks assaulting Genya’s ears.

The demon managed to land a punch strong enough to thrust the boy into a nearby tree. He gasped as he heard a crack in his ankle, and despite the torturous sweat that clung to his face, his insides felt cold. His heart thumped wildly in his chest, pumping blood through him but as the demon crashed into him, his knife immersed in its body like a mere accessory, Genya knew that he was done for.

With a strangled cry, he ripped the broken knife from the demon, taking slight glee in the shrill scream it, but as he tried to land one more hit, the monster shattered the blade.

He was going to die.

He was going to die, without ever making things right. He was going to die, and he was going to do it pathetically. The demon’s drool dripped onto the crook of his neck, the metallic copper scent of blood drowning his nose as Genya was seconds away from being ravaged.

His breathing quickened as his hands shook without abandon, as the demon laughed in his grime and bloodied streaked face. His body felt like lead as he threw weak punches at the monster’s face. He couldn’t die, he promised himself that he’d make things right, that he’d avenge his fallen family and apologize to his oldest brother, his first and best friend.

As the gashes on Genya’s body grew deeper, with hot blood seeping from his veins and onto the demon’s long scaly tongue, he saw his nii-chan one last time.

His snow-white hair was soft and wild as the two trudged the cart along. His nii-chan turned to look at him, exhaustion etched onto his eyebags, yet his smile illuminated by the sun’s warm and merciful glow. With an upbeat voice, lined with his usual seriousness, his nii-chan addressed him.

“With Otousan gone, while our lives have become easier, it’s up to us now, Gen. Okaasan and the kids need us more than ever. So can I count you?”

Genya could almost hear the tenderness from his voice, free from the permanent anguish that the ruination of their family had left them in. Everything was becoming blurry as the demon’s breath burned his bruised skin.

‘Nii-chan, I’m sorry.’

Just before everything turned to darkness, something cold dropped into his hand. He gasped, a searing pain in his chest as large spikes of ice erupted right next to him. Distant cries tinged his ears as he briefly saw the demonic figure impaled by ice. After a few moments, the monster that was mere seconds away from devouring him whole had become limp, dull sunset eyes peering into nothingness.

Genya craned his head forward and was greeted by the soft yet unwavering cyan glow of the gem that rested in his hands. His fingers carefully gripped the thing that had saved him, wincing as thin layers of ice incased his hands. Before he could crawl onto his feet, his eyes closed and all he could feel was the brisky frigidness that overwhelmed the pain that racked his body.

Chapter Text

Genya blearily rubbed his eyes before his eyes fluttered open. The boy tried to sit up, but his body felt too heavy. He didn’t know where he was or what it was that had saved him, but as his body melted into the soft mattress of the futon he was laid upon, he wasn’t too eager to find out. At least not yet, when the moon was still out and the warmth from his blanket was lulling him back to sleep. Faintly, he could hear the comforting hum of light snoring from his right. He cast his savior a side glance but couldn’t make out anything meaningful in the all-encompassing darkness that blanketed the room. Sighing, he closed his eyes once more, and with the honeyed scent that floated airily in the room, Genya knew that tonight he’d sleep well tonight. Better than he had in a while.

When he awoke once more, the sun was shining, its glows warm and powerful as its light seeped through the windows. With a renowned figure, Genya was able to pry himself from the soft covers that had reminded him of better times, when Okaasan was alive and he and his nii-chan were working to bring home every scrap of money they could earn.

Scalding tears pricked his eyes as fond memories replayed in his mind.

Joyful shrieks and hearty laughter danced in the shared bedroom of the Shinazugawa family as his nii-chan handed their mother an especially heavy bag of money. Her ocean blue eyes glimmered and an upwards tug on her mouth made the second oldest feel a warmth in his stomach. She leaned forward, her calloused hands tenderly resting on both Genya’s and nii-chan’s head as she shot them a look of pride.

“You’ve both done me so proud! What a hardworking pair you are!” She exclaimed as she ruffled their heads, wearing a bright grin as she told the kids they’d be able to buy watermelon after all. Sanemi simply grinned back, his face glowing as he basked in her praise.

“So have you.”

Genya could still remember that day as he sat on the futon. He could still hear the childish joy as the little kids fought for the largest piece echo in his ears. They’d fought until nii-chan had decided he’d had enough of their bickering and snatched it from Teiko’s soft hands.

He waltzed over to their mother, who was giggling at the sight with the smallest piece of fruit in her hands. Genya watched with awe as the older boy loudly announced that she needed to eat too, and even though she tried to carefully push him away, she finally gave up and gave in. Her face illuminated a pink glow as she bellowed in laughter.

For the first time in Genya’s life, she looked carefree.

It was from that day did Genya realize what it meant to be the oldest son, what it meant to be a dutiful elder brother. That was also the same day that Genya vowed to himself, with his hands sticky and his face splattered in the juices of the rare fruit that he’d be as useful as he could and lighten Sanemi’s burdens.

‘Yeah, and you did such a great job Genya. You really helped nii-chan by calling him a murderer.’

“Oi brat, snap out of it!” A rough voice barked followed by the sound of footsteps stomping closer, jolting him back to the cold reality. Genya mumbled an apology as he looked over to the woman that saved him. Her face was scrunched up into a scowl, with vibrant golden-brown eyes and auburn hair, tinged with a sunset hue, that was gathered in a single neat braid.

“Are you just going to stare at me, or are you going to say something like, I don’t know, thank you?” she demanded as she stomped towards him, vial in hand before dropping to the floor in front of him.

His face quickly became rubescent as he stammered a response.

“T-Thank you Miss for saving my life. I’m indebted to you – ” Genya stuttered before the woman shoved the vial down his throat in an instant. Her face softened as her hand snaked to the back of his head, holding him gently until the vial was completely empty. The boy spluttered, recoiling at the burnt tart aftertaste that lingered almost painfully on his tastebuds. What was in that thing?

“Yeah, yeah, it’s disgusting. However, you’re really malnourished, so it’ll help. Now,” She leaned back, crossing her arms, “do you mind telling me what a little runt such as yourself was doing roaming those woods?” She interrogated, her eyes pinched in accusation as she waited for what Genya assumed a mediocre ‘I was exploring, playing or got lost’ explanation.  

His eyes were downcast as he responded.

“I had no where else to go… I was hungry, and I could find food to hunt.” Genya said, his voice filled with little cracks as he felt his eyes go misty. He gulped down the sobs that threatened to spill from his mouth, furiously rubbing the tears that were on the verge of flooding his face. He didn’t want this lady to think he was even more pathetic than he already was.

Taking a deep breath, he waited for her response. Wordlessly, she shuffled closer and rested her arm on his shoulders and let out a large sigh. Her body was warm, just like his Okaasan’s when he was having an especially difficult day. Tentatively, he leaned into her side embrace, fully relaxing when she didn’t push him away. A soft scent of cinnamon and fruit wafted off her, and her hand was cozy around his scalp. For the first time in months, Genya felt like he was back at home.

He’d missed this.  

“Tell me everything over breakfast. We’ll figure out where to go from there.” She promised, her vial clinking on the wooden floor. His voice barely above a whisper, he thanked her again as she stood up. With her hand outreached towards him, he grabbed it, the colourful beads lightly slapping against his patchy bruised skin. As they walked towards the small but vibrantly decorated kitchen, he noticed that she wasn’t wearing a kimono, or anything that could be classed as similar. Her dress was a simple black with intricate golden linings. It was more form-fitted than he was used to, with her arms bare, safe for the black and gold bands and accessories. The skirt was more flowy, yet it only reached past her calves, with the slits high to above her knees.

Where was this woman from?

“Oi, what are you staring at runt?!” She growled, pointing an accusative finger at him as he found himself blushing.

‘She thinks you’re a pervert!’

“I-I was just curious about y-your clothes. You dress a bit differently to the women I’ve seen and I – ” A knowing look grew on her face as she cut him off, her face now just as flushed as his.

“I’ve just travelled a lot and bought different styles, okay!” She defended herself, before sighing and silently beckoning him to sit on a soft cushiony seat behind her rounded dinner table. Her footsteps grew faint as she ambled to her pantry, the quiet shuffles dissipating the awkward heat Genya felt in his face. He reached into his pocket, curling his fingers around the cool cyan gem that saved his life. The boy sighed in relief to see it was all in one. Bringing it out onto the table, he quickly saw the snowflake imprinted on it.

What was it? Why did it decide to save him? How many others had one as well?

These questions drowned his mind as he filtered out all sound except for the voices in his brain.

“You look like you’re about to bust a vein.” The woman chuckled, plopping down beside him with two plates in her hands. She pushed a serving of radish and fish stew towards him, the scent so enticing that Genya hurried a “Thank you for the meal” before shoving bites of the hot savory dish. He couldn’t help but groan at the delectable warmth that invaded his tastebuds for the first time in months. The boy gulped it all down with a fervent abandon, ignoring the mocking snorts that the woman couldn’t contain.

This was heaven, and nothing could’ve changed him mind.

“You weren’t kidding when you said you were hungry. Now that you’re all situated, lets talk about what’s happened, shall we?” she said, her sharp gaze cutting through him like a blade. Genya couldn’t deny the nervousness that twisted painfully in his stomach, but reflecting back on the kindness she had given him in such a short amount of time, he found himself eager for this conversation to start.

Shuffling in his seat, he leaned forward, his fingers curling against the table as he readied himself for every word.

Chapter Text

The woman scraped her chair against the wooden floor, inching towards him before beginning to speak.

“The thing you’re holding in your hand is a vision. I don’t suppose you know anything about them, do you?” she asked, resting her chin in her hand as she looked at him. He shook his head, wincing at her light sigh.

“No, that’s really what I expected. Only a small number of people know about visions, and even fewer possess them. You’re quite a rare brat, y’know.” She teased, bringing a small mouthful of rice into her mouth.

“But why are they so rare? And why do I have one?” Genya questioned, clutching his vision in the palm of his hand. He gulped as he considered the ramifications of having one. Was it cursed? Did it mean something awful was about to happen. His heart began to thump in his chest, he couldn’t be cursed, could he?

“This a long story, so listen up. A long, long time ago, like back in the era of olde world –” Genya piqued up, interrupting. “What do you mean Olde world?” She shot him a burning glare, her arms now tightly crossed over her chest. He winced at her weathering glare, clutching his vision tightly.

“I was getting to that.” She grumbled as she shoved another bite of stew into her mouth.

“As I was saying,” the woman shot him a warning look, her tone firm yet laced with intrigue. “Back in the era of the olde world, the structure of civilization was vastly different from what you know today. The gods of that time, called Archons, ruled over and protected their nations. Each Archon possessed a Gnosis—a powerful artifact tied to their element, granting them dominion over their land. A status symbol, if you will.

“But the peace they maintained was fragile. Just as we contend with demons today, the old world faced monsters fuelled by abyssal power. To combat this, the Cryo Archon, known as the Tsaritsa, gathered the strongest warriors from every corner of the world to form an elite group—the Harbingers.

“In time, the Tsaritsa, her Harbingers, and even the Abyssal Sovereign—leader of the monstrous creatures themselves—waged war against the Heavenly Sustainer, the one believed to be the true God of Gods. Their conflict tore the world apart, unleashing destruction on an unimaginable scale. The skies shattered and almost everyone was wiped out in the aftermath.

“In the end though, an agreement was reached. As a testament to her divine will, the Heavenly Sustainer sought to purge the world of tangible corruption. Most of the Gnoses were destroyed during the conflict. Only two remained: the Cryo and Dendro Gnoses, albeit fractured and weakened.

“To seal the pact, the last of the seven Archons sacrificed their mortal forms. Some say they eroded into nothingness; others believe they still linger, silently guarding their lands with the remnants of their elemental power. We’re believed to be guarded by Raiden Ei, the most powerful incarnation of lightning from the olde world. And this is why cases such as yourself are so rare.”

By the end of her explanation, Genya found himself spluttering with even more questions. What was the olde world? Why did only earth and ice remain? Could people still get other elemental visions? He chuckled as he remembered throwing all those questions at her, watching her face morph into that of annoyance.

She rubbed her temples and drained her glass, muttering, “One question at a time, brat. You’re giving me a headache.”

“The olde world was known as Teyvat. It was an era that existed almost a thousand years ago, although most information has been lost, other vision holders have found and ancient texts and deciphered much of forgotten knowledge. Teyvat only had seven nations at the time. Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan, and Snezhnaya. Inazuma, nation of eternity, is what we call Japan nowadays.” She paused, smirking at the look of awe that was painted on his face.

“It was only cryo and dendro that endured the weathering of such an intense battle. Ice is the element that preserves, kills, and survives. Dendro could never be exterminated because it is the giver and nurturer of life. It bears the fruits and the trees that we rely on. The soft lush earth that we live, work, and play on all were brought into this plane of existence but the first dendro archon, her name forgotten over the erosion of time. Humanity couldn’t have recovered had it not been for the gentle and forgiving touch of the earthly element.” Her voice softened for a moment; her expression thoughtful. She cast a glance at Genya, snorting at the way he basically buzzed in his seat, the excitement rolling of off him in waves.

“And to answer your last question, visions can be granted from the rest, although unlike cryo and dendro, they are a manifestation of their respective archon’s will and are incredibly rare. Much rarer than cryo and dendro even. There is a very specific set criteria for the rest, far too mysterious for mere humans to comprehend, but it’s not impossible to see an electro or pyro vision holder.”

After answering his questions, she’d demanded he’d do the same. He remembered her sympathetic face as he told her everything, from his mother becoming a demon to the night before, when he’d been on the brink of death. She’d given him a sad smile, petting his shoulder, and he’d still been in her care seven months later.

“Really, you’ll really let me stay?” He asked, his eyes wide as a grin broke her stoic demeanour.

“Of course, brat. You’ll need someone to help you use that vision, and I need someone to do my laundry. What do you say, fair?” She asked, twirling a strand of her as she finished the last of her breakfast. He nodded, it was a deal!

“Great, call me Master Yue.”

And he’d been in her custody ever since. Keeping true to his promise, he did wash her cloaks and exotic silken clothes in return for her tutelage. Over time, the boy had become quite fond of her as he settled into this new life, training his body during the day and mind during these cooler nights that had begun to engulf the remnants of summer.  

‘I hope nii-chan has what I have too.’

Unbeknownst to him, an irritated figure stood behind him. Genya was startled out of his thoughts by an impatient tapping of Master Yue’s foot. Jolting up to his feet, he gave her sheepish smile as she stood, towering over him with her hands on her hips.

“Do you realise how long I’ve been calling your name. Break time was over ten minutes ago, why are you still lounging around Genya?!” She demanded, pointing a finger at the empty training area, silently instructing the boy to leave the back porch. Genya nodded before jumping over, his vision secured on his waste band. The sun hid behind the curtains of the clouds, and cool breeze brought about goosebumps on Genya’s exposed skin. It was a pleasant change from the sticky heat and unbearably long days of summer.

As she trailed behind him, her qipao flowing in the wind, she smirked at him. Genya shook away the goosebumps, gloved fingers tightened around his catalyst as she domineered from a distance. Twirling her jade spear, thick vines erupted from the ground, lunging towards Genya. Throwing himself back, he landed, freezing the ground beneath him.

“Begin!” She barked, her eyes gleaming as she funnelled towards. The initial nervousness melted away, and Genya found himself eager to attack. Returning her smirk, he sent out another beam of ice pillars towards her, pointy and sturdy. She effortlessly dodged, yawning as he chased towards her, before side stepping him at the last moment. Her vines gripped his ankles, and he felt himself fight the urge to vomit.

“Someone’s slow today!” She mocked, As her hungry eyes stared at him, he’d found himself nursing a fire in his chest. Genya growled as his ice froze her vine solid, smirking again as she struggled to free it.

He was going to win.