The Object of My Unholy Desire (Xiaoaether)

Aether.Exe Has Stopped Working

I reach my hand up to untie it, but as soon as my fingers touch the charm, I black out and collapse on the ground.

I open my eyes to a landscape I've never seen before. The sky is clear.

Standing in front of me is a statue of a person with two braids and wings.

Another thing I'd never seen before.

Then, the world flips upside down, filling me with nausea. The orb in the statues hands begins to glow a threatening purple and chains appear around the statue.

From behind the statue walks Lumine.

She's wearing a knee length white dress with flowers in her hair. She's also wearing heeled white boots and long gloves.

She looks me down with a cold gaze.

"Who are you and what did you do to my brother?" She asks coldly.

Huh?

"Aren't I your brother?" I ask.

"He did something to you, didn't he? The Vigilant Yaksha?" Lumine asks.

"But I'm fever dreaming right?" I ask, still confused.

"You're fever dreaming yes, but this reality does exist." Lumine says.

This reality?

She grabs my hands and raises them above my head until it hurts.

"Ouch!" I cry, sharp pain running up my arms.

What happened to my sweet twin sister who'd go through hell and back to save me?

"Who are you?" She asks again.

"I'm Aether!" I say.

She looks at me for a moment before releasing me.

"Xiao. Don't trust him. Ever." Lumine says bitterly. "He's a murderer. He'll kill you or replace you with my brother in heartbeat."

"What are you- aren't you my sister? Lumine?" I ask, confused as to why she's acting as if I'm a different person and that there's another me.

"See for yourself." Lumine says.

She grabs my shirt collar and pushes me into the purple energy coming from the statue.

When my vision clears, I'm met with a new sight.

A weirdly old fashioned looking version of Mondstadt.

"What in the...?" I trail off as my vision distorts again.

When it clears, I'm standing in an old fashioned version of Liyue on a weird floating island.

I'm about to try to move when I hear a familiar voice.

"The damages done to Liyue Harbor caused by Osial aren't as severe anymore...that's good...I wonder what Childe was thinking... that debt collector..." A soft voice says.

Ganyu walks straight through me.

Well, Ganyu with strange devil horns and in an outfit she'd never wear.

She taps her chin, talking to herself.

She smiles softly.

"I do wonder whether Aether's managed to meet with Raiden Shogun...I do remember that Ei isn't very particular towards small talk... Especially since Makoto's death...." She mutters.

Raiden Shogun? What's that?

"Ganyu, are you done musing? Lady Ningguang wishes to speak with you....it's about the new direction of Liyue since Rex Lapis' passing..." A woman with black hair tells Ganyu.