Chapter 6: A Companion

(Aether POV)

"Ngnhh." I grunted as I feel my eyes to slowly open. I was met by the sun's light shining down at me. I slowly sat up before looking around the area confused as to why I am still alive.

"Hm? I... I'm not dead?" I questioned myself before slapping my face, wondering if I am really alive and not in a dream.

"I guess that confirms it, though it's kind of weird that the Knight spared me. Did he find me not worth killing? Or did he just spare me without any reason?" I asked to myself before sighing. "What the hell am I even saying. I should be grateful that the guy spared me."

I stood up before I started to stretch my limbs. After stretching, I quickly decided to cook and eat my last remaining food which was just a roasted fish.

After eating, I noticed that my pouch where the coins, pink crystals, and other things are not with me. I tried to find it around the beach but to no avail.

"Haaaaii. Looks like I lost my belongings." I said in dissapointment. "Well, no point in sulking about in now."

Turning my head to look at the ocean, I smiled at how nice the weather seemed to be. "Alright, time for some training."

(A week later)

(Third Person POV)

Aether tapped his foot repeatedly on the ground. His eyes closed while his head rested on his left palm and his right hand tightly gripping a fishing pole.

He has nothing else to do, sure he could go practice his powers and his hand-to-hand combat, heck even his skills with a blade. He could also try and practice with his targets which he now knows are either called Hilichurls, Samachurls, or Mitachurls when he overheard two people talking about it when he just finished killing off a camp.

(AN: Aether created two makeshift daggers using some broken materials he found on Hilichurl camps)

However, Aether deemed it too repetitive and is now quite boring for him. Sure he still has the hunger for battle that he was feeling but a change of pace would not be bad. Besides, Aether could use a relaxing day especially at a really nice weather.

He was able to caught several fishes ever since he started at noon, and now, it was the afternoon. Suddenly, the fishing pole moved forward with a surprising force almost making him let go. His eyes widen at first before his gripped returned to normal.

"This feels much heavier than those fishes that I caught," he muttered while his left hand moved over to also gripped at the fishing pole, "this could be a giant fish that I could fight or a giant dragon serpent."

Aether's eyes glinted in excitement before he grinning and pulling the fishing pole with minimal effort. However, unlike what he was expecting, a giant fish nor a giant dragon serpent was pulled. Instead, it was a... person?

Reacting quickly, Aether dropped his fishing pole before running to quickly catch the falling person. With a confuse and surprise face he kept looking back and forth at the person and the ocean repeatedly.

(H-how!? How in the flying fuck did a child even arrived in an ocean!?) Aether questioned mentally as he looked at the little girl that he was holding with a worried look before noticing that it was getting dark.

Going back to his camp, he placed the little girl on his futton he made using animal hide. He quickly made and lighted up his campfire using a fireball to warm up the girl. Before sleeping himself on the sand.

(The Next Day)

Aether roasted a couple of fish on his campfire as he sat on a log waiting for the little girl to wake.

(Luckily I don't have to worry understanding this girl, I have to thank Thraxar for teaching me about the language the people use in Teyvat. I wonder if she can teach me how to write though.)

He was snapped out of his thought when he notice the little girl waking up. "Oh, looks like she's waking up."

"Huh? Where is... Paimon?" Paimon said before she started to look around. She was greeted by the sight of the sun, the trees, the sand, the ocean, and a... person.

Flying towards Aether, Paimon asked, "Excuse me mister, are you the one who saved Paimon?"

"Yes, I am the one who saved you from drowning in the ocean." Aether confirmed. Now that he looks closely, the little girl somehow reminded him of the unknown god.

A big smiled from Paimon's face. "Really? Then can I ask what your name is mister?" Paimon asked again.

"My name is Aether, its nice to meet you." Aether replied with a smile.

"Paimon's name is Paimon. Its nice to meet you too Aether." Paimon said in a cheery tone before she sat next to Aether on the log.

"Oh, looks like its cooked." Aether said before pulling the cooked fish away from the campfire. "Would you like some Paimon?" Aether offered.

"Sure, thanks!" Paimon said in gratitude as she took the fish from Aether's hand. When she was about to bite the fish, Aether stopped her.

"Be careful Paimon, or else you would burn your mouth." Aether said, as he started to devour his own food.

"Oh, right," Paimon said while scratching the back of her head, "though, Paimon is confuse while you did not try to cool your food?"

"Well, its because I have a resistance from heat and fire." Aether said as he took another fish from the campfire.

"Eeeehhh? Really? I wish Paimon also had that." Paimon said before she started blowing her fish to cool it down.

"Haha. Yeah, sometimes I feel lucky to have a resistance."

For the next month the two stayed together, they gradually grew close. Creating a sibling like bond between the two of them. Paimon teached Aether the letters used in Teyvat, and Aether made some delicious dish for Paimon to eat.