1 A Love Eternal

"...You're planning on going to Liyue...right?"

Amber asked him in a subtle disconcerted and rhetorical tone, knowing full well there was no point in stopping him once he had made up his mind.

"Yes, indeed."

The blond-haired boy replied to the ever cheerful outrider — her cheerful persona as though a distant lie as she donned an almost lifeless mask on her pretty, youthful, face — with an honest, sad look as though it took a lot out of him to make this rather heavy decision.

Amber sat down at the end of the bench next to him and began to gently swing her legs in an idle rhythm, pausing occasionally as her foot passed through a particularly thick clump of moss or grass, giving way to clear brown water underneath.

Her face was cast downwards, the lifeless mask morphing into a completely expressionless and blank form at being reassured of the boy's decision and determination. She had half hoped that all of it would be a lie, a prank, or a figment of her imagination; however, reality just had to be different, shattering the small naive hope that she had clung onto— to not descend into the harrowing depths of despair.

As the silence grew, so did its ubiquitous power.

The blonde-haired boy, Aether — sitting on the other side of the bench — kept looking at the silent girl with a melancholic look. He had always loved these quiet moments with Amber.

Sitting next to each other; calm quiet times after long days out, this was what they liked doing the most, and yet now, it seemed uncomfortable, perhaps even wrong, and suffocating to be near each other. The silence that once comforted them with each other's presence had now morphed into an awkward and hurtful atmosphere that smothered their minds with apprehension.

He wasn't aware that Amber was trying her best not to let the tears of loss and confusion or everything else that ran through her disgruntled mind come out and affect how she interpreted his words.

It didn't work though. No matter how hard she tried, it just didn't work.

'Yes, Indeed.'

He told her rather indifferently.

It was an honest, yet cold answer. It came as no surprise to her, however. She frantically hoped for the alternative, yet deep down she always knew that his answer would never change.

The thought of parting with him struck a chord deep within her chest so powerfully that it even hurt to just breathe, her breaths were irregular and she choked intermittently as the feeling of despair slowly took over her senses. It was such an unimaginable possibility that she felt dizzy and nauseated merely thinking about it.

He was practically her whole world now, with its vibrant colors and uniqueness, encompassing every single thing and part of her life.

The idea of letting go of him was inconceivable and painful in all its beauty; it was so ludicrous that she couldn't even start to imagine that possibility...

They'd met just four months ago, during the attack of the Stormterror on the city of freedom and wind— Monstadt.

Aether wasn't really much of a talkative fellow, and at times he seemed strangely shy and quite often gloomy and negative. But more than anything else, beyond all the dark aura that shrouded him what really caught everyone's eye was the compassion he felt towards others and accepted any request without batting an eye— just to help someone in need, no matter how minuscule or problematic their troubles were.

Aether, the ever-helpful boy, was always there to help those in need, and this trait of his drew people towards him as though their destinies were intertwined with his; she should know full well about that fact as she was one of those who got hopelessly attached to this gloomy yet cute boy.

It was always heartbreaking to see him. The sadness emanating from within his core was slowly, but steadily ruining him from the inside at the time, and Amber could tell that full well; anybody could really, after interacting with him a bit, but they didn't know how to help him out.

The little fairy, Paimon, was the only one who was his support in these turbulent times, and she tried her best too; however, her best efforts seemed to have been lagging as Aether's state was getting worse by the day.

Which was why she extended a helping hand and started talking to him, getting to know him more, because she was simply that cheerful and bubbly person who always knew when someone was feeling low, and the power she held to brighten up their day truly was nothing less than the word amazing. She was just the perfect candidate to take up the role and so she did.

Their connection grew and flourished, strengthened by new conversations over time that broke the ice between them until one day, Amber found herself hopelessly attracted to him, to his very being and existence, and she started making up excuses just to meet up with him every day, sharing countless laughs and discussions over their adventures.

In exchange, Aether started allowing himself to feel happiness again, giving fresh life to the sort of personality that had spent countless hours in the past just staring vacantly at the moving clouds, deeply immersed in thoughts of deep voids and endless terrors that would stretch his mind beyond exhaustion to process things, pushing things further away from his memories and calming himself, seeking refuge against the turbulent wind that brought upon worries.

Amber found herself inexplicably helping him; talking to him, walking beside him, and comforting him with her gentle words or by a hug filled with warmth whenever he was in need of it.

They both fell deep into the pit of affectionate feelings for one another soon after; chemistry grew and overflowed between them akin to ivies clinging onto walls with the desperate will to survive and flourish.

Their emotions pulsed hard, overflowing and cascading all around them and falling away into drops of dew from the earth beneath their feet. It was a beautiful and ethereal feeling, a feeling that both of them cherished.

Her heart skipped a beat — or maybe several, she wasn't completely sure as her mind was occupied elsewhere — when seeing him smiling and laughing for the first time ever, it was too beautiful to behold, a sight she believed she would never forget no matter how much time passed.

On the other hand, Aether's joy, his happiness, stemmed directly from being near her.

She felt so happy knowing that such a blissful sensation flowed through his veins whenever he spent some quality time with her. Her feelings for him overflowed, like water overflowing from a filled jar, and made her whole being tremble with delight.

In a rare fit of weakness, during the Windblume festival held every year in the city of Mondstadt as a long-standing tradition, Aether professed his undying love for her quite boldly in front of hundreds of onlookers; his beautiful golden eyes sparkled brightly with determination and passion, intermixed with the intense feelings he held for her.

"Amber, I love you".

Those four words rippled down the sidewalks, circling the statue of the Anemo archon on the church's grounds where the main festival was held, causing lots of excitement amongst the bystanders and making several young girls' hearts flutter wildly inside of their chests, making it beat in a violent erratic rhythm, causing their cheeks to blush with glee.

And Amber heard the cheers that followed afterwards. She even held the misconception that she was hearing the whole city cheering loudly for their blossoming love, or maybe it wasn't a misconception all, she didn't know.

She heard people screaming, "How bold, Traveler!"

"He went for it!"

"Nice one, Hero!"

"Good luck!"

She let his feelings, his declaration of love for her, wash over her like an unknown sea without being afraid of drowning in it but didn't accept or deny his feelings with any words...

Instead, she welcomed him right into her arms, without a second thought.

Her lips met with his, while their limbs wrapped around each other tightly, embracing the indescribable fire of passion burning right through them, enveloping them in a scalding warmth that felt all too pleasant, so much so that they wanted to burn in that warmth forever.

This time, the sounds of the crowds' cheering echoed into the sky along with soft laughter and shouts of glee mixed with whistles of teasing and well wishes as everyone blessed for the flourishing of their love.

However, the world turned mute for the newly formed couple. They couldn't appreciate their good wishes as they were too lost in each other, too lost in their own world that only had them in it. Their fingers entwined tightly together, holding on as tight as they could against one another's bodies, refusing to release one another.

Her desire to keep him by her side, to protect him, to become closer than they already were growing at alarming levels that threatened to turn Amber uncharacteristically possessive, possessive of this cute and compassionate boy that came into her life with the blessings of the wind.

Later that night, both of them indulged in alcohol to the point of becoming fully intoxicated in it…

They ended up spending the night drunk in her house; things escalated until finally, they decided they wanted to make things official between them.

Both of them were intertwined and knotted against the sheets, unable to escape their own innermost desires and their urges towards the other person coursing at the very peak of their hunger to satisfy themselves...

Her little bedroom soon became their own little universe; they managed to live every waking minute of the day trying to find one another for whatever fleeting moment they managed to steal away alone for the sake of private conversation or delicious kisses and innocent exploration of their bodies.

A bond that seemingly grew stronger every day, cementing themselves into the warmth of love that enveloped them both together...

But did love really last forever?

Or was it just a transient feeling that vanished as abruptly as it appeared?

...

..

.

At first, she couldn't understand why he would want to leave so badly, to travel to Liyue, when they had just recently grown so close to one another; when their relationship was just in the beginning phases of blooming into a beautiful everlasting flower.

But before long, the confusion morphed into understanding, and Amber understood all too well.

It all became clear when he explained he had to find his missing sister, to save her from some kind of horror...or something else, something terrifyingly dangerous.

He never got to elaborate further than that as he was in a rush, and soon her heart sank at the news, knowing that she'd be unable to join him.

Aether still had his objective, his own adventure he sought to undertake by himself and she respected that. That determination was one of the reasons that drew her to him after all, so she understood it fully.

When things were starting to become even better than before; her heart sank into the floor and left a permanent dent, once he told her he was finally leaving for Liyue in a few days' time with the adorable Paimon.

Amber wished to follow him in his adventure, but he wasn't even a bit willing to hear that suggestion, explaining he would get sidetracked on his important quest if she were with him and he wanted to solely focus on his purpose… his task— finding his lost sibling, Lumine.

She knew how important his sister was to him and could truly sympathize, empathize, and truly understand where he was coming from and why because she also had people that she had lost.

Amber's grandfather had disappeared some time ago, and she wasn't successful in finding his whereabouts even now, nor was she even able to find out if the man was alive or not.

Her grandfather was the person who founded the Outriders of Knights of Favonius and personally trained all of its members.

Their mission statement was as followed: "To create a lasting legacy of protection from corruptive influences, but to allow our city of the freedom to thrive at a balanced level of life we may establish for the future generations."

This was one of their mottos, their duty, and their legacy.

The tracking skills they acquired, along with the ability to sense when danger was afoot, were unique amongst all the knights.

Hence, the skills of the Outriders were invaluable to the Knights of Favonius, with special arrangements having been implemented specifically for them.

Given such special conditions, the Outriders had the job of protecting Mondstadt itself from the skies above; guarding it from any incoming aggression. To safeguard it at any cost, was their sworn duty.

However, four years ago, Amber's grandfather suddenly left his coat of arms and sword in his office and disappeared without a single trace of his last whereabouts or the location where he might be off to...

From that day, the Outrider team was merely a shell of its former self.

Its expertise was gone, though its structure and name have been preserved.

Shortly after, Amber had been admitted into the Outriders order yet the feeling of loneliness she experienced, whilst walking across the streets of Mondstadt every day, had never truly subsided fully.

She quickly grew tired of people staring at her and asking her questions concerning where her grandfather went or whether he would soon return or not...

The eerie notion of being observed was beginning to take over her daily life; to the extent that even simple daily tasks like picking up breakfast from Good Hunter would begin to weigh heavily upon her thoughts.

After his disappearance, Amber committed herself to continue as an outstanding Outrider, desiring to take up her grandfather's former role as Mondstadt's loyal protector, yet she gave up on searching for any information of her grandfather's whereabouts altogether soon after. She had searched for him for too long, and the despair of not being fruitful in her searches had gotten the best of her.

Unfortunately, after he went missing, the Outriders order disbanded, leaving her as the sole member amongst its ranks, with none to share her burdens and concerns. She was left all alone.

And that was the story of her life— loneliness. Everybody left her sooner or later.

First her grandfather, and now her lover.

Was it her fault everyone around her left her behind?

Why did she have to endure this wretched loneliness?

Why?

Why?

...Why?

For too long, that familiar ache racked the deepest depths of her soul, leaving a scar on her heart that refused to heal… making it fragile and weak… and now it was brutally reopened, and that too by her dearest lover whom she would soon be forced to say goodbye to as well...

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

He said simply, indifferently, but the sadness still leaked through, and the melancholic look that he sported left no doubt about his true feelings.

Those words almost knocked the wind right out of her lungs, making her breathless, his unwavering declaration shaking the foundations of her soul to the ground, shattering the basis of her hope to see him stay longer.

Once again, she yearned with all her being to follow him, to be with him, to never leave him.

But he wouldn't listen to her pleas.

"I know."

She responded wordlessly as she lowered her head, a huff escaping her throat causing little beads of tears to start flowing down her cheeks, drenching them in their wake, stinging from the emotional pain that accompanied her last comment.

"Be careful."

Before she could lose herself entirely in the depths of eternal despair, his slender yet rough fingers found their way under her chin, lifting it up gently.

His face, though seemingly calm, couldn't hide the swell of sorrow hidden within his golden eyes.

"I'll come back to you once I've found my sister. I promise I'll stay with you after."

A wave of bittersweet pain burst forth inside Amber at the notion of losing this man for good, with all her hopes and dreams tied up in his presence. She felt as if her soul would leave with him, and she wouldn't be able to live without his presence.

However, all she could do now was to bite back the tears and nod sharply, avoiding having a breakdown on the spot in front of him, for she didn't wish to ruin this lovely moment between them that may as well be their last.

A moment that meant far more to her than anything else in existence.

Another tear slipped down from her cheek and fell softly, trickling slightly before stopping at her jaw.

And with that, her lips slightly curved. She wasn't really used to crying in front of him. No surprises there.

Seeing her like this almost made Aether want to put off his plans, but he just couldn't.

He finally found a lead after such a long time and had to continue his journey, even if it meant disappointing Amber, although disappointing her, hurting her pained him greatly, more than he ever anticipated it ever could.

Aether sighed and kissed her forehead lightly before breaking away from her, his eyes changing abruptly into one of passion and determination which confused Amber; she couldn't tell what warranted that sudden shift in him but she waited breathlessly for his next words.

"I planned on giving this to you after I returned from my journey, but I can't bear to wait any longer."

He pulled a small box out of his pant's pocket, opening it carefully and removing a ring from within before placing it gently on her finger.

Amber blushed violently as a reddish-pink color appeared instantly on her fair cheeks.

She stared in awe at the beauty of the delicate item, trying to think clearly, to grasp what exactly this man was offering her right now.

Not sure of what to answer, she opted to remain quiet, barely being able to comprehend everything that was occurring currently at this moment. Her brain had shortcircuited after seeing the ring and it showed no signs of restarting any time soon.

"Amber...will you m—"

"I will marry you! Of course, I will! Do you even have to ask? Just come back to me quickly!"

Even with her befuddled mind, hazy with confusion, those words came out hurriedly from within her, not even letting Aether finish his question.

A broken laugh ripped itself free of her lungs as tears poured down her cheeks in clear streams, landing upon the ring he handed to her.

She cried with equal parts bitterness and happiness as she pulled him close to her and wrapped herself fully in his strong arms, kissing him fiercely and passionately, not willing to part from his for all eternity.

...

..

.

The following day came surprisingly fast, requiring very little adjustment or preparation beforehand.

Tons of people came to see Aether off, from his friends in the Dawn Winery, including Diluc, and Adventurer's Guild to his allies from The Knights of Favonius — like Kaeya, Klee, Jean and Lisa, and even the secluded alchemist Albedo and his assistant Sucrose came to see him off — finally, his lover, Amber.

He hugged her tightly with all of his might, running his fingers through her soft hair and kissing it tenderly with all the affection he could muster.

"Will you write letters to me?"

She asked weakly, yet it was backed by a desperate hope that he would grant her this plea.

"Of course." Aether promised with a smile, pressing her head to his shoulder tightly as his expression turned softer.

"You know you're way too handsome and cute, right? You better not play around with other girls in Liyue while I'm not around!" She warned jokingly, her tone lighthearted, making him chuckle loudly, prompting him to deliver another kiss to her head.

Aether's heart swelled at the sweet compliment his lover presented to him and he vowed to never hurt her and always be loyal to her.

The sun was rising high above them, casting blinding rays of light from the top of the tower and onto their feet beneath, reminding them that he would need to hurry off soon enough if he wanted to avoid scorching under its powerful illumination.

It was finally time for him to go...

As expected, Amber got the short end of the stick as the goodbyes were painful.

And she let her feelings be fully known, going all needy and clingy, a bit teary-eyed and emotional throughout the duration of the parting process...

"Take care of him..." Amber urged Paimon repeatedly, making sure she stayed beside Aether at all times so that nothing would happen to him.

"...Of course! Paimon will also make sure no girls would fall for him! He will stay loyal! Guaranteed! Leave it to Paimon!"

She replied jokingly, snuggling against Amber while getting an affectionate nudge as a response.

Paimon, the adorable little fairy always knew how to lighten up the mood with her cuteness and natural sense of fun and innocence.

She was like a little pet that Amber grew fond of easily. She was bound to miss this little runt as well.

"Before you go...I made you this."

Amber handed Aether a doll. A Baron Bunny doll she was up making the entire night.

Aether looked troubled as she took the bunny from her hands, "Ehm...this..."

"Amazing, right! An exclusive, custom-made version of Baron Bunny that I sewed for you myself!"

It was a miniature plush rabbit that resembled her to the tiniest of details, to make sure he wouldn't forget her existence.

Aether took it and inspected it from every angle, making sure there were no bombs embedded in it, and put it away into his spatial inventory, making it disappear into thin air.

"No need to worry, silly! It won't explode! I promise!"

And so, after a reassuring hug and gentle kisses, each glistening deeply on his lips, Aether left the city of wind and freedom called Mondstadt with a strength never felt before, caught in the gentle wind that guided him towards the harbor surrounded by mountains tall enough to reach the skies— Liyue, the place where he will hopefully be reunited with his sister, and then be able to return to the warm arms of his lover.

...

..

.

Days passed by indefinitely...

From his letters, it was evident he was unsuccessful in finding his sister but he wasn't giving up yet...and the fact that he was writing letters to her so often to let Amber know about his findings was something that made her extremely happy and giddy inside.

At least he didn't forget about her, she found happiness in that simple fact.

Every morning as soon as Amber woke up, all she thought about was Aether and his success or failure regarding his search for his sister.

If he succeeded, he would return home swiftly and they would marry soon after. If he failed, she'd probably be alone for a long time... or in the worst-case scenario, never be reunited with him again...

Yet regardless, it seemed like the latter case was becoming her nightmare rather than reality now.

Without Aether present in her life, she knew that things wouldn't be the same anymore and something deep inside her just knew she would crumble sooner or later, that was how much he meant to her, he was practically her everything at this point…

In between the exchanged letters were long conversations, all filled with witty humor and wacky situations he ran into during his travels with Paimon.

A period full of adventure and excitement filled their lives as their journey kept bringing them closer and closer to Liyue, and feasibly closer towards his goal, his mission.

From the clues they found in abandoned temples that ended in thrilling treasure hunts, to fighting with the Fatui and thwarting their evil plans. They did them all.

They managed to escape every single danger they encountered by dint of quick thinking, strength, and guts.

The road ahead was murky and unknown. Yet he was pushing towards his sister with a burning determination; knowing there was nothing more important right now than finding her and uniting with her.

...

..

.

Hours upon hours, days upon days gone by...with Aether achieving nothing.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and now...a full year had passed since Aether began his mission to find his sister and traveled to the harbor of rocks and contracts.

The time alone felt endless, yet Amber was pulling through thanks to the optimism she had, which kept feeding the spark of hope to remain alight within her mind… and the love and affection Aether always sent her each time she wrote back also helped immensely.

This month was a little hectic though as attacks from Hilichurls and the Abyss Order onto the city of Mondstadt had increased lately.

The Ruin Guards, the large mechanic devices also started appearing more frequently, injuring people they came to contact with left and right.

Much damage would've been done if not for Jean's strategies and correct judgment when battling with them.

These colossal mechanized weapons, casually strolled around plains or areas near temples, looking for a potential target to disintegrate as was common for its kind.

They wreaked havoc in every location that they traveled to and fighting them was very hard, as most veteran adventurers and Knight of Favonius Captains would have their hands full when dealing with a group of them... but certainly not impossible if handled correctly.

Just the mere sight of these machines threw fear to the air...but the Acting Grand Master Jean formed an instant interception group and put a halt to the Ruin Guards' atrocities whenever they did come nearby Mondstadt's borders.

One of the individuals in the said group was Amber, who just a few moments ago finished clearing out a large Hilichurl camp of twenty members all by herself. It was hard, but with the training she had done with Aether, she was stronger than her past self and was able to pull through this situation without any significant injuries.

She had to admit that doing the patrols had become much harder ever since Aether left. He used to help her out a lot which had made her life a lot easier.

Taking care of an entire camp of Hilichurls was already dangerous enough, considering she only had a bow for protection, yet she still managed thanks to her accumulated strength.

"Hmm, I guess I'll have to ask Eula next time. I'm sure she'll act grumpy but she'll help me gladly if I ask nicely...maybe..." Amber mumbled nonchalantly, brushing her long chestnut brown hair from her bright golden eyes aside, as she finished collecting materials from the Hilichurl corpses around her.

She knew her best friend very well. Some people would think Eula acted out of the line at every given opportunity, and that she was an arrogant individual, hailing from a bloodline that was universally regarded as a stain in the history of Monstadt, but Amber knew that wasn't true at all.

She was a very gentle and genuinely nice person under all the facade she usually wore when speaking to others. Amber knew very well that her way of speaking was just a defense mechanism she had developed so that she could cope with the isolation and disgust Mostandters projected towards her due to her bloodline.

By nature, Eula was an individual that liked to take care of others, helping anyone she could, however she could, even to the point of risking her own life if need be.

However, when it came to herself, she tended to completely give up on taking care of herself, especially on her reputation which wasn't exactly...eh..."flattering" to everyone's taste.

Stepping into the free city, accompanied by the cool and gentle wind that the city was blessed to have all year round, Amber chatted with a few folks nearby who nodded pleasantly and offered polite greetings before moving on.

After she arrived at her home, she took a long shower to wash off all the filth, dust, and blood from her skin all over her body, rinsing everything down and ready to hop into bed for a much-needed afternoon nap so that she could wash away some of the fatigue she had accumulated all day.

Sleeping was healthy to achieve balance in one's daily schedule. A necessity after a long mission like hers.

As she lay there, drowsily falling into the silky warmness of her pillow that absorbed all the worries in her heart, she glanced at a calendar stationed on her desk, adjacent to her bed, at a distance her eye could easily see it.

Yet another month had passed without any news from him, her lover, and the light of her life— Aether.

She lost track of how many letters she had sent to him without getting a single response back, but she wasn't going to stop any time soon, she couldn't because if she did, that was as good as saying she had given up on him, just like she had given up on finding her grandfather. But she couldn't do that now as she knew… she could give up on her life, but not on him; without him, she was as good as dead anyways.

Aether had stopped writing back a while ago, but she was sure he was fine. He was incredibly powerful after all, she believed he was much stronger than anyone in Mondstadt or Liyue region, possibly even in the whole of Teyvat.

Maybe he simply grew tired of sending replies to her incessant letters, which was fine...he deserved some peace of mind every now and then.

Besides, it wasn't like this was the first time there was silence in between the exchanges of letters either. Whenever he was on a particularly long journey or errand in Liyue he would have to stop writing to her simply because he couldn't, she was sure that was the case this time as well.

In his latest letter, he mentioned he had saved Liyue from an impending disaster and that someone called Ningguang promised to help him locate his sister.

Ningguang...

A woman's name...

She wasn't jealous...no! Not in the slightest!

...maybe a little bit...

Ahh… who was she kidding, she was raving with jealousy and anxiety but she still opted to believe in Aether and their love… but this silence was slowly gnawing away at her mentality…

It was a known fact that Aether was handsome and cute so women around him were bound to fall for him rather easily, and Amber greatly enjoyed teasing him over it at every chance she could get.

She had a very hard time defending him from Lisa's clutches, who also couldn't help but tease him a few times by her mature charms and playful behavior.

It was a hard battle, having a popular boyfriend.

Everything about him seemed so perfect.

His blonde hair was very distinctive in its colour that complemented a cute face and a very fit body, even his personality was extremely likable. Not to mention, the smoothness of it felt incredibly soothing when caressed by her fingers when they lay next to each other...

His tummy was her favorite spot, however.

She loved pinching him there to see his cute reactions, his laugh, to feel the squishy skin and the muscles tightening around her grip...

Amber's face turned incredibly red as she rolled around in her bed, trying to play down her raucous imagination and thoughts. She put a pillow over her face to block out such improper ideas from spiraling further and suppress her fantasies.

Still...

She didn't like this silence, but she would wait for his reply, once he felt like he was able to send one.

She believed he would send one eventually.

...

..

.

One week later...

Amber and Eula were clearing out Hilichurl camps near the vicinity of Cider Lake, or more specifically near the town of Mondstadt.

"Speak, don't make me repeat again. What is wrong?"

Eula could tell something was bothering Amber lately...she could easily detect the tenseness in Amber's body that wasn't usually there, in her movements and tone of voice, how uncomfortable she felt on the inside, despite the smile, undoubtedly fake, she was sporting...

Amber brushed her messy shoulder-length hair away from her lovely face and sighed deeply to her best friend's blunt question.

"It's...fine...everything is alright, you don't have to worry, Eula."

Eula furrowed her eyebrows deeply and pouted at the obvious lie she gave to such an important question, "You dare lie to me? A noblewoman whose honor and nobility have all the wonders of the human universe behind them? Hmph! Mark my words, vengeance will be mine!"

Amber slightly giggled about the fact that her best friend was trying to sound intimidating but ultimately failed miserably and managed to cheer her up instead.

Maybe that was her goal from the very beginning. With Eula, anything was possible.

"It's just that…Aether still hasn't replied to any of my letters...it's been two months now since I've gotten a letter from him. Do you think he...found another woman for himself...and ran away with her...or rather started living with her in Liyue and forgot all about me…?"

Her doubts were absolutely justified. She was very average-looking compared to many other women in this world, even in Monstadt she wasn't particularly attractive, and she knew that fact very well… Even Eula, her best friend, was so much more beautiful than she was…

She also had that noble elegance going on for her that she was sure would make many men fall dead over heels for her; an elegance Amber didn't have, nor could she even hope to.

It wouldn't be out of the line for him to find someone prettier and more beautiful to be with… Someone that could complement his handsome appearance unlike the plain her…

Dark thoughts like these plagued her mind incessantly these days making living very suffocating and painful, but she was helpless about it…

Eula tilted her head to the side and pondered over this theory for a second, then shook her head as a form of denial, giving a look as though that very notion was ridiculous.

"You truly think that someone as amazing as you could be replaced? Surely you jest!"

"Wow, I don't think I've ever heard such kind words from you before."

Amber grinned happily as she extended her arms to wrap them around Eula, binding them into a hug.

She needed this badly.

Her cheerful words and friendly gesture were greeted with Eula's typical cold sneer accompanied with further mocking laughter, "Haha! I-I suppose that...that…Yes! You can't risk being sad, because it might turn into something more serious... And if that happens...Well...If that happens...I can't go about getting my vengeance by picking on a heartbroken weakling now, can I? Hmph!"

"Uh huh, uh huh..." Amber agreed quietly, letting out another small chuckle at the flustered expression that Eula tried to hide behind her cold facade, and was failing miserably in doing that.

Eula was her best friend. They were together ever since they were small. Eula was taught under her grandfather, as no one else wanted to take her in to train as a knight due to her infamous clan.

That was also how they met for the first time...

...

..

.

The following day.

Amber woke up from a loud knock on her door, early into the morning.

"I'm coming!" she yelled as she swung her legs over the edge of her mattress, quickly putting her Outrider Uniform on before she exited her room.

Reaching her destination in seconds, her face immediately lit up as she saw that someone familiar was standing at the front door.

"Ah! Miss Lisa! Good Morning!"

Amber greeted her cheerily but immediately noticed that Lisa's expression was crestfallen, followed by an odd tone in her voice.

"...Jean wants to see you."

"Acting Grand Master Jean wants to meet me?"

She was quick to notice that Lisa's usually flirty slightly frivolous mood was replaced by a strange sorrowful one.

Amber blinked in confusion and wanted to ask what happened, but before she could ask anything, Lisa simply turned around and walked towards the Knight of Favonius' Headquarters, and so Amber had no choice but to follow her with an apprehensive mind, a bad premonition rising from deep within.

She was wondering exactly what was happening. It was very weird for her to be before her house, to begin with, moreover, she never saw Lisa like that which made her even more confused and anxious.

Lisa usually didn't go outside of her library unless she went to collect her books, so what could be the reason that lazy librarian would come so early in front of her home...

***

Once Amber entered the room Jean resided in, she took immediate notice of Kaeya, Diluc, and Eula standing at the table, staring at a letter that Jean held in her hands, which were, to the shock of her, trembling.

'Sir Kaeya... And even Mr. Diluc Ragnvindr is here? What is happening?' Amber thought as her brows furrowed further, her confusion only growing further.

Eula looked up from the letter, her gaze was one of shock as she locked her eyes with Amber briefly, before she bit her lip and averted her gaze to not let her look at her face.

Amber was starting to get really worried.

Something was definitely going on!

Why did they eye her like this?

What were they hiding?

"You wanted to see me? Acting Grand Master Jean?"

Amber stood in the middle of the room, all eyes on her, her body stiff with anxiety and worry.

Jean took a deep breath and straightened her posture, controlling her shaken up mind and body she muttered, "Amber...a letter came from Liyue—"

Amber practically dashed forward and snatched the letter from Jean's hands, completely forgetting any semblance of respect or courtesy she should be giving to her senior, but she couldn't help it.

This was it! Finally, he wrote her a letter! All her thinking power went down the drain as she only focused on the letter and letter alone.

Although she didn't know why it wasn't sent to her but to the Knights of Favonius' Headquarters instead, she was sure it was from him!

Finally, her Aether wrote back after all this time.

'He should better come up with a good excuse on why he didn't respond in so long!'

However, as she started reading, Amber noticed that it wasn't his handwriting. It was too elegant and beautiful to be his handwriting, his was a bit rough and strong in its strokes. Immediately, the anxiety that had been pushed down came back like a tidal wave as she focused more on the letter.

As she continued to read further, she became more confused until she finished the letter in its entirety.

Amber hadn't said anything, her head was lowered. Her eyes, usually full of life, went dull. The vibrant golden eyes dancing with so much vitality, as though a blatant lie, vanished, lifelessness taking its place.

She was staring at the piece of paper in her violently trembling hands and didn't want to believe what was written there. She couldn't.

"Cause of...death....a large gaping hole in...chest...area..."

Amber's usually carefree nature left her as she looked at Jean, her dull eyes practically begging her to say that this wasn't true with the last bit of life left in them.

"...I'm...sorry for your loss..."

Those words. Those terrible words, ones she prayed so dearly wouldn't be real were blatantly thrown at her without any regard as to what they would do to her.

"It...it was in an extremely dangerous area near Chasms. He was ambushed and...you know the rest..." Jean spoke slowly, surely showing a clear sign of distress.

"I believe that's enough. She needs time. Leave her alone for a while." Diluc intervened after noticing Amber needed space to breathe from the earth-shattering revelation of her lover's untimely death.

Both Diluc and Kaeya exchanged looks, before leaving the room. Soon after, Lisa followed.

Amber couldn't believe her eyes. Was she really seeing this right? It must have been a nightmare…or a hallucination.

There was no way it could be real...

Aether was strong...Aether wouldn't die like this...Aether was the strongest...

Even her inner nervous system could never imagine that such a horrible thing could ever happen to her beloved Aether.

"I-I'll make sure to gather everyone and give him a proper burial. I'm sure there will be...many guests who would like to say their final goodbyes to him...Be it from Mondstadt or Liyue..." Jean's tone was low, she had a hard time accepting the truth as well, Aether was someone she considered to be her friend, a genuine one, and now he was gone forever.

However, she knew that accepting the hard reality would be needed for her, especially during such trying times where monsters were hitting Mondstadt on daily basis...

They couldn't afford to dwell too long on certain emotions...

Mondstadt above all else… For Monstadt, they will have to persevere…

Amber, on the other hand, had a much harder time accepting this...this...fake reality.

He wasn't responding to her letters...because he was already gone...

All this time he was gone...

And she didn't even think something might have happened to him...

Couldn't she have only imagined hearing those atrocious words...couldn't it have been a dream? Or even a phantasm?

Her life was over. This harsh reality would soon become cruel when the light went out in her world forever.

Throwing herself onto her knees, Amber wailed silently into the void of space surrounding her.

Her pain and cries grew louder and more violent. There was nothing that could ease the feeling of helplessness and self-loathing crawling along her insides.

She should have followed him...

She should have been with him...

Her mind seemingly disconnected itself from reality. Nothing mattered anymore. There was no future for her in her current state, there was nothing left for her in this world without her beloved Aether.

"Amber..."

Eula approached Amber and gave her a hug without any reservation or pretense. Now was not the time for any type of facade from her side...

Amber needed love, and she needed it immediately.

Someone to support her and help her pull through this nightmarish experience.

"He said...he would come back to me..." Amber uttered in between a loud whimper.

Eula teared alongside her seeing the heartbroken state of her friend.

"To marry me...we would have three children...I already thought of the names...for both the boys and the girls..."

"Amber..."

"Boys would be mischievous, but strong...the girls would be pretty flowers...a happy family..."

"Amber..."

Eula called out to her multiple times but she wasn't responding at all as if she didn't hear her.

She was no longer able to respond.

Amber's mental state completely crumbled apart. All hope vanished. All happiness dried up. Everything… destroyed to ashes.

All dreams of their future flew away beyond her reach and shattered before her very eyes.

She wanted to vanish along with him.

Nothing in Teyvat would force her to continue with this fake life anymore.

There was nothing left in her to stand on...

Amber stood up, prying herself free from Eula's hug.

"I'll...go home. Goodbye." She sniffled tearfully as she swiftly exited the premises of the Favonius Headquarters.

Eula wanted to follow but Jean stopped her, "Please...let her be...I can't even imagine what she's currently going through...we would be in the way...but I believe in her... she's strong. An Outrider just like her Grandfather. She will pull through."

Eula nodded and sighed, "What a terrible day...Amber will never be the same ever again...I hope you're aware of this..."

"I know."

Maybe, if Jean didn't reach out that time, things would have been much different...

***

**

*

The very same day, twenty minutes later.

Amber was sitting on her bed, playing with the ring Aether gave her, as she readied herself for her own journey. A journey to search for her beloved.

"You sure abandoned me, didn't ya...you silly…"

She gazed at a photo of Aether in a frame on the desk next to her bed.

"Aether."

She gave the picture a kiss and carefully caressed its edges.

"You sure love leaving me behind. Be it going to Liyue...and now..."

She then stood up and searched through her bag with equipment that contained many things. From arrows to knives.

After a moment of searching, she pulled out a rope.

After tying the ends, she stood up on her bed and tied it against the ceiling.

Once satisfied, she wrapped the rope around her neck and tightened it to the maximum.

"Geez! You really are selfish...Aether. You always go off somewhere on your own...You are simply hopeless, ya know!"

And took a step forward, a step towards a rather long journey, to unite with his lover.

Following him, leaving this miserable fake world for the sake of entering the real world, he was a part of now...

***

**

*

Several hours later.

Eula had a bad feeling in her guts ever since Amber left the Headquarters. It felt like she had given up on living.

'That expression of hopelessness... I'll never be able to forget it.'

That being said, she decided to visit Amber after all...Just to make sure everything was fine.

However, after knocking a few times on her door, there was no response. Which immediately alarmed her.

'Did she go out? No...not likely...but then, could it be!?'

She immediately kicked the door open and ran into Amber's room.

Her deepest fears were realized...when she saw her best friend... hanging from a rope without any movement.

Right in front of her...hanging down like a marionette dancing to string music played by an invisible musician.

"Amber...?" Eula whispered hoarsely as she rushed to snap her friend free of death.

She quickly pulled Amber's body up in an attempt to stop the choking but it was far too late, as Amber's lifeless body had already grown cold hours ago...

She was far too late...

"..."

"Am...ber..."

Eula began sobbing uncontrollably in the silence that surrounded her once again.

The grief had suddenly invaded every single nerve in her entire being, causing spikes of despair within the numb blackness in her chest that, in a moment, quickly turned acidic.

"W...hy...did y..ou..."

She choked every syllable out her throat, cowering like a coward next to Amber's body.

Maybe if only she wasn't selfish.

If she went home with her, instead of letting her go alone...

If she wasn't acting on a high and mighty persona...

Amber would still be alive.

It was all her fault...

All her fault...

All her fault...

All her fault...

She clutched Amber's body tighter and cried at the top of her lungs, silently begging her departed loved one to return to her embrace one last time...Just one last time...

Then she'd be okay...She'd get through this...with her help...she would surely...get through it...

...

..

.

Sadly… in this fake world, there were no miracles, and there never would be any...

The last Outrider of the Knights of Favonius had sadly… passed away, under dubious circumstances.

Details not shown to the public.

Hopefully, she went to a better place, to a world that wouldn't be stuck in darkness like the one they had learned they were living in all the while.

To a land filled with excitement and smiles and laughter… of those who mattered… of those who were to be cherished…

Like a festival celebrating love permeating all around. Not falling into a hole… Into the abyss of despair and melancholy...

A world where she could reunite with her loved one and live with him in joy and all the happiness that she deserved.

A world where they would share a bond undying and unfettered by time.

A world where finally their love for each other could flourish without any restrictions or conditions…

A love, their love, that would truly be….

Eternal...…