"It's been a while, Rover."
Aether stretched lazily, stepping out into the warm sunlight. A familiar figure made him pause for a moment before he managed a smile.
"Yeah, it's over."
Rover patted the dust off Aether's shoulder, looking at how much more composed he had become. A strange sense of déjà vu washed over him—like when they first met beneath Starsnatch Cliff. The once-naive boy had weathered Mondstadt's dragon crisis, Liyue's Archon war, Inazuma's conflict, Sumeru's Irminsul ordeal, and Fontaine's calamity, transforming into someone even Rover found astonishing.
"Yeah, it's over... I think I'll stay in Fontaine for a while, doing my best to help the wounded and weary."
Aether rubbed the back of his head. Nearby, Abby, floating in the air, waved at them, signaling them to come over.
Following Abby, they arrived at a beach just outside the Court of Fontaine.
"Heheh, how's my fishing skill?"
Paimon crossed her arms proudly as a few fish flopped around in the bucket.
"I'll grill the fish this time. Last time I did this was after the Mondstadt incident."
Rover's words brought back distant memories, making Aether pause with a faint, bittersweet smile.
"Yeah, back then, all I wanted was to grow stronger and find my sister. But now, looking back, the journey itself—the experiences along the way—are what I treasure most. The fireworks in Inazuma, the battles in The Chasm, the promise with my sister... We'll meet again at the end of fate. I can wait, and I'll keep waiting until I'm truly ready to face whatever comes next."
Aether took the grilled fish from Rover and took a small bite. It tasted like all the journeys they'd shared.
"Hey hey hey! I said save some for me!"
Abby instantly snatched a skewer from Paimon's hands, grumbling.
The two little ones began bickering mid-air again. In the breeze, their playful tussle carried unspoken farewells and blessings.
Two travelers from different worlds would eventually return to their own paths—just as everything must return to its rightful course.
"So... you're leaving this time?"
Aether's tone was light, as if he wasn't clinging to any reluctance.
"Yeah. The source of this Tacet Discord surge was man-made. I need to investigate it. And... the buried memories in my mind are pushing me to keep moving forward, to Solatis."
Rover turned his gaze back to the dark depths of the sea. He suddenly remembered the Atlantis he had imagined when he first arrived in Fontaine.
But this time, there was no lingering unease—only the certainty of an answer.
No matter how overwhelming the tidal wave, Rover believed that Atlantis, in its final moments, never stopped struggling. The outcome may have been tragic, but the process must have been heroic—enough to carve their story into the monument of human civilization.
"That's good. Having a goal is good."
Aether nodded, taking another bite of fish as he looked toward Natlan, his eyes trembling slightly.
"Rover, this is my favorite sword. Consider it a parting gift."
The blade of Aether's Dull Blade was worn, clearly well-used and cherished over a long time.
Rover didn't take it immediately, instead looking at Aether seriously.
"Don't worry. The Fontaine authorities will forge me a new sword."
Aether seemed to read his hesitation and shoved the sword into Rover's hands, finally putting his mind at ease.
The two fell silent, watching the sun hang in the sky—rising from the horizon and now descending toward the west.
Time flowed quietly in the stillness, undisturbed, uncounted, simply letting itself reach the end.
No feast in this world lasts forever. Where there are meetings, there must also be partings.
Only this time, they knew it was the last.
After the events at Black Shores, the technology related to black hole analysis would be permanently sealed by the Black Shores faction. A dedicated monitoring department was also established—should any similar black holes appear in Solatis, the Bloom Bearers would be dispatched to neutralize and close them. This meant the passage between their two worlds would be shut forever.
"I'm off."
Rover stood up, leaving footprints in the sand before the rising tide washed them away.
The last black hole in this world hummed quietly ahead.
"Rover!"
He stopped. The setting sun cast his silhouette into a long shadow, the sea breeze tousling his hair.
Aether pursed his lips together before finally shouting out the last gratitude in his heart.
"Thank you for accompanying me all this way! I hope your journey ahead goes smoothly too!"
Rover couldn't help but laugh. He waved back casually, as if to say, "You too."
The farewell between two men wasn't drawn-out or sentimental—no lengthy words, no reluctant clinging. Just a simple, ordinary goodbye.
Rover lifted his head, memorizing this world's final scene.
Teyvat, Genshin Impact—goodbye!
(The End)
(Author's Note: Optional to read.)
It's done. I started this book on July 20th, and now, nearly four months later, it's finished. Time flies.
I'm honored that this story gained some attention during Genshin Impact's Version 4.8 update, letting readers get to know me. Guess it was just fate, haha.
I don't write explosive, high-drama content, and my prose is pretty average. Even the initial idea came from a friend's suggestion. So the next time I "blow up," it'll probably be ages from now.
Originally, I started this book to stir controversy, ride the hype, and cash in on Genshin's 4.8 traffic before dipping. But as I wrote, I realized—it wasn't the characters at fault, but the writers behind them.
So I gradually stopped doing that. I gave Aether more moments to shine, and at one point, I had around 200 consistent readers.
But later, I started hating the formulaic plotlines I'd planned. It felt meaningless. After finishing the Sumeru arc, I intentionally shifted the tone.
I knew many readers wanted Rover to be an overpowered protagonist who crushed everything, so I was mentally prepared when half the readers dropped off after Fontaine's first act.
But I don't regret it. Writing is about expressing what you want to say. I'm not a full-time author, and I won't cater to trends. I was just lost, unsure what to write—even this novel was my friend's suggestion.
But I think I've found my direction. I really like stories like Punishing: Gray Raven—exploring individual resilience amid apocalyptic disasters. So my next book will be a PGR fanfic. It'll probably get buried in the algorithm, but even 20 or 30 readers would be fine.
There might be many Wuthering Wave fics, but PGR fics are rare. Guess I'm joining the niche community now—hope PGR players will welcome me.
Oh, and if you haven't left a review yet, feel free to do so. I'd really love for this book to hit an 8.0 rating.
Finally, thank you all for your support. I had so much more I wanted to say, but in the end, all that's left is—
Thank you.
Thank you for reading till the end.
Thank you for acknowledging me.
Thank you for your unwavering support!)