Mondstadt City
On the outskirts of Mondstadt stood a noticeably large house with a spacious garden. At first glance, it looked like an ordinary residence—well-kept, quiet, and almost too peaceful.
But if anyone came close enough, the strangeness became impossible to miss.
Human-sized dolls moved through the garden like real people. One knelt to water the flowers with careful precision. Another trimmed hedges and pulled weeds. A third swept the walkway, while a fourth carried linens inside as if it had lived there its entire life. Even the house chores were handled with eerie perfection, each doll moving with practiced, familiar routines.
And yet…
Passersby didn't even spare a glance.
They walked by as if the sight wasn't there at all—like the house's uncanny atmosphere simply slid off their minds.
Yes. This was Elios's family home in Mondstadt.
The dolls were animated by Alice's magic—something most people in Teyvat couldn't achieve even with elemental energy and the many strange power systems in this world.
Magic in Teyvat is different. Rare. Hard to learn. And when mastered… unsettlingly effective and useful.
Even though the house was empty most of the time due to its residents' busy nature—and Klee often stayed at the Knights' headquarters—Alice's dolls maintained the estate continuously, keeping it ready in case their masters returned.
And yesterday…
They had returned.
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Elios's Family Home — Master Bedroom
Inside the master bedroom, Elios lay asleep—if it could even be called sleep. Klee had latched onto his arm like a lifeline, snoring softly with adorable determination.
Then, without warning, Elios's eyes opened.
It was as if he hadn't been asleep at all.
With careful, silent movements, he slid his arm free from Klee's grip. Before she could stir, he replaced his arm with a nearby Dodoco pillow, positioning it perfectly so her hands would keep hugging without noticing the difference.
Klee mumbled something unintelligible and snuggled deeper.
Elios rose. No creak of floorboards. No rustle of cloth. He moved like a shadow that chose not to be noticed.
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First Floor
Elios stepped onto the first floor—and stopped.
He didn't look around. He didn't search.
He simply spoke, as if addressing the air itself.
"Took you long enough, Venti."
A voice answered immediately—light, offended, and far too familiar.
"Mou! Do you even know how busy I've been these last two days?" came the complaint.
Elios's gaze shifted to the window.
It was open—though it hadn't been open before.
Sitting on the window frame was a young man who looked like a bard at first glance. A boyish face, teal eyes, and an expression that screamed injustice. He wore a pout as if it were a badge of honor.
"I didn't even drink for two consecutive days," Venti sniffed dramatically. "Do you understand how cruel that is? I should sue you for restricting the Freedom God's freedom!"
Elios raised an eyebrow. "That's unexpected. I thought you'd be drunk and asleep on top of some tree again."
He paused, then added with a hint of genuine surprise:
"It seems you still care enough about Dvalin to resist your addiction."
"Hey!" Venti snapped. "What do you take me for? Even if I'm the freedom-loving, booze-loving Wind Archon, that doesn't mean I'd ignore my friend's crisis just to sneak drinks."
He lifted a finger as if making a solemn oath.
"Even I have bottom limits—"
But as he kept talking, his eyes drifted away. His guilty conscience was loud enough to be seen.
It was obvious he had considered sneaking to drink some alcohol.
Elios sighed. "At least look me in the eyes while saying that."
Then, casually: "By the way—Morax sends his regards. He said it's been a while since you last visited him. Why not make time to see him later?"
Venti jolted as if he'd been struck.
"Eh? The old man said that?!"
Then he leaned closer, whispering to himself with clear irritation.
"Tsk… that old man. He still didn't forget about that, huh…"
As if desperate to change the topic, Venti straightened and crossed his arms.
"Leaving that aside… I'm still surprised you keep slipping through my wind. I was paying extra attention lately, ready to act fast if Dvalin moved again, but I didn't even find out you'd returned until this morning."
He narrowed his eyes at Elios.
"You need to tell me someday how you keep doing that."
Elios's reply was calm, almost lazy.
"It's something you learn when you've spent enough time trying to slip away from the snoopy gazes of lofty beings."
His expression darkened slightly as if remembering something.
"And I'd rather not end up fighting an Archon over a stupid misunderstanding again."
He continued, unhurried:
"Also, it didn't take you a day to notice me. You only noticed now because I allowed it. I didn't want yesterday with little Klee to be interrupted… and I assumed you needed time to look for Dvalin."
Venti's pout deflated into reluctant acceptance.
Elios's tone shifted—subtle, but unmistakably more serious.
"Now then," he said, eyes narrowing, "I assume you found at least some clue about where they're keeping Dvalin, right?"
For a moment, something dangerous flickered behind his calmness.
Venti's expression tightened with helplessness.
"…Unfortunately, not yet. Those guys are way too slippery. And they've got some means that can slip past my wind and erase their traces using abyssal energy."
He rubbed the back of his neck, then forced steadiness into his voice.
"But I'm not completely blind. With the unrest happening lately in the surroundings, I can guess they'll make a move soon—probably against the city. If they attack, I can track them when they retreat."
Venti's eyes sharpened.
"But it also means I can't reveal myself during the assault. They don't know I'm awake yet. If they realize Barbatos is active, their strategy will change—and tracking them will become much harder."
Elios nodded once, decisive.
"Then that's fine."
His voice held quiet certainty.
"I'll hold the fort here in Mondstadt. You focus on tracking them."
He paused, then added thoughtfully:
"Even my presence may make them wary… but they probably don't know I'm aware of what's behind Dvalin. They'll probably just keep their heads buried until I leave. That gives you time."
Elios turned slightly toward Venti, tone final.
"Contact me the moment you find them. We can't afford to miss this opportunity while their guard is down."
Venti's expression, for once, was uncharacteristically serious.
"Of course."
A beat later, Elios's attention shifted upward—like he'd heard something no one else could.
His expression softened.
"It seems little Klee is awake already. Energetic as always."
He started toward the stairs, then glanced back.
"Will you stay to greet her? Join us for breakfast?"
Venti laughed awkwardly and waved a hand.
"I'll pass this time. I can greet Klee later." His tone softened with rare sincerity. "You should enjoy these moments first. They're probably rare for you."
Elios didn't press. He simply nodded and continued upstairs.
Back in the bedroom, Klee was sitting up, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"Good morning, Papa…"
"Good morning, little Klee." Elios's voice was gentle. "Freshen up. I'll go fetch breakfast from young Sara."
"Okay~!"
Klee's sleepy haze melted quickly. As she hopped out of bed, her fiery energy started bubbling up like it always did—ready to begin a new day.
______________
Meanwhile — Stormbearer Coast
On a stretch of beach along Stormbearer Coast, a blonde young man stood staring at the world with a strange mixture of confusion, caution… and shock.
'What happened?'
'Didn't I just die?'
His hand went to his chest, checking for a wound that wasn't there. He checked his heartbeat, breathing, the sensation of being alive.
Nothing made sense.
'If my memory is right, this is the beach where I first met Paimon… Stormbearer Coast.'
'But when did I get here? And how did I survive?'
His eyes darted around, scanning the shoreline, the water, the rocks—like he expected the answer to be hiding behind a wave.
'If I'm not mistaken… I was stabbed from behind.'
'I should've died.'
Then—
A sudden scream sliced through the sound of the sea.
"H-heeelp!! Please help me! I-I'm drowning…!"
The man snapped toward the sound, heart lurching.
That voice was too familiar.
"Paimon!"
He turned—and there she was.
A small floating figure in the water, flailing dramatically.
Paimon.
'What the heck?! There was no one there a moment ago when I looked!'
'How did she end up there?!'
The thought was useless now. He spotted a fishing rod nearby—like fate had placed it there for him—and grabbed it without hesitation.
After a brief calculation, he tossed the hook out.
"Here! Catch!"
Paimon grabbed on instinct. The rod bent. He pulled, hauling her toward shore with a strange, creeping sense of déjà vu.
'…Wait.'
'Isn't this exactly how I met Paimon the first time?'
He shook his head hard and rushed forward as soon as she was close enough, grabbing her before she could drift away.
"Paimon! Are you okay? How did you end up in the middle of the sea?!"
"Cough—cough!" Paimon hacked, sputtering seawater. "P-Paimon's okay… j-just need to catch… some breath…"
Then, as if something clicked in her mind, she suddenly looked at him with wide, alarmed eyes.
"W-wait—h-how do you know Paimon's name?" She floated backward in panic. "Who are you?!"
Aether blinked.
"Huh? What are you talking about, Paimon?"
Paimon's fear escalated instantly.
"D-don't tell me you were stalking me to r-rob me!" she cried. "Just so you know, I have no Mora! I'm so broke I can't even afford delicious food!"
She shot backward even faster, eyes darting like she expected him to pounce.
Aether's confusion sharpened into frustration.
"What is this? Paimon, stop joking—I'm not in the mood." His voice tightened. "Tell me what happened earlier. Who stabbed me? You must've seen them from your position. What happened after that?"
Paimon's face went pale.
"St-stabbed…?!" She gasped. "D-don't tell me you're not trying to rob me but to actually c-cook me?! WAAH! Paimon isn't delicious! Paimon tastes very, very bad! Waaah! Someone save me!"
She shrieked and tried to fly away—
—and Aether lunged to catch her.
But then something felt wrong.
His body moved sluggishly. Heavy.
His limbs didn't obey like they should.
His breath hitched.
'W-what happened to my body?'
'I feel… weak.'
'I can't exert any elemental energy at all—what the hell is going on?!'
Paimon was somehow faster than he expected, panic giving her speed. Aether chased, voice urgent.
"Stop! Stop, Paimon! Where are you going?! Let's talk! I need to know what happened!"
"WAAH! The thief wants to eat me!" Paimon screamed, flying as if her life depended on it.
Aether finally caught up and grabbed her firmly, forcing her to face him.
"Hey—calm down!" he insisted. "I know I joke about 'emergency food' sometimes, but this isn't the time. Please—tell me what happened."
His eyes narrowed, mind racing.
"Weren't we on the way to Celestia just earlier?!"
Paimon froze.
"Eh? C-Celestia…?" Her confusion matched his. "What are you saying? Who are you? Why are you talking like we know each other?"
Aether's stomach sank.
'She… isn't lying.'
'Paimon really doesn't remember.'
A cold possibility began to form.
He snapped his head upward to the sky—something he hadn't properly looked at since waking.
And then his blood ran cold.
'This… how…?'
'That huge crack in the false sky… it disappeared.. It's impossible'
'Or… could it be—'
Suddenly, everything that had felt disconnected began to align into one terrifying line:
His weakened body.
The lack of elemental control.
Paimon's missing memories.
Being in Mondstadt when he should've been on the forcibly opened stairway to Celestia.
Aether's breath caught.
A conclusion formed—outrageous, impossible…
…and yet, it fit too perfectly.
'C-could it be…'
'I really went back in time?!'
______________
Author's Note:
Yeah, the traveler this time is Aether, did you think it's going to be Lumine again like 99% ffs out there? Nah, I'm cooking something new and different, hehe. Stay tuned. Not sure you're going to love it but I'm cooking what I can with the few brain cells I have left.
And if you're curious about Aether's regression and if MC knows about it then no, he doesn't, not yet. But he'll know eventually as -shhh, I should stop here to not start spoiling everything lol.