A simple touch.
But enough to freeze time.
Aether blushed instantly.
Aether: "Hey?!"
He immediately raised his hand to his cheek.
Aether: "Eula?!"
Behind him…
Shenhe hadn't moved.
But his expression had changed.
His eyes were fixed on Eula.
And in that gaze…
Anger was slowly beginning to surface.
The wind had stopped.
The world itself seemed suspended after what had just happened.
Aether remained frozen, one hand still resting on his cheek, where Eula had just placed her kiss. His mind raced, unable to process the situation properly.
Two confessions.
Two feelings.
At the same time.
And facing him…
Shenhe.
Silent.
Motionless.
But her gaze… was no longer the same.
Aether swallowed hard.
Aether: "I… I think there's been a misunderstanding…"
His voice trembled slightly.
Aether: "I didn't know… you felt that way…"
Eula crossed her arms, keeping her gaze fixed on him.
Eula: "That's precisely why I'm telling you now."
Shenhe didn't look away.
Shenhe: "There's no misunderstanding."
Her tone was calm.
But cold.
Aether felt the tension rise.
He raised his hands slightly, as if to defuse the situation.
Aether: "Wait... we can talk about this calmly..."
Eula sighed softly.
Eula: "That's what I'm doing."
Then she turned her head slightly toward Shenhe.
Eula: "Unlike some."
Shenhe's gaze hardened.
Shenhe: "Explain yourself."
Eula gave a slight smile.
Eula: "You've been getting closer to him from the start."
She took a step forward.
Eula: "You put your hand on him. You stay glued to him."
She narrowed her eyes slightly.
Eula: "And you think that's normal?"
Shenhe didn't back away.
Shenhe: "I'm doing what I feel."
Eula: "Exactly."
Silence.
Then
Eula: "Me too."
Aether: "Eula, Shenhe…"
But no one was listening.
The two women were now completely focused on each other.
Shenhe tilted her head slightly.
Shenhe: "Your behavior is unnecessarily aggressive."
Eula raised an eyebrow.
Eula: "My behavior?"
She smirked.
Eula: "You mean yours?"
The wind picked up again gently.
The atmosphere was becoming heavy.
Aether took a step forward.
Aether: "Can we prevent this from escalating?"
But again—
Ignored.
Shenhe calmly placed her hand on her spear.
Shenhe: "You're interfering for no reason, and besides, he had to pay for you yesterday."
Eula: "It's only 24,000 Mora, and I was planning to pay him back."
Eula replied immediately.
Eula: "For no reason?"
She took another step.
Eula: "Do you really want me to remind you why?"
Silence fell.
Then Eula spoke more quietly.
Eula: "Because you refuse to give him space."
Shenhe's eyes narrowed slightly.
Shenhe: "Space...?"
Eula: "Yes."
She turned her head slightly toward Aether.
Then she immediately returned to Shenhe.
Eula: "He's not an object you can keep to yourself."
Aether: "Hey..."
Shenhe interrupted.
Shenhe: "I don't consider him an object."
Eula: "Then prove it."
A heavy, drawn-out silence.
Shenhe observed Aether for a few seconds.
Then she continued.
Shenhe: "I'm honest about my feelings."
Eula: "Me too."
The two women faced each other.
Neither backed away.
Aether ran a hand through her hair, completely overwhelmed.
Aether: "Why is it getting like this…"
Eula sighed softly.
Then her expression changed.
She calmed down slightly.
And turned to Aether.
Eula: "Listen."
Her voice was calmer.
Softer.
Eula: "You don't need to deal with this here."
Aether looked up.
Eula continued.
Eula: "You said you wanted to go back to Mondstadt, didn't you?"
Aether blinked.
Aether: "Yes, but..."
Eula moved slightly closer.
Eula: "Then let's keep it simple."
She placed a hand on her hip.
Eula: "You're coming with me."
A short silence.
Eula: "We're going back to Mondstadt."
She gave a small smile.
Eula: "There, you can rest."
She glanced quickly at Shenhe.
Eula: "Far from all this."
The silence after the impact was heavy.
FFFFFFFFFFffffffffffff
The wind blew slowly, stirring up a few specks of dust around Shenhe, who looked at Eula angrily, but not like a prankster, more like a seasoned warrior determined to reclaim her treasure.
Author's note: "Aether is the treasure."
Calmly.
As if this kind of situation was nothing new to her.
Facing her, Eula stood straight, her gaze cold, still thick with tension.
Behind her, Aether watched the scene, completely lost.
Aether: "HEY!"
"That's enough!"
But neither of them was listening.
Eula took a shallow breath.
Then she spoke.
Her voice was surprisingly calm.
Eula: "I understand your feelings."
Eula narrowed her eyes slightly.
Shenhe continued.
Eula: "You and I… we have something in common."
The wind blew softly between them.
Eula: "When I was younger… I was alone."
She lowered her eyes slightly, as if reliving memories.
Eula: "I didn't trust anyone."
Eula remained silent.
But she was listening.
Shenhe slowly raised his gaze.
Eula: "But now…"
His voice softened.
Eula: "I'm starting to open up."
A silence.
Then she placed a hand on her chest.
Eula: "Thanks to him."
Aether's gaze lifted slightly.
Taken aback.
Eula: "Having someone who makes you feel this way..."
She paused.
Eula: "It's precious."
Shenhe didn't reply immediately.
But his gaze changed slightly.
Less aggressive, more attentive.
Eula continued.
But this time
Her tone became colder.
Cutting.
Eula: "But..."
She looked Eula straight in the eyes.
Eula: "If you don't let him breathe like this..."
A silence.
Then
Eula: "You should give him some space."
Aether: "Eula..."
He took a step forward.
But the situation was still slipping out of his control.
Eula folded her arms.
Then she replied calmly.
Eula: "You're too naive."
Shenhe didn't move.
Eula continued.
Eula: "You think staying by his side like this is a good thing."
She sighed softly.
Eula: "But you're smothering him."
Shenhe: "Not true."
Eula: "Really?"
She took a step toward Aether.
Then she gently placed her hand in his.
Aether flinched slightly.
Aether: "E-Eula?"
Eula didn't look at him.
Her eyes remained fixed on Shenhe.
Eula: "Look at him."
Silence.
Eula: "He doesn't even know what to say anymore."
Shenhe watched the scene.
His eyes moved down to their hands.
Then slowly back up.
And for a moment—
Something changed.
Aether: "Shenhe...?"
Eula: "You're being too kind to her."
Her voice was calm.
Almost gentle.
But something was wrong.
Eula: "Let's go."
She gently tightened her hand around Aether's.
Eula: "Let's go back to Mondstadt."
A faint smile appeared.
Eula: "Everyone's waiting for you there."
She tilted her head slightly.
Eula: "Even Lisa."
Then she added, with a hint of coldness:
Eula: "And given her condition..."
A brief glance at Shenhe.
Eula: "She's already losing her mind."
Aether: "Eula, wait—"
But he didn't have time to finish.
Silence.
Just a moment.
Then
Shenhe hurled himself violently to the ground with his spear, aiming to strike Eula. When he saw Eula trying to grab Aether and bring him back to Monstadt, he lunged forward.
BBBOOOUUUMM
Aether, thanks to a graceful, almost dance-like movement from Eula, took his hand.
Shenhe's eyes were fixed on Eula.
They were open, staring, and icy.
The wind stopped.
WHOOSH
The earth cracked slightly under the impact.
The sound echoed across the plain.
A cloud of dust rose.
Aether remained frozen.
Aether: "...…"
Silence fell once more.
Aether stared at Shenhe, spear in hand.
His gaze… was no longer calm.
She stopped a few meters from Eula.
Who was already repositioning herself.
Blood trickled slightly down her forehead.
But she was smiling.
A cold smile.
Dangerous.
Shenhe looked at her.
And spoke.
Eula: "HEY."
In a low voice.
Sharp.
Eula: "Are you an idiot?"
The silence that followed Eula's question was almost oppressive.
The wind had picked up again, making her white hair flutter slightly.
Her gaze, however, remained fixed on Shenhe, cold… sharp.
Shenhe, for her part, wiped the blood from the corner of her lips.
Then she smiled.
A brief smile.
Provocative.
Shenhe: "If that's the case…"
She straightened her posture slightly.
Shenhe: "Then you should already know."
Just a moment.
Then—
Shenhe slowly raised her spear.
And pointed it directly at Aether.
Aether froze.
Aether: "H-Huh?!"
Shenhe: "I won't let you go."
Her voice was calm.
But absolute.
Shenhe: "You're not going anywhere."
Aether stepped back slightly, surprised.
But before the situation could escalate further—
A hand intervened.
Eula.
She had just placed her arm in front of Aether, positioning herself in the path of the spear.
Eula: "That's enough."
Her tone was cold.
Authoritative.
Eula: "You've gone too far."
She turned her head slightly toward Aether.
Eula: "Don't worry."
Then she looked at Shenhe.
Eula: "I won't let anyone force you to do anything."
Silence.
Then Eula continued.
Eula: "You want him to stay?"
"Very well."
She crossed her arms.
Eula: "But it won't be up to you."
Shenhe narrowed her eyes slightly.
Shenhe: "He doesn't have to follow you either."
Eula: "I never said otherwise."
One step.
Eula stepped forward.
Eula: "Unlike you."
Shenhe's gaze hardened.
Aether, behind them, raised her hands slightly.
Aether: "Wait, we can—"
But again
Ignored.
Shenhe: "He can do whatever he wants."
Eula: "Exactly."
Silence.
Then—
Then—
The two women moved closer.
Face to face.
Too close.
Their eyes met.
Shenhe: "Then stop trying to take him away."
Eula: "And you, stop holding him back."
A heartbeat.
Just one.
Then
CLASH
Their weapons clashed with a sharp crack.
Eula with her claymore
And Shenhe with her spear
The impact echoed across the plain.
Aether: "HEY!!"
But already—
Too late.
The two women had vanished from their positions.
They were moving at breakneck speed.
SHING
The blades clashed.
Again and again.
Each blow whipped up the wind.
Each impact shook the ground. Aether stepped back slightly, overwhelmed.
Aether: "...I've seen this somewhere before..."
Memories flashed through her mind.
Two figures.
Two strong personalities.
Once, during a conversation with Paimon, they had a debate about what might happen if Lisa and Ei ever met, but they decided it was better not to know the answer.
A conflict impossible to resolve.
But here
It was worse.
WHOOSH
Shenhe appeared to the side and launched her spear.
THROW
The weapon sliced through the air at lightning speed.
But Eula reacted immediately.
SWOOSH
She deflected the attack with a swift movement.
Then she charged.
BOOM
Another impact.
The two women found themselves face to face again.
Their faces just inches apart.
Their weapons locked.
Their gazes… burning.
Eula: "You should give up."
Shenhe: "You first."
Silence.
Then—
Eula chuckled softly.
Eula: "Seriously…"
She gently slammed her spear against Shenhe's.
Eula: "You're really stupid to get rid of your spear."
Shenhe's eyes narrowed.
Tense.
Even stronger.
Then she summoned her cryo ally.
The clash of weapons still echoed in the air as Eula deflected Shenhe's spear once more.
The metal slid against her claymore with a sharp squeal.
CCCCCCCCRRRRRRrrrrrrrrreeeeeee
But something was different.
In the air, Shenhe's Spirit Talisman appeared. The white, humanoid form of ice rushed behind Eula, following the spear Shenhe had thrown.
Silent.
Icy.
materialized behind the spear, like an invisible will guiding the weapon. Before Eula could even react, the Spirit Talisman seized it—
And hurled it back.
THROW
The spear shot in the opposite direction.
Toward Eula.
Her eyes widened slightly. Her body reacted before she even had a chance to think.
She pivoted.
Her blade rose—
And she deflected the attack again.
But that simple movement…
…had just changed everything.
Because by turning—
She had exposed her back.
For a moment.
Just one.
And Shenhe didn't let it pass.
In a breath, she was already behind her.
Her hand closed around her spear, which had returned to her, as if it had never left her palm.
Eula: "Oh, crap…"
Too late.
In a fluid, precise movement
Relentless
Shenhe struck.
SLASH
The blade sliced through Eula's shoulder, blood splattered the air, time seemed to slow down.
Aether's gaze froze, Shenhe's… remained cold.
Empty.
Eula, she…
Her legs buckled with pain, and she fell to her knees.
A trickle of blood ran down her arm, slowly dripping onto the ground.
Eula: "…"
Shenhe: "…"
Aether: "…"
The silence was heavy and oppressive.
Then Shenhe took a step forward.
Then another.
She advanced toward Eula, without hesitation.
As if the outcome were already decided.
As if this fight… wasn't over yet.
But—
Aether moved.
He suddenly positioned himself between them, arms outstretched.
A living barrier.
Aether: "Enough!"
His voice rang out in the air.
Louder than the clash of weapons.
Sharper than the fight itself.
Aether: "You've done too much."
Shenhe stopped.
Her gaze slid towards him.
A slight incomprehension appeared there.
Shenhe: "Why?"
Aether clenched his teeth slightly.
Aether: "I know you two are strong, but don't fight to the death."
Silence.
Shenhe hesitated.
Shenhe: "But..."
But Aether didn't let her finish.
Aether: "Don't!!!"
He looked up.
And his gaze met hers.
Harsh.
Cold.
The word struck.
Like a lightning bolt.
Shenhe froze.
Completely.
Her whole body seemed to tense, as if something had just pierced her completely.
In her mind, everything blurred.
A shock.
A brutal sensation.
As if—
An invisible arrow had just pierced her.
And on that arrow
A single word :
BAD
Her pupils trembled.
A sudden understanding.
Terrible.
If Aether was speaking to her like this…it meant he was angry.
And if he was angry…
Then he hated her.
The world seemed to waver around her.
Her expression changed.
Radically.
The coldness vanished.
Replaced by something fragile, broken, her shoulders trembled slightly.
And suddenly—
The scene shifted in an almost absurd and unreal way.
Shenhe: "I'm sowwy... please don't hate me..."
Her voice trembled.
Her words came out in disarray.
She sniffed.
Her eyes shone.
Aether blinked.
Completely taken aback.
Aether: "Huh?"
Shenhe took a step toward him.
Then another.
Shenhe: "I won't do it again... please don't leave me..."
Aether: "WAIT...."
But she continued.
As if she couldn't stop.
As if everything she was holding back had suddenly collapsed.
Shenhe: "Please don't hate me..."
Aether raised his hands, panicked.
Aether: "Okay, okay, I get it!"
"Shenhe, I don't hate you and I won't leave you!"
Silence.
Shenhe sniffed softly.
Her eyes were raised to him.
Fragile.
Uncertain.
Shenhe: "Really...?"
Aether sighed slightly.
Then his gaze softened.
Aether: "Yeah, so don't cry."
Aether's breathing gradually calmed as Shenhe sniffed slightly, his shoulders trembling faintly.
The atmosphere, thick with deadly tension just seconds before, seemed to have cracked... as if suspended between two worlds.
But this calm didn't last.
A thought suddenly crossed Aether's mind.
Eula.
His gaze shifted sharply.
Aether: "But first we need to heal Eula."
He frowned slightly. Heal... he didn't really know how.
He wasn't a healer, yet this wasn't the first time he'd been injured.
A memory came back to him.
A fight against monsters, a few weeks earlier.
Nothing extraordinary.
A mere skirmish; he had dodged most of the attacks, but a barely visible scratch had nicked his skin.
Nothing serious.
A mere graze.
But Barbara had immediately rushed to him, panicked.
She had persisted.
Again and again, despite his protests.
Despite the fact that the wound was insignificant.
She had placed her hands on him, invoking her Hydro power, a soft, bluish light enveloping his body.
The sensation was soothing, almost warm, almost… reassuring.
And Noelle, nearby, watched intently, ready to intervene at the slightest sign of danger.
Chapter 17: Eula vs Shenhe Round 1 (Part 1)
The End