"提灯の下の流れ"
━━━━━━━

"Plaustrite?" Noir blinked in surprise at the reason why the pair of travelers were beating up Hilichurls. The Lantern wick can only be found in Monsters, but he never knew Aether would go as to hunting them down for it.

He was quite thankful that the Sceo slimes retreated once they saw his eyes of determination. Well, determination to get Lantern wick from Monsters.

Noir was aware of the merchant's trick of naming the two kinds of Plaustrite to gain customers. It was a cunning idea, as the kinds of Plaustrite were unnamed before. He would have done the same of course.

"Yeah! I have to go fight more ruin hunters for the Vermillionite." Aether mused, frowning to himself. Ruin Guards were easier to find compared to Ruin Hunters, but he was insane to be upset about it. Who in their right mind would wish for more Ruin mechanisms?

Noir stiffened at his words. To think the traveler wasted his time jumping into danger just for some ore was something he could not accept. Sneaking his hand behind his back, he flicked his finger for a shadow to bring a rock to his palm. Smiling wryly, he forced on his knowledge of alchemy to transform the measly stone into Vermillionite. He did it again and again until he made enough.

"I don't think you should continue hunting down Ruin Hunters." Noir hummed.

The traveler gave him a look showing his confusion and curiosity. Noir smiled, handing him a heavy-looking bag.

"Huh? What did Noir give—AAAH!! THAT'S A LOT OF PALUSTRITE!" Paimon exclaimed, her eyes trembling at the site. She began to have greedy thoughts of how much these rare Plaustrite costs, drool dripping from her lips.

Noir chuckled at their behavior. He was simply glad that Paimon didn't show any similarities to his former floating companion.

Noir closed his eyes and have a blinding smile on them. Both thought he was showing such an expression out of kindness, unaware of his thoughts.

Using alchemy made him feel more lively, to use art that connected him to his past. The distant past that held a boy with pure untainted hair, and eyes like the sun. A boy blessed with prodigious accomplishments and the marvelous mastery of alchemy. In comparison, his partner was the better magician.

Noir shook himself out of his thoughts, his smile directed to the alchemically created ores. "H-How—"

"I'm quite unlucky to run into so many Ruin Hunters. Though that is my fault for searching for the Ruin mechanisms."

His words weren't false, but neither were they the entire truth. It was true that Noir was searching for Ruin mechanisms, but none of them dared to attack him. It was something that happened in the past that didn't make him their enemy. Rather something they must fear.

Aether's eyes held a shining light, as he lunges to Noir for a tight hug. The Albino froze, his eyes flashing gold for a short moment. Awkwardly, he rubbed the blonde's back, uncomfortable with where he should place his hands. He didn't want to place his hands on Aether's back because of the lack of cloth.

Aether finally noticed his discomfort and hurriedly separated himself. He chuckled awkwardly, avoiding the sharp silver gaze.

"W-Wonderful! If you need me, you may find me wandering around Liyue for the time being." He chuckled.

Taking several steps back, he fell backward to be swallowed by a shadow. Aether and Paimon yelped in surprise, but gasps of amazement soon replaced those sounds. They still haven't solved all the mystery of Chaos's blessing and would be ultimately surprised every time Noir showed it to them.

Many yearned for the blessing of chaos but it was this desire for power that stopped them from gaining such a gift. In the hands of lust for power, darkness would cause only discord to those around it. The avarice would become their undoing and the only way to relinquish themselves from suffering was to embrace the grim side of darkness.

Death.

.

His attempt to avoid the traveler was flipped to the opposite. At times, he began to yearn for his presence, the selfish desire to have someone similar to his past companions come to his side. Though he tried harder to distance himself by isolating at the top of dragonspine, only to descend the moment he saw the pair enter Monstadt's region.

The several times he wished that he could have been leashed to the wintry lands was not fulfilled. Without his familiarity, he could not be restrained from searching for the outlander.

The skill he had to watch over others from the sky was activated, focusing on the outlander while he leisurely sat on top of Monstadt's cathedral. Frowning to himself, he disliked what has become of their situations.

"Ignorance is a blessing." He murmured to himself, eyes flashing gold. Drumming his fingers on the floor, his feet dangled down from the tower-like structure.

"Unaware of how our fates being entwined. Is it a curse or a blessing?"

Heaving a tired sigh, he shivered. The island floating above Teyvat, he once entered the lands of the divine and never thought of it as heaven. Celestia was not a place he would ever refer to as paradise.

Unlike other vision holders, Sceo users had a lesser reputation than Allogenes. The mortals who held this power knew they could not ascend to Celestia. They knew the price to pay for the power to control the darkness that would cover Teyvat. They knew what Celestia truly was and we're glad to fall deep into the abyss for the hunger for the knowledge they had.

The island that oversees the mortals of Teyvat...

Was nothing but a prison.

A prison that kept the mortals that knew too much of the divinity. The deities above would not allow mortals to become equal with them. They have gained more prisoners through a false promise...

"... Nyx... Come back quick. I might go insane without you by my side." He whispered to himself, holding his throbbing head. Blinking, the skill of overseeing from the sky was turned off, as he groaned silently to himself.

"Tsk. I need to endure just about more..." He told himself and slowly stood up. Once he saw Aether approaching the plaza, he smiled in sorrow.

"We'll see the end of this journey together. I promise to you... The two of us will be reunited with our other halves and start a new adventure in a new world."

.

The moment Noir laid his eyes on Kaeya, he wore an insidious smile. His appearance was exotic compared to the people of Monstadt, especially his eyes.

"Oh? This must be the famous Reisender I heard from Lisa. Monstadt's Cavalry Captain, Kaeya Aleberich at your service."

Alberich.

It was a name he had not heard for so long and to encounter, a person with it reminded him of many things. From the dark skin and navy blue hair, along with the unique diamond-shaped pupils... Noir knew where the person came from.

"I... I'm Noir. It's nice to meet you sir Kaeya."

Shaking the man's hand, his smile became strained and crooked. His right hand-carried the faint presence of an ancient curse. It was always on the right side where it began to spread. Noir was aware that even Monstadt's Cavalry Captain was not spared from the curse inflicted on his people.

The eye patch that covered his right eye became evidence of his speculations.

Letting go, Kaeya felt the warm and calming presence vanish the moment his hand left Noir's. The unknown feeling the boy carried was not something he could easily feel, especially someone who could be blessed by deities.

However...

The darkness leads to the abyss of knowledge. Blessings of chaos that were never restrained by the divine.

He remembered those words. Words that told him of how the power of Sceo was never held down to the deities that restricted humans of the knowledge they yearn for.

The price to pay to control the darkness... Was the true salvation of humanity.

To never ascend to the heaven they called Celestia, but to be plunged into the abyss that hid the answers to teyvats mysteries.

Aether sighed, "Introductions aside, let's get to the point." He murmured, glancing at Paimon. Noir tilted his head, curious of what reason the pair had to seek the cavalry captain. He explained the incident about the Lantern supplies, which were flammable at best. It was an accident waiting to happen with a single spark.

"Hm.. lantern supplies... Stockpiles of wood, paper, and oil. At the very least, it sounds like an accident waiting to happen." Kaeya grimaced before turning to smirk at the traveler.

He chuckled, "how very amusing. What makes you think I'd recognize this symbol?" Kaeya asked.

"You flirt with the dark side, so you would know." Aether deadpanned.

"Pfft—" Noir's hand flew to his mouth, covering a snicker from the blunt words. He chuckled softly, avoiding eye contact with the Cavalry captain. Kaeya seemed to be slightly displeased with the comment due to his presence.

Of course, who would want a stranger to hear that about them? It would ruin the first impression.

"What do you mean to flirt with the dark side? The knights of Favonius certainly does not have to deal with the enemy."

Aether rolled his eyes at this, before dismissing the comment. Without further ado, the discussion about the Liyue situation progressed. It was worrying for Noir, though he did not show it. The lantern rite was a source of fond memories for him, if the festival was ruined he would be distraught.

In the end, Aether went to meet with an informant at Windrise. However, he was reluctant to leave Noir in the care of the cavalry captain. Waving goodbye, the pair hurried to Windrise.

The moment Aether was out of their sight, tensions rose between the pair. Their sharp and calculating stares for one another did not falter, causing several citizens around them to disperse. Fear for being the target of such dark looks.

Noir chuckled, making Kaeya raise a brow. "Now what makes you laugh, Reisender?" He asked with a smirk but faltered at the sight of Noir's expression.

He smiled at Kaeya, but that did not reach his eyes. They were dark and curious, yet the glint of interest seemed to be malicious. Tilting his head and placing his hands behind his back, Noir spoke,

"I wasn't aware that a Khaeri'ahn was roaming in Monstadt."