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"I'm.... I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—

" Yeah right you didn't mean to! You cut a hole into his body! You stabbed his brain! Do you have any idea how messed up you two are!? I thought I told you to follow the plan!" Barbatos screamed at Aether and Diluc. Tears were threatening to fall off his eyes.

" We didn't know that it was going to die this easily. We were going to pacify it so you can turn it back." Diluc replied calmly.

"Pacify it! Says the guy who didn't think that stabbing someone in the brain can kill them!" Venti shouted back with his green eyes getting darker.

"I thought I said to control yourself and hold back! Did you!? Huh!? Did you?!" Barbatos screamed at Aether.

"I'm so sorry Barbatos. " Aether apologized sincerely. Barbatos slapped him again.

"How many times do I have to tell you!? Stop calling me that! My name is Venti you hear me!?" Venti shouted while clenching his fists.

"S-sorry. Venti." Aether looked down. Diluc looked away with disappointment in himself.

"SORRY! You think you can say sorry to me after what the both of you have done! You ruined everything for me! I thought I was going to reunite with my friend! Both of you just wanted the glory of killing an evil dragon!! " Venti shouted. His tears were falling off and flowing down his face now.

" It was trying to kill us. You included Venti. What are we supposed to do? It was trying to destroy Mondstadt and rebuild it in his own image through bloodshed. And it actually tried to do it a month ago and if the knights, adventurers and I weren't there. There were casualties Venti and you have to understand that. I wonder what would become of Mondstadt now if we weren't there? " Aether asked Venti. Venti gritted his teeth.

" Shut up! I hate both of you! You killed the only friend that I have left! Get out of my sight now!" Venti, who wouldn't listen to reason shouted at them again.

Aether and Diluc didn't move. The pressure around them became heavier.

"I said GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! — AGHH!!!

Venti was blasted by a blue beam that hit his chest. He flew away and slammed into a platform with his back. Venti almost fell off if not for Aether's clones that carried him and laid him on another platform.

Aether and Diluc looked at what happened with shocked faces. Aether's eyes widened. He knew that attack and he stopped it many times before.

"No.... I killed you." Aether muttered and turned to look at Stormterror who was alive and well, not even a single scratch on him.

"HahahahahahahehahahahHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!" Stormterror laughed maniacally. The wind around them picked up into a violent wind that threatened to blow them away if not for their swords which were immediately plunged to the ground.

Stormterror looked at Aether and Diluc with an insane grin on it's face.

"Fools! You can't kill a dragon that easily! Nor you could ever kill one! This is my domain! I control EVERYTHING that happens here! Including your life! " Stormterror said grinning like a madman.

" But we saw you die. " Aether muttered shocked at what has just transpired.

" That was an illusion you idiots!! And that was amusing just now! I told you he would cast you aside as soon as you failed what he ordered you to do!! " Stormterror said as if he knew this all along. Aether and Diluc looked at him with narrowed eyes.

" I, Stormterror! Servant of the Abyss! Can never be killed! I will be the new ruler of Mondstadt! I will not be useless like Barbatos over there! And I am going to change Mondstadt for the better! And the change starts now! " Stormterror said and looked at Venti. Aether unsheathed his sword.

" Oh no you don't! " Aether jumped towards Stormterror. Stormterror looked at him with a bored face.

" How slow are you human? " It asked. Aether looked all over himself. His whole body was moving in slow motion.

Diluc's eyes widened.

" That's impossible. " He thought. Stormterror raised his claw and swiped Aether away to another platform.

*BAM!*

*BOOOOM!!*

Aether slammed into the platform and got up immediately. His Magma armor saved his life.

"Tch. You still don't realize humans. I control everything in here. I can control how fast I can go. How heavy I am. The speed of my enemies. I can even control how you die. " Stormterror said.

*PSSSSHH!!!!*

*PSSSSHH!!!!*

Blood splurged out of Diluc's and Aether's chest. The injuries were made by Stormterror's claws. Like it said, it can control everything in this domain.

They fell down. Diluc stared at the starry night sky not moving an inch, while Aether had blood flowing out of his mouth.

" Now that you're out of my way. I can finally begin. " Stormterror said and flew away.

" No.... Don't go.... " Venti whispered looking at his old friend who striked him with no remorse whatsoever.

"Fuck it hurts." Aether muttered and turned his body into a crawling position. He disappeared and reappeared besides Diluc and held his hand. He then disappeared again and held Venti's hand.

"We need to argh!.... Get out of here.... Ackkkk...." Aether muttered while suffering from the injuries. A portal appeared and the trio got sucked into it. All that's left from the scene is a lot of blood lying on the ground all over the place.

They were shot out of the portal and landed on the ground hard. Aether and Diluc tried not to scream out loud.

"Now I need to..... fucking hell..... get to Windrise....." Aether thought and disappeared with an injured Diluc and Venti again.

They appeared in front of Venti's Statue. Aether let go of both of their hands and crawled to the bottom of the statue and laid against it.

He looked down to see his injuries slowly healing. He also felt his power slowly regaining m a few minutes later he was completely healed and his energy replenished. Aether immediately got up and carried Diluc and Venti to the statue. After a while Diluc was completely fine and energized but Venti still didn't wake up.

Aether looked at Diluc with concern in his eyes. Diluc beckoned him to go check up on him.

Aether slowly cradled Venti in his arms. Venti slowly opened his eyes. "Aether?....." He called out.

"Yes it's me. Diluc's right beside me. We're here at Windrise. Stormterror is heading towards Mondstadt right now. Are you alright?" Aether asked. Venti nodded his head slowly.

" I'm fine. I just need to rest here a little. You go without me. I can't face him right now.... I have to think about it for a while..... " Venti whispered softly. Aether nodded in understanding.

" You rest here. We can deal with this. Everybody will be fighting in your name. Mondstadt is in good hands. " Aether said determined. Venti smiled and nodded.

" Then before you go.... let me give you something.... " Venti raised his hands and pulled Aether in and kissed him. Aether widened his eyes in shock. Diluc looked away immediately while blushing.

Shockingly, Aether kissed him back. Strangely, his lips feel soft, like a girl's lips. The kiss lasted for several seconds before Venti pulled back.

He blushed a little. "Ehe. I'll explain it later..... I.... need to rest for now..... " Venti whispered and passed out. Aether snapped out of it and shook Venti a little.

" Venti. Venti! Please wake up! " Aether said not believing what he's seeing in front of him. He felt someone grabbing his shoulders. He looked back and saw that it was Diluc who grabbed it.

" He's fine. Let's lay him down in a safe spot so he could rest. We have to go back. " Diluc said. Aether got into serious mode again. He gently laid Venti against the tree.

"Rest now Venti. Explain it to me later." Aether smiled and stood up. He looked at Diluc.

"So you're going to forget that happened." Aether said. Diluc nodded.

"I've already forgotten it. Nothing happened." Diluc said. Aether nodded.

"Let's go. We have a city to save." Aether said and they disappeared in a red and dark green blur.

Looking back at Venti, he was resting with a smile on his face.

" Aether..... " He whispered and rested peacefully.

To be continued.....