The Small Journey Pt. 3

"Cling!* *Clang!* *Bing!*

Diluc was pushed back. Aether stood there not moving. So far a few minutes have passed. Diluc has tried strikes and feints but Aether still blocked it like it was nothing.

"I know that fighting style? Did Kaeya teach you this?" Diluc asked his eyes narrowed.

" Yes. Is there a problem Diluc? " Aether asked back with his eyes narrowed as well. Diluc snorted.

"So you're nothing without your friends. That goes to show how weak you actually are. " Diluc said.

" Who's blocking your strikes right now? Oh that's right me. You should really stop this bias of yours. It's disgusting. I pity your parents and your brother. To see you this delusional. " Aether mocked. Diluc gritted his teeth.

" He isn't my brother!! " Diluc shouted and the fire on his Wolf's Gravestone got brighter. He slammed his down on Aether with one hand.

Aether dodged to the right easily. He used his hand and swung the bright claymore to where Aether was but Aether dodged again.

Diluc then gripped Wolf's Gravestone with two hands and jumped up. He flipped midair and slammed the claymore down.

*BOOM!*

Smoke covered the area again. Signora who was watching rolled her eyes. "Average at best. My agents could dodge it in their sleep. " Signora thought while hiding behind a tree. Her elemental reserves are completely masked so no one will notice she's there.

The smoke cleared showing Diluc looking around while pulling out his claymore. "Where did he go? " He muttered still feeling angry about Aether's mocking words. He looked to his left to see a fist flying towards his face.

*BANG!!!*

Diluc flew away faster than ever. He crashed into a tree and broke it in half. He hit the hard ground lying in pain. His Wolf's Gravestone beside him on the ground.

Diluc was bleeding through the mouth. There were also bruises forming on his face. Diluc has first degree burns on his face. It could've been worse if Aether wanted to put more power in it.

Aether's fist was gold in color and the heat emanating from it was as hot as a burning kettle.

"Oh? What is this? I see another element. Where did he get another one? No matter, the Harbingers and I are leagues above him. He needs a long time to even begin to catch up to us. " Signora thought slightly surprised about the new discovery. She's going to have to report it back to the Tsaritsa about this new phenomenon.

"Get up. I know you aren't dead." Aether said his scalera golden and his pupil dark red. Diluc slowly got up and grabbed his Wolf's Gravestone.

"I'll kill you." He said menacingly with his red eyes.

" That's what my enemies say when they fight me. It's funny how they're dead now." Aether said smirking. Diluc gritted his teeth. He held yp his claymore and flames flared up covering it. It was as bright as the sun.

"Burn!" Diluc shouted before slashing his claymore horizontally. A giant phoenix came flying out of it.

It flew straight at Aether. Aether didn't move at all. He just stared at it with an emotionless face.

"He's going to get hit. Why is he not moving? Does he have a plan?" Signora thought looking at what's happening in front of her.

*BOOOOOOMMM!!!*

Smoke appeared again. Diluc coughed for a bit. He looked in front of him. "Serves... you right...." He said.

After the smoke cleared, it revealed that there was no unconscious Aether there. Diluc looked around shocked. "Wha—

*BANG!*

Diluc flew away. He was hit in the face by Aether's elbow. He crashed into trees and broke them. He finally hit the ground after destroying three trees in half and landed on the hard ground.

He fainted with his sword laying beside him.

"Boring. I should've slept more." Aether shouted out sheathing his samurai sword back into the scabbard. Paimon appeared beside him.

" Well... that was... boring.... Those ruin guards you fought in a domain in Liyue were more of a challenge. " Paimon said.

" That little girl is so cuuuuttee!! Can I pet her head!!!??? Wait no! Signora calm down! You're here on a mission! " Signora scolded herself. The Fatui agent beside her sweat dropped at how Signora's eyes have stars in them but then it went back to being stern.

" Diluc isn't a robot. But yes, they were more of a challenge. Now we should carry him back to the bar. But I'm not going to do that. My clone will. " Aether summoned his clone who picked him up.

" Drop him on the roof when you arrive back." Aether commanded. The clone nodded and disappeared.

" Let's train now. That wasn't even a workout." Aether said. Paimon nodded and flew away to explore Mondstadt. Signora smirked.

"Now's my chance to capture her." Signora muttered and turned to the Fatui agent.

"Follow me. We're going to capture that little girl. " Signora ordered.

"Umm.... Not to question your orders Lady Signora, but are you just capturing her because you like cute stuff? " The Agent asked boldly while bowing.

" I don't like cute stuff! I'm a Harbinger! We don't like stuff! Now follow me or get demoted! " Signora answered a little too quickly with an embarrassed look on her face.

"Yes Lady Signora." The Agent bowed deeper. They disappeared leaving burning ashes behind. Aether stopped swinging his guandao.

"Is it me or did I sense pyro elemental energy for a bit behind that wall? " Aether thought and shrugged. He'll investigate it later.

An hour later, Paimon who was flying around town saw a poster that wrote "Free Food Here! Come and Eat It!". It had an arrow drawn and it was pointing towards the alleyway.

Paimon being the food lover she is shrugged. "Why not? Free food is free food after all." She flew in the alleyway.

Suddenly a hand covered her mouth. It was Signora. She was grinning evilly. " So.... you're the traveling buddy of The" Dragon Slayer " huh? You're so small... and so cute— I mean so weak as well." Signora said fumbling up a bit.

Paimon tried to scream on top of her lungs but it was muffled by Signora's hand. "Don't try to scream. No one will hear you. Now you'll be mine forever!" Signora giggled darkly. Paimon looked at her with fear in her eyes.

Back at the training grounds, Aether who was swinging around his guandao skillfully suddenly dropped to the ground panting. He clenched his heart with his hand.

"So painful. But it's not my soul at all! Is it Paimon's? What's happening? I feel fear even though there's nothing to fear about! " Aether muttered. He used his elemental sight to sense where Paimon is.

He sensed Paimon's signature in an alleyway. Along with two other people. Aether immediately disappeared like the wind.

" Aether..... Come quickly.... Or Paimon's going to die... " She thought.

To be continued...

(I know Signora isn't like this and all of that didn't happen but it's an Alternate Universe Fanfiction okay? Bear with it and if you don't like it then you don't understand the point of Webnovel and fanfiction.)