Echoes of the Lost Brother
The night was deep when Orion stirred from his restless sleep. A whisper—no, a voice—had pulled him from the edges of dreams.
"Orion... don't make the same choice I did."
His eyes snapped open. The room was empty, the faint moonlight filtering through the window the only illumination. Yet, the voice had been as clear as if someone had spoken right beside him.
Aether's voice.
"Brother...?"
But that was impossible. Aether wasn't here. He couldn't be here.
Yet, the words lingered, heavy with regret and something else—hope.
"This time... I know you can change it."
And just like that, the presence vanished, leaving Orion with a hollow ache in his chest.
---
The next day, Amber was already up and bustling about by the time Orion rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"Morning, sleepyhead!" she chirped, strapping her bow to her back. "Jean's given me a mission today—gotta clear out some Hilichurl camps near Starfell Lake. You know, the usual Outrider stuff!"
Orion blinked. Starfell Lake?
That was where the Traveler—where Lumine—was supposed to meet Amber in the original timeline.
"So this is where fate starts to diverge..."
Amber tilted her head. "You okay? You've got that look again—like you're thinking way too hard."
"Yeah," Orion said, shaking off the unease. "Just wondering if you need backup."
Amber grinned. "Aw, worried about me? Don't be! I've handled worse. Besides, you've got your own stuff to do, right?"
She was right. If he was going to survive in this world, he needed to establish himself.
"Yeah. I'm heading to the Adventurers' Guild."
Amber gave him a thumbs-up. "Good call! Tell Katheryne I said hi!"
With that, she bounded out the door, leaving Orion to his thoughts.
---
As Orion made his way through Mondstadt's bustling streets, he reached out to Zero in his mind.
"Hey, Zero... do I have a Vision?"
[♡~ Oh? Worried about something so trivial, Master?~] Zero's voice was light, teasing. [You don't need a Vision to wield the elements.]
Orion nearly tripped over his own feet.
"Wait, all elements? What do you mean?"
[♡~ You'll find out soon enough~ For now, just focus on not embarrassing yourself in front of her~]
"Her—?"
Before he could ask, the unmistakable voice of Katheryne rang out from the Adventurers' Guild booth.
"Ad astra abyssosque! Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild!"
Orion approached, and Katheryne smiled warmly. "Ah, a new face! Are you here to register as an adventurer?"
He nodded. "Yeah. What's the process?"
Katheryne handed him a form. "Just fill this out, and then you'll need to complete a simple trial to assess your capabilities. Typically, we send new adventurers to Starfell Cliff for a basic combat and survival test."
[♡~ Oho? Even though you already have me, you're still going after another woman? Master really is a playboy~] Zero purred.
Orion barely suppressed a groan. "Zero, I swear to the Archons—"
Katheryne blinked. "Is... something wrong?"
"No," Orion said quickly, scribbling his name on the form. "Just... talking to myself."
Katheryne's smile didn't waver. "Many adventurers do that! Now, off you go—Starfell Cliff awaits!"
---
The climb to Starfell Cliff was peaceful, the wind carrying the scent of wildflowers and distant sea salt. Orion's mind, however, was anything but calm.
"Aether's warning... Zero's hints about the elements... Amber's mission... None of this is a coincidence."
As he reached the summit, a Hilichurl camp came into view—his test.
"Alright," he muttered, cracking his knuckles. "Let's see what I can do."
He reached for the wind—not with a Vision, but with something deeper, something instinctual.
And the world answered.
A gust surged around him, lifting him effortlessly into the air.
[「Wind's Elegy」—Activated.]
Orion grinned.
"Time to fly."
---
Orion's body moved before his mind could even register the danger.
One second, he was surveying the Hilichurl camp from a distance—the next, he was crouched low in a bush, his breathing unnaturally steady, his muscles coiled like a predator's.
"What the hell—?" His thoughts scrambled. "How did I even—?!"
There was no answer from Zero or the System. Only the cold, instinctive certainty that had propelled him into hiding.
A Cryo Abyss Mage floated near the camp's center, giggling in its shrill, otherworldly voice while a Pyro Abyss Mage hovered nearby, flames licking at its staff.
"Abyss Mages. Here?!"
This wasn't part of the test. This was a setup.
His fingers twitched, phantom memories of blades and blood itching in his palms.
"What kind of past life did I have that my body reacts like this?"
No time to dwell. The Cryo Mage was raising its staff, frost gathering in the air—
—and then Orion saw it.
A weakness.
The mask.
His body moved again.
---
A rush of wind—unnatural, too fast to be natural—and Orion was behind the Cryo Mage, his hand lashing out in a precise, brutal strike.
CRACK.
The mask shattered.
The Abyss Mage let out a choked gurgle before dissolving into dark mist.
[Skill Acquired: 「Silent Kill」]
A flood of information seared into Orion's mind:
- Instantaneous, undetectable elimination.
- Targets must be unaware.
- Effective against humanoid and Abyssal entities.
- Overuse may attract… unwanted attention.
Orion stared at his hand, pulse roaring in his ears.
"I'm cheating."
This wasn't just a skill. This was muscle memory.
The Pyro Mage shrieked, whirling around—but Orion was already gone, melting back into the shadows like smoke.
---
Meanwhile, near Starfell Lake, Amber skidded to a halt as a blonde-haired girl and a floating pixie emerged from the treeline.
"Hey! You there! Stop!" Amber called, her Outrider instincts kicking in.
The girl—Lumine—paused, golden eyes wary. Paimon yelped, hiding behind her shoulder.
"Are you talking to us?" Paimon squeaked.
Amber grinned, hands on her hips. "Yep! You two look like travelers. Need a guide?"
Lumine nodded slowly.
"Great! I'm Amber, Outrider for the Knights of Favonius!" She leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "You know, another traveler showed up recently too. Strange guy—black hair, kinda broody. Didn't say much."
Lumine's gaze sharpened. "Another traveler?"
Amber waved a hand. "Yeah, but don't worry about him! Come on, let's get you to Mondstadt!"
She didn't notice the way Lumine's fingers curled into fists.
---
By the time Orion slipped back through Mondstadt's gates, the sky was darkening with unnatural storm clouds.
A distant roar shook the city.
"STORMTERROR!"
People screamed, scattering as the dragon's shadow blotted out the sun.
Orion's head snapped up—just in time to see a streak of gold and white plummet from the sky, driving a blade of pure Anemo into the beast's back.
"Lumine."
The dragon shrieked, writhing midair before vanishing into the tempest.
Silence. Then—cheers.
Lumine landed gracefully in the plaza, Paimon fluttering nervously beside her. Amber rushed forward, eyes wide.
"That was amazing! You—you fought Stormterror?!"
Lumine said nothing, her gaze sweeping the crowd—until it locked onto Orion.
Their eyes met.
A spark of recognition.
A silent challenge.
"You."
"Me."
And then the System's voice, cold and final:
[WARNING: FATED ENCOUNTER DETECTED.]
[AVOID AT ALL COSTS.]
---