As he dodged his sister's attacks, he cursed that loose-lipped Abyss Herald and Dainsleif, who stood nearby, in his mind.
Seizing the moment when Lumine's strike missed and she was caught between her old strength fading and new strength yet to rise, Aether suddenly stepped forward, his speed like a gust of wind.
He raised his hand and struck the hilt of the Prototype Rancour with precision. The force was not great but just right. The longsword fell to the ground with a sharp "clang," the sound echoing through the empty space.
Before Lumine could react, Aether reached out and grabbed her wrists tightly.
His grip wasn't heavy, but it was enough to prevent her from breaking free. The warmth of his palms transmitted through the fabric, still the same warmth from her memories.
"Sister, let me explain!" He looked at Lumine's reddened eyes, the tears and hatred on her face, his gaze filled with urgency and sincerity, as well as a hint of imperceptible grievance. "I am truly not the kind of Abyss you think I am. I don't even know what the hell those things that appeared in Mondstadt and Liyue are!"
Lumine was still struggling fiercely, her wrists turning red from the effort.
But seeing her brother's familiar gaze, her movements gradually slowed, and the ice in her heart began to crack.
His eyes would not lie, yet the Abyssal aura on his body was like a thorn piercing her heart, making it impossible for her to fully believe.
Venti and Dainsleif stood by, not stepping forward to interfere.
Venti supported Lydia, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.
Dainsleif, however, had his brow furrowed tightly, staring at Aether's figure, his fingertips quietly condensing Elemental Power.
"What to do, what to do? The Traveler and her brother are fighting!" Paimon hid behind Venti and Dainsleif, spinning in place with anxiety.
But Venti and Dainsleif, whom she was blocking, were unnervingly calm.
The hand Venti used to support Lydia was steady, his teal eyes always fixed on the quarreling siblings, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing together as if sensing something.
Dainsleif's brow remained furrowed, the condensed Elemental Power not dissipating, his gaze sweeping through the surrounding shadows like a falcon.
He knew better than anyone that the Abyss would never let them go easily.
Suddenly, Venti's lips moved slightly, his voice lowered so much that only Dainsleif beside him could faintly hear: "Three... two... one!"
The moment his voice trailed off, a suffocatingly powerful surge of Anemo energy erupted from the dense forest behind them!
The gale, carrying shattered stones, swept toward everyone like a roaring dragon!
Everyone instinctively tensed their bodies. Lumine even paused her argument with Aether, turning to face the source of the wind, her eyes filled with vigilance.
Yet the tornado, which seemed capable of tearing everything apart, instantly dissolved like ice meeting fire upon encountering a figure slowly walking forward.
The Anemo energy scattered, transforming into invisible currents of air that didn't even disturb the dust on the ground.
The Abyss Knight stepped out from the shadows, faint Abyssal Black Miasma still swirling in the gaps of his armor.
He clapped his hands, the metallic clank of his palms echoing, his tone laced with a hint of mockery: "Such a touching display of sibling affection. Even at a time like this, you're still arguing endlessly over the 'truth'."
His gaze slowly swept over Venti, a playful glint flashing in his eyes as if he had seen through some secret: "Those who can become one of the Seven Archons are indeed no pushovers."
"After so many cycles of reincarnation, knowing the ending, you still choose to step in and protect her?"
"Venti, you truly are persistent."
The Abyss Knight paused, his gaze sweeping past Venti to rest on Lydia in his arms, his tone suddenly turning eerie: "Since you care for her so much, why not simply rewind time and return to the moment before the girl in your arms died?"
"Perhaps... you could even save her? It would also spare her from trembling so violently at the sight of me."
"Shut your mouth!" Venti's pupils constricted sharply, his teal eyes instantly filling with rage, his face so grim it seemed to drip with fury.
He felt Lydia's body stiffen in his arms, her snow-white eyelashes trembling violently, the terror in her eyes spreading instantly, her breathing turning ragged.
Venti immediately pulled Lydia tightly behind him, his arms locked straight, teal Anemo energy surging wildly around him like a beast ready to pounce on its enemy.
"You're not allowed to frighten her!"
"If you dare say another word, I won't spare you!"
Seeing Venti so enraged, the Abyss Knight's lips curled into a bored smile, as if he felt this "game" had already lost its fun.
He withdrew his gaze and turned to Aether, his tone instantly becoming respectful yet carrying an unquestionable pressure, as if commanding a subordinate.
"His Highness the Prince, please stop playing this game of reminiscing."
"The Lord is still waiting for you in the Abyss to report back. If this delays important matters, no one will be able to bear the consequences."
"You really are one of them!" Hearing the words "His Highness the Prince," Lumine's rage exploded like a lit powder keg.
The Prototype Rancour that had fallen to the ground in the distance flew up with a "whoosh" under the guidance of Anemo energy, landing steadily back in her hand.
She gripped the longsword tightly, her arm trembling slightly with anger, and without hesitation, she attacked Aether again.
The sword light was sharp, carrying her heart full of disappointment and the pain of betrayal, so much so that even the air seemed to be sliced open by the blade.
Aether barely managed to sidestep, his robe once again being sliced open by the sword's edge.
The fabric fluttered down, revealing the skin beneath.
He looked at the resoluteness and hatred in Lumine's eyes, feeling both anxious and furious, as if a fire were burning within him.
That damned Abyss Knight had to sow discord at the most critical moment!
The misunderstanding deepened once again, making him unable to suppress his rage any longer.
A dazzling golden light suddenly erupted from his palm!
He no longer dodged, but instead raised his hand abruptly. The golden Elemental Power transformed into a sharp beam of light, breaking the wind as it smashed directly into the Abyss Knight's helmet!
Clang!
With a deafening crash, the Dragon Horn helmet, forged from pitch-black ice and a dense Abyssal aura, shattered. Shards flew and struck the ground with a crisp clatter.
The face revealed beneath the helmet caused everyone present to freeze as if they had been cast under a petrification spell!
It was a face identical to Lydia's!
Snow-white hair fell upon her shoulders, the contours of her brows and eyes were an exact match, and even the curve of her lips seemed to be a replica.
Yet, there was not a hint of Lydia's gentleness or timidity in those eyes. Instead, they were filled with cold malice and indifference, like a piece of ice without warmth.
"Is... is that Lydia?!" Paimon's mouth hung open in shock, her voice full of disbelief. "How can there be two Lydias? What's going on?"
Lumine's hand, gripping the longsword, trembled violently. Her attack came to a complete halt, her eyes filled with confusion and shock.