Chapitre 33: 31,5. Echoes of Other Worlds
The campfire crackled and popped, sending little sparks dancing up into the dark sky. The night was calm, almost unnaturally so, like the whole world had fallen into a deep sleep along with Paimon, who was bundled up in her blanket near the edge of our camp. Her soft snores mixed with the gentle sounds of the fire, the only signs of life in the stillness around us.
We had decided to let Paimon sleep first, so Aether and I could talk in private. She hadn't been thrilled about it, but after we promised her that we'd fill her in on everything in the morning, she finally relented. Now it was just the two of us, sitting across from each other with nothing but the warmth of the fire between us.
For a while, neither of us spoke. There was a rare kind of peace in the quiet—something almost sacred about the moment of stillness in the middle of our otherwise chaotic lives. I poked at the fire with a stick, watching the embers swirl into the air before settling back down into the flames.
Eventually, Aether broke the silence. "So… other worlds, huh?" He glanced up at me, the firelight flickering in his golden eyes. "Guess we've got more in common than I realized."
I smirked, leaning back against a log and stretching my arms out. "Yeah, seems like it. Who would've thought? Two guys from completely different places, sitting around a campfire in a world that's not even theirs."
Aether chuckled softly. "It's not exactly something you plan for, is it?"
"Definitely not," I agreed. "But hey, life's full of surprises."
The fire crackled again, sending another shower of sparks into the night. Aether leaned forward slightly, his gaze growing more thoughtful. I could tell he had more on his mind—he was curious, and honestly, I couldn't blame him. I'd been keeping a lot to myself since I'd arrived in Teyvat. And now that the whole "other worlds" thing was out in the open, maybe it was time to start being a little more honest.
I mean, Albedo knew about me being from another world, but I still wasn't comfortable telling him everything yet. Aether, though—he was different. He'd fought beside me, and he was from another world too. That alone made me feel more comfortable around him. Heck, I hadn't even told Amber or Eula about me being from another world, just the demon powers.
Aether waited, patient as ever, giving me the space to talk when I was ready. There was no pressure—just understanding, like someone who had been through something similar. And I guess he had.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Alright, guess it's story time," I said, glancing at him. "You ever wonder how a regular guy ends up with weird demon powers?"
Aether raised an eyebrow but didn't interrupt. He just nodded for me to continue.
"So, here's the thing," I started, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. "Before all this, I was just a normal guy. No powers, no demons, no fighting for my life every day. Just an ordinary guy, living in the modern world. I was walking home one day, minding my own business, and then... bam. I got hit by a motorcycle."
Aether blinked, looking genuinely surprised. "Wait, what?"
"Yeah," I laughed, though there was a bitter edge to it. "A motorcycle. That's how this whole mess started. One minute, I'm crossing the street, and the next, I'm lying on the pavement, my life flashing before my eyes."
Aether nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful as he processed what I was telling him. "So… what happened after that?"
I exhaled slowly, my eyes fixed on the flames as I continued. "At first, I thought it was just… death, you know? But it wasn't. It was something darker, more... ancient. I could feel it clawing at me, trying to latch onto my soul—or maybe it was my soul latching onto it. Turns out, it wasn't just some random force. It was the remnants of a demon. A powerful one."
Aether leaned in slightly, his brows furrowed. "A demon?"
I nodded. "Yeah. His name was Muzan Kibutsuji. I'm not exactly sure if he was from my world or another, but he was the king of demons—the one who created them all. But by the time I got hit by that motorcycle, Muzan was already long gone. His soul had been shattered. And yet, somehow, a piece of him still lingered in the depths of… I don't know, the void, purgatory—whatever you want to call it."
Aether's expression shifted to one of understanding, but there was concern in his eyes as well. "So… his soul merged with yours?"
"Pretty much," I replied, memories swirling in my mind like the embers in the fire. "Muzan was gone, but his power wasn't. When my soul was on the brink of fading away, his power latched onto me. It wasn't like he took over or anything—his personality, his ambitions, they were all gone. All I got were his memories, and his power. I can unlock the powers of the other Demon Moons, too, but... that's a whole other thing I'll explain another time. I even have this doppelgänger in my head, but he's been quiet recently…"
Aether stayed quiet, his expression curious but patient. I could tell he was listening closely, but also giving me space to tell it at my own pace.
"This power is... amazing," I continued, feeling the weight of the confession. "But with it came the instincts of a demon."
Aether tilted his head, intrigued but not pushing. "Instincts?"
I leaned back, staring up at the stars. "Yeah. Being a demon isn't just about super strength and regeneration. There's... this hunger. A constant pull toward the more primal side of things. Muzan and his demons grew stronger by consuming human flesh. That hunger—it's there. Always. I don't need to eat humans to survive, but I can't ignore it. And the more I train, the more power I unlock, the harder it gets to control. I've already lost control once and… wiped out an entire camp of hilichurls. The feeling of losing control is... terrifying."
Aether's golden eyes held mine, steady and understanding. "So, it's not about Muzan taking over—you're fighting against the instincts. The temptation."
"Exactly," I admitted. "It's like this shadow that's always there, lurking at the edges of my mind. I've got his powers, but they come at a cost. And every time I push myself further, unlock something new, I have to fight harder to keep that side of me in check. Losing control… that's what I'm really afraid of."
Aether was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I get that. Not the demon part, but... the fear of losing control. I've felt it too."
I looked at him, sensing there was more to his story. Aether didn't usually talk about himself—he was always so focused on helping others. But now, it seemed like he was ready to open up.
"You know," Aether began, his voice quieter now, "my sister and I used to travel between worlds. We'd go from place to place, exploring, learning. Every world was different, but it didn't matter because we were always together. That's how it was for… well, a long time."
His eyes darkened as he stared into the fire, the flames reflecting in them like tiny suns. "But then we came here. To Teyvat. And everything went wrong. We tried to leave this world, but we were stopped by… this being. She called herself the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles. We didn't even have a chance to fight back. She separated us. She took my sister and... sealed my powers."
I leaned in, feeling the weight of his words. "Sealed your powers?"
Aether nodded, his jaw tightening. "Yeah. I used to be much stronger than I am now. But when the Sustainer attacked us, she stripped me of most of my abilities. I've been slowly rebuilding them, piece by piece, but it's slow. And my sister... she's still out there. Somewhere in Teyvat. I've been searching for her ever since, trying to figure out what happened, how to get her back. But I still don't know if I'm strong enough to face the Sustainer again."
I frowned, understanding what that must feel like—being torn away from your family and left in an unfamiliar world. I couldn't help but think about my parents, my sisters, back in my world. I hoped my death didn't devastate them for too long.
"That sounds... brutal," I said quietly. "How do you keep going?"
Aether's gaze dropped to the fire, his eyes distant but fierce. "I keep going because I have to. Because my sister's out there, depending on me to find her. And because… if I don't, no one else will. This world is full of incredible people, but I can't let them fight my battles for me."
I nodded, understanding the weight he carried. We weren't so different after all—both of us stuck in a world that wasn't ours, carrying burdens we didn't ask for.
"That's what keeps me going too," I said softly. "I didn't choose this power, but now that I have it... I want to make something of it. I've met people here who've helped me—people like you, Paimon, Amber, Eula, Jean, Kaeya, even Lisa. I want to use this power to make a difference. I won't let myself become a monster."
Aether smiled faintly, nodding. "And you won't. You've got a good heart, Tayden. I can see that. The fact that you're even worried about losing control means you won't let it happen."
I chuckled, though there was a rough edge to it. "I hope you're right. But hey, at least I've got you around to keep me in check, right?"
Aether laughed softly, the sound easing the tension in the air. "Yeah, I'll make sure to knock you out if things get too out of hand."
I grinned, looking him dead in the eyes. "Like you could beat me one-on-one."
Aether raised an eyebrow, ready to fire back. "Oh, I could definitely take you."
We locked eyes for a moment, then burst into laughter, the fire between us casting a warm glow over the camp. The night felt lighter now, like a weight had been lifted just by talking.
After a while, Aether spoke again, his voice quieter this time. "I've been meaning to ask... what's your plan? I mean, with Muzan's soul. What happens when you've fully absorbed his power?"
I hesitated, staring into the fire. "Honestly? I don't know. I guess... I just keep training. Keep getting stronger. Maybe one day, I'll have all his power and be able to use it for good. Or maybe I'll find a way to break the connection entirely. But until then... I just have to keep moving forward."
Aether nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I get that. It's the same for me. Until I find my sister, I don't really know what comes next. But that doesn't mean we stop trying."
"Exactly," I said, feeling a strange sense of solidarity in his words. "We've got to keep fighting. No matter what."
The fire crackled softly between us as the night deepened around us. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I wasn't just fighting on my own. Aether and I were both caught in battles we didn't ask for, but at least we weren't fighting them alone.
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone