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it-happened-one-fic · 1 year

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For An Eternity - Zhongli

Author's Notes: I really shouldn't be allowed to listen to "Lover's Oath" while writing Genshin fics. I suppose you could say this fic kind of goes with my Halfdan fic, Unfulfilled Aspirations, since this one also has reader as heir to the Khaenr'ian throne. Similarly, this fic is also angsty and as a heads up there is no comfort. I wrote this while feeling kind of bummed out so thats probably why it is the way it is. But now I feel kind of bad for Zhongli... Anyway, reader is gender-neutral as per usual. Also Zhongli is referred to as Morax in this fic due to timeline. I hope you enjoy!

Type: Romance implied/gender-neutral reader/ reader is Khaenr'ian angst(no comfort)

Word Count: 929

Morax had certainly had his suspicions about Khaenr’iah beckoning him forth for a meeting. They wanted a contract, and he figured he knew exactly what form of one they wanted.

Unsurprisingly, the king had confirmed the archon’s suspicions when the very first thing he’d done was introduce him to his child. You.

Morax had no intention to marry a child of a foreign land whom he would outlive by centuries, but you had certainly done your job without even intending to.

It had become beyond obvious that you hadn’t known of your father’s intentions when you’d discovered them. You’d been beyond frustrated and had apologized on your father’s behalf immediately.

You had been cautious, that was certain. But you’d soon moved past that. You’d turned out to be charming in a simple and sweet way that had easily won over the archon, even with his careful defenses. Morax almost wanted to be ashamed that you’d charmed him quite so easily.

It was then that Morax had discovered he wasn’t just charmed by you. He was also quite curious about you. A young human who was frustrated by the machinations of royalty and who was seemingly unafraid of an archon that was known for slaying many during the war.

But you didn’t let that fact stop you in your little chats with the archon. Satisfying yourself with treating him kindly and showing him around your country, even as you pushed against your father’s wishes.

Morax had befriended you and had actually continued visiting you after your initial time together. It served to pacify your father and keep him from insisting on more marriage meetings with new and progressively worse suitors while also providing Morax with much-needed friendship.

He’d lost many during the war, and the other archons were busy taking care of their own nations. He’d been alone for quite some time, with only the Yaksha and other Adepti to keep him company since Guizhong had passed and Marchiosis had dwindled.

Though he was close to both the Yaksha and the others, he could not truly count them as friends. Not when they kept their distance and viewed him as more of a king than a friend.

And you were in a similar position. You were friends with one of your knights, the Twilight Sword, named Dainsleif. But there were rules there, and you could only be so close. You were, similarly, without a close companion due to the constraints of your position.

Perhaps that's why Morax had allowed himself to get so close to you.

You were endearing, chatting happily with him and reminding him of the joys of life. He hadn’t realized how burdened he’d felt from the numerous losses he’d gone through till he’d met you. You, with your smiling face and boundless help.

But then it had happened. Instead of smiling, you were frowning one day.

You’d learned of your father’s plans for the so-called field tillers. An assault on Celestia itself, a challenge to their power. You were beyond horrified and had confided your fears in Morax, asking for his advice on how to convince your father not to go through with his plans.

But your fears came too late. Because it wasn’t long after that when Celestia beckoned. Khaenr’iah was to be destroyed for its impertinence.

It was then that Morax had first stood against Celestia. He’d not complained about the Archon War or anything else they’d had a hand in. But this he could not stand for. Not when you could be hurt. He’d lost enough, and he was done. He wasn’t losing you too.

And that was how one of his many contracts had been formed. A deal.

He would face Khaenr’iah and assist in their destruction. He would lead the other archons to battle and bear the weight of this sin. But only if Celestia vowed not to hurt you.

You, who were innocent. You, who had saved him. You, who’d once more shown him how beautiful the world was. You, for whom he would destroy a nation. You, for whom he would raze a country. You, whom he loved.

They had agreed, so he did as requested despite the ire it brought him. He had now truly seen the darkness of this world.

Before, he’d killed largely in self-defense and to protect. But now, he killed simply to destroy.

And destroy he did. He wasn’t sure if the fires that blazed across the once lush lands of Khaenr’iah would ever dissipate.

And Khaenr’ians weren’t the only losses. Makoto, the electro archon and twin sister of Ei, died. She too, had been one of his friends. Someone he could have saved, but failed to protect.

Rukhadevata also disappeared at that same time, seemingly lost to the desert that bordered her lush forest.

But, as cruel as it was of him to think it, neither of those was the loss that injured him the most. No. That was you.

You, who had not been killed by Celestia but had died in the collapse of the palace while trying to escape. You, whom he’d only found after life had left your usually bright eyes. You, whom he would mourn for an eternity.

Losing Guizhong, the love of his life, had been a tragedy he’d thought he could never endure. Losing you, the second love of his life, who was equal to Guizhong in his heart, was something he knew he would never recover from.

On that day, he signed his second contract with Celestia. To never speak of the events of that day.

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rhine-gold-archive · 2 years

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"The “sword from heaven” and “inherited eyepatch” reference Khaenri'ah taking control of Celestia’s needle which was confirmed in the Chasm" wait wait hold up WHAT

I glossed over this one I guess, didn’t I, haha? spoilers for the Chasm and uh, Kaeya’s personal quest that you do at like AR5

So in his quest, Kaeya says that he “inherited” his eyepatch from a grandfather-pirate, and said grandpa found a sword that fell from heaven, which granted him immense power, and then hid this sword somewhere in a cavern. At the start of the game it sounds like an absolute bullshit. Sword from the heaven? Grandpa’s eyepatch? lmao what

But now we know that there ARE actually swords falling from heaven. We know them as “Celestia needles”, and we know that Celestia dropped them to destroy civilizations on Dragonspine and the Chasm. And what else did we find in the Chasm? Black Serpent Knights, who were Khaenri'ah royal guards, and some of them have lines about Khaenri'ah at least attempting to use the needle.

“Even the ominous thing that came down from the heavens shall be ours to use.“

“We shall cleanse the tainted things from the skies... with sacred blood...!”<..>” The heaven's judgment... the needle of retribution... Never... forget”

And according to Kaeya, it was his ancestor who used it and gained incredible power. Which btw aligns with his last name - Alberich was a dwarf from Nibelungen saga, who basically stole a divine artifact and used it to obtain power and become a king. What’s interesting, is that Kaeya says that sword is now hidden, so potentially there’s a hidden needle of Celestia that Kaeya can control due to his bloodline.

also, what is the drops from Black Serpent Knights, and now also from abyss lectors and heralds? this thing.

ALT

that’s an interesting glowing eye placement that can very well explain “an inherited eyepatch”.

but anyway, yeah, every time Kaeya says something that sounds like bullshit or plain gibberish\fairytale, he’s actually dropping hidden lore.

#is this not common understanding?#people mention Kaeya being Royalty a lot is Alberich+needle not part of theory?#thats how i came to theorize that Kaeya is from khaenriah dynasty #Kaeya #kaeya alberich #genshin impact #rhine talks #khaenri'ah #rhine meta

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random-blep · 1 year

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Anyways just had an au thought

Kaeya didn't get left at Mond. Instead him and his father went into hiding and Kaeya got raised as a prince and later in his life he goes to Mond as like visiting royalty or something. Maybe like he goes cause it's very dangerous where he lives and he needs to be safe until he's old enough to take the throne. So he goes there and the Knights offer one of their captains to protect him and it ends up being Diluc.

#listen kaeyas dad died and can no longer keep him safe #so now hes gotta live in a different country so he can be safe until he can take the throne #in this au crepus is alive and Dilu. is cavalry captain still #idk anytying about royalty really but it lets me make up some royalty background shit for why its dangerous for kaeya to go back home #like also obviously Khaenri'ah isnt fully destroyed its just a struggling country like in the middle of war in this au #ill figure this shit out later #genshin impact #genshin impact au #kaeya alberich #diluc ragnvindr #its a very wholesome time between them #prince kaeya #knight Diluc #prince and knight genshin au

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that-foul-legacy-lover · 1 year

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i did the interlude quest today and

holy shit (SPOILERS IN TAGS)

#hush n shush wifi #wifi plays genshin #genshin spoilers #WHATTTTT THE FRICK OH MY GOD #KAEYA IS DESCENDED FROM THE ABYSS ORDER FOUNDER????? WHAT THE FUCK #AND THEN WE MET HIM IN LIKE A MEMORY OR SOMETHING #WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE STATUE #WHO IS THE 'SINNER' I NEED TO KNOW #ALSO WHERE DID WE EVEN GO. WAS THAT CAVE CONSIDERED THE ABYSS???#I'M GUESSING IT WAS DUE TO HOW MUCH LIKE ENKANOMIYA IT LOOKED LIKE #OK SO OUR SIBLING IS KHAENRI'AHN ROYALTY OK THIS IS FINE THIS IS TOTALLY FINE #also it was funny that Kaeya just dipped after a few minutes #he's heard enough.#i wish he was in it more though it's been ages since i saw him :(#i forgot how deep and raspy jp Dainsleif's voice is #also whoever voice acted Eide did an amazing job #how did we even get to the memory in the first place????#we barely even saw our sibling #to be honest tho i'm more interested in Khaenri'ah/the Abyss than i am in our sibling #ok so pure-blooded Khaenri'ahns got the immortal curse while everyone else got turned into hilichurls #what's Kaeya then?#it implies he's not immortal because he was a kid when he got adopted but he's not a hilichurl either #RRRHHGHGNGGHN GIVE ME MORE LORE THIS IS THE STUFF I'M TALKING ABOUT #and now i'm thinking of Khaenri'ahn reader with Foul Legacy so thank you interlude quest #anyways *sits on the ground* has anyone else played it y'all wanna chat #good evening :)

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hidden-akasha · 9 months

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This work is a part of our Valentine collection ♥️

Summary:

Although Dainsleif has opposed the Abyss for five hundred long years, all of those hard feelings seem to vanish and be replaced the moment he lays eyes upon Lumine

Words: 4,379

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Join our Discord to participate in future events and to interact with Genshin Impact fan content creators! We welcome artists, writers, and readers ♥️

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taconafide2 · 1 year

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dainkae would have so much potential if they were my ocs but otherwise the timeline in canon pissess me off too much for them to work as they do in the popular fanon perception . They Just Don't they have to be absolute strangers and meet on a random fucking day in angel's share and go. What the actual fuck

#but if they were my ocs then yeah i'd rotate them around in my head because starry aesthetics..#nice:)#i'm not sure i'd ever want a love interest for kaeya though i don't see it fitting in his story arc of yknow khaenri'ah vs mond but he #chooses mond in the end.#i want him to face his past though. that sounds so evil of me... like he hasn't suffered enough already . . ..#i need his khaenri'ah hot takes. why he considers them all sinners #because i'm dying on the hill that khaenri'ah was right in whatever they did #for dainsleif i believe he deserves a love interest because he carries the energy of a divorced man we've all seen it #i like dains x abyss sibling but i actually don't think that travail line was about them yknow #so yeah i like stars a lot #and royalty aus #they're so close to having a royalty au be canon due to their positions but they're Just Some Guys in relation to e/o #and it's pissing me off #but maybe genshin characters weren't meant for anything other than turning them around in your head #and zooming in on their ass #it's alright #i think the conclusion is that i like when things make sense in canon. that is why my favourite ship is emiko. i just like having food #to eat #nd those two are so terribly interwoven with each other essential to e/o stories etc #everything else is just for fun:-)

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hiraya-rawr · 2 years

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Dainsleif bodyguard AU x Khaenri'ah Royalty Reader (brainrot)

Being the royal prince/ss of Khaenri'ah and after the most recent assassination attempt, Dain (a captain candidate for the royal guards) is assigned to solo guard your chambers at night.

He doesn't get flustered at the intimate task of guarding the inner chambers. He's like a rock, even when you'd change into your nightwear by the maids.

"A man dedicated to duty," is what they described him as when you asked what your new guard would be like.

One bored night, you tried throwing a pillow at his face, wondering if he was spacing out, but he merely caught the item, walking towards you almost robotically and placing the pillow back on your bed, before bowing and returning to his station.

He's not all that robotic, of course. Some nights you'd try to make conversations, to which he'd answer everything bluntly and as short as possible.

There was one night when you stood in front of him, just eyeing his beautiful star shaped pupil, when he gave you a weird look.

"Your highness. . . what are you doing?"

You'd pout and turn away, saying "nothing" and cuddling back into your warm bed. You wonder if he feels cold standing there sometimes.

You gave him a blanket the next night, to which he was hesitant to use until you "ordered" him to simply wrap it around his shoulders.

"This would hinder me from fighting and protecting you." He said.

"I'm sure a prodigy such as yourself is capable of fighting with a blanket."

And there was one night when the pressure of royalty felt too much for you; when days were dragging on and you felt exhausted yet unable to sleep. Turning side to side in bed before glancing up at your stoic guard. He's still standing there. Doing his "duty".

With a blanket over your shoulders, you opened the doors to the large balcony, enjoying the fresh air while eyeing the view from high up. Khaenri'ah is beautiful, but dark forces you didn't understand were brewing, putting pressure on everyone.

These nights in your chambers were a comfort away from the stress.

"Your highness, it's dangerous," Dain says, not moving from his station. You might fall or an assassin could be waiting, yet you ignore his warning as you sit over the railings.

"Then come over here and protect me."

Like an invite, he approaches you, reaching out to hold onto you in case you drop, unsure of where to place his hands but you guided them to settle on your hips.

You gesture for him to sit with you on the railings (he refused) as you both look on at the view that is Khaenri'ah.

You talked a lot more that night; about nations beyond and what life would be like beyond duty. He was charming yet awkward, you understand why he was well loved by the people.

"If I ever leave Khaenri'ah, would you guard me to journey the rest of Teyvat as well?" You ask and he hums, a promise in his eyes.

"Of course."

You never did leave Khaenri'ah.

// not proofread, just word barf bc guard dainsleif makes me so soooft 🥺💞

#dainsleif #hira brainrot #dainsleif x reader #genshin #genshin dainsleif #genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin royal au #genshin angst

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slothcapsule · 2 years

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ngl im sort of convinced that kaeya is going to ascend to celestia at some point

i dont have any actual basis to the theory but his lore and design and the implications of everything really make me think he's going to be a five star at some point

#peacocks being related to gods/royalty #his entire outfit #the lore #he's either gonna ascend to celestia or be revealed as the prince of the abyss/old khaenri'ah mark my words #prince kaeya #kaeya lore #celestia #khaenriah #genshin impact lore #kaeya alberich #off topic but i want kaeya dain interactions i think thatll clear a lot up #also when i mean design i mean all the hints to celestia in his design but i cut myself short bc i have an entire post about his design

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shayewrites · 1 year

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underneath the twilight

synopsis: the tragic story of a knight and his lost beloved princess (fem!reader) (dainsleif pov)

warnings: mentions of blood and implied character death. this is a little angsty, but dainsleif has been on my mind for some time now and he doesn’t get enough love in fanfic, happy (ish) ending.

masterlist. navigation.

“There were no stars in Khaenri'ah. There was only the Sun and the Moon to keep a watchful eye over each and every child of innovation and creation without a deity or a sole ruler to bow to. Every man answered to himself, as things ought to be.

After rumors spread of another world beyond the depths of the underground, a world full of magic, of beauty, and of deities that ruled over their lands with wisdom and with grace, the people of Khaenri'ah began to wish for a deity of their own. As there was no god or goddess in the man-made realm of Khaenri'ah, the people created their own through the installment of a monarchy. This monarchy was rather weak, in the sense of the power it held over its subjects, but for the time being, it sufficed the wandering minds and hearts of the people by giving them someone to look to for answers or inspiration.

For years, the monarchy was ‘chosen’ by the people. Candidates were chosen from those acclaimed to be the ‘wisest’ families in the nation to be raised up in royalty to succeed as the next heir to the throne. This Candidate would dedicate his or her life to acquiring wisdom and knowledge to share with the people and lead them in times of need, which may have seemed to be few and far between at the time. During the last dynasty of Khaenri'ah, there was to be a new heir to ascend to the throne, but on the eve of her coronation, the Cataclysm struck, and she was lost to the destruction that plagued our land, our home.”

“Dain,” the traveler spoke from beside him, reaching out a hand to rest on his forearm, “The night of the Cataclysm. What was it like?”

Instantly he froze, his muscles stiffening up at the very question. It was a night he had spent half of a millenia trying to dispel from his mind, but in the end, it always came back to mind to remind him of his failure to protect his own. He was reminded of it in his dreams, in the quiet moments of the daylight, and in the restless nights where he would lie awake for hours to stare at the stars in the sky above. Oh how you would have loved the stars if only you were still here by his side.

He let out a defeated sigh, resigning himself to reminisce once more the night his world shattered forever. Perhaps a retelling was due.

“The night of the Cataclysm was supposed to be a grand celebration for all of Khaenri'ah. The new heir to the Khaenri'ahn throne had been announced by King Irmin, and she was to take her place as queen that following morning after her coronation ceremony. The palace had invited all of Khaenri'ah to come and celebrate their new queen. There was music that filled each and every hall of the palace from the observatory overlooking all of Khaenri'ah all the way down to the depths of the dungeons where criminals awaited their pending trials and sentences to be fulfilled. The chambers of wine had been opened for this very occasion, and by the time the sun had begun to set over the horizon, many of the guests had found themselves escorted back to their homes by the Black Serpent Knights that watched over the city by night. Even so, there were still quite a few guests left, all hoping to seek an audience with the future queen of Khaenri'ah. However, she seemed to have a different plan in mind.

I had been stationed within the main hall where the gala was starting to come to a fitting end, but my one mission had managed to slip through my fingers almost immediately after her welcome speech towards the beginning of the party. Honestly, she was as nimble as a fox, disappearing into the crowd effortlessly for the duration of the occasion. She’d always been this way. For as long as I could remember, she’d slip out of any and every formal event hosted by the palace, often winding up in the nearest library or exchanging knowledge with just about anyone she came about. It was endearing for the most part, but tonight I had one duty, to protect her, but how was I to protect someone I couldn’t find?

When I finally did find her highness, I found her leaning over the railing of the balcony that overlooked the illuminated city streets below. Her eyes followed the setting sun that disappeared behind the mountains that stood steadfastly off in the distance. In the last golden rays of the sunlight, she looked ethereal, as if she belonged to the rumored land of magic that I had heard so much about lately. I leaned against one of the marble pillars, simply watching her for a moment before breaking the silence, “You know, if I didn’t know better, I might think you were about to grow wings and fly far far away from here.”

Her chuckle permeated the air as she shook her head playfully, not turning back to meet my gaze, “I’m considering it, Twilight Sword, but it seems that we as a nation have yet to engineer the mechanics of human flight.”

“Perhaps not yet,” I replied as I moved to stand beside her, “but I suppose that means I get to keep you here beside me for a little longer.”

I had expected her to laugh at such a silly notion, but instead, her head fell, and her eyes shifted towards the railing beneath her fingers. “A little longer,” she repeated as if she were suddenly locked in a trance.

“Something the matter, your highness?” I ventured to ask, “I couldn’t help but notice that there’s been a rather forlorn expression on your face all night, and while I know that you prefer to hide from the bright lights and loud music of galas and balls, I have to admit you seem more wilted than usual.”

She shook her head once more, lifting her gaze to meet mine. “It’s not that, surprisingly enough,” she replied. She spun around to glance at the remaining guests dancing across the ballroom, all still waiting for her return to the party. “Call me irrational, or crazy even, but I can’t help but get the feeling that something has gone terribly wrong.”

For her to say that something was wrong was quite out of the character for her. In all the years I’d known and guarded King Irmin’s successor, she’d never been one to speculate, not unless all the facts were laid out before her. She left speculation to the imagination of those around her, particularly to the alchemists and engineers that pushed the bounds of alchemy and innovation with each passing day. They could afford to be wrong, to have failed experiments. She however felt as if she couldn’t, as if any sense of failure might tarnish the expectations she upheld as a Candidate.

I moved to place my gloved hand on top of hers, “What could have possibly given you that idea? Your people, your nation, they could not be in safer hands than your own, my lady. If it were not so I would have shared it with you.” I hoped she could see the sincerity in my gaze, to know that she needn’t worry for even a moment.

“I know, Dain, which is why the idea alone feels so preposterous to me. Still, this dreadful feeling persists, as if it is a warning of sorts that I cannot seem to decipher.” As she glanced up to me, I saw the dark bags underneath her eyes that told of sleepless nights at the library. What had worried her so much as to make her lose sleep like this? What had she seen and heard for her to reach the point of speculation like this?

I couldn’t see inside her mind to know what thoughts were racing through it, but I thought I might be able to convince her that she was safe and sound, that whatever was worrying her was only a passing thought. I gave her my most convincing smile and said, “Ah, I see what it is.”

Her eyes lit up with familiar excitement and anticipation, “You do?”

I nodded, “I do.” I pushed a strand of hair away from her face, “You’re lost in the pretty little mind of yours again, aren’t you? You’re consumed by the worries of your people and how to best serve them as you twist yourself into a bind to please them.” From what I could gather, it was my best guess. This coronation ceremony must have really been getting to her for her to take up the habit of worrying herself sick.

Her face fell immediately, her eyes suddenly flickering with the first flames of frustration, “Dain, I’m being serious.”

I huffed, folding my arms over my chest, “As am I. Look, you give your all each and every day for the good of your people, but you neglect to think of yourself and care for your own needs. Here you are on the eve of your coronation, worried about what choices you will make tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.” She turned her face away from mine, once again sparing a glance to the musicians and dancers still in the main hall. I followed her gaze before holding out my hand to her and offering a compromise, “Take my hand, and let me take you far away from the doubts and fears of tomorrow. Let’s focus on today and spend the little time we have left in it together, shall we?”

She hesitated for only a moment before her smile returned little by little until she took my hand in hers, “Since when did you become such a romantic?”

I folded one arm across my chest in a proper bow, giving her a wink as I rose back to my full stature, “Only for you, my lady.”

I started to lead her towards the center of the hall, feeling the watching eyes of the guests and fellow knights standing vigilant guard around the room, but just as she turned to me, draping one of her hands over my shoulder, there came a shudder from the ground beneath us. There was no warning, no way of knowing what was to come, but in that moment, the only thought racing through my mind was the woman before me and the resigned look that crossed her face. She’d been right after all.

As the ground broke open underneath us, I kept the hand still enclosed in hers iron-tight. The other hand was trapped underneath fallen rubble from the roof. I couldn’t move it, and I was already starting to fear the worst as the rich, crimson blood began to trickle down my entrapped shoulder, staining my coat a deep carmine. I spared a worried glance down to the princess, helpless to watch as she clung to me for dear life.

As the blood began to run down the sleeve of my coat, it started to pool where our hands were connected. I desperately tried to readjust my grip, but I couldn’t risk it, not with her still grasping my hand so tightly. Almost immediately, she began to understand our dilemma. Her eyes found mine, tears already threatening to fall as she struggled to find the right words. “Dain,” she started to speak, her voice shaky and uncertain, “You can’t hold us both.”

“That’s not true!” I argued through gritted teeth, ignoring the searing pain that tore at my shoulder and my outstretched hand. I forced myself to believe I could endure the pain, even if my body was beginning to scream in agony.

Her hand began to slip just slightly, but I was able to hold onto her by my fingers, desperate not to drop her into the abyss below us. She looked up to my trapped arm and sighed heavily as she tried to hold back her tears, “Dainsleif, my Twilight Sword, we both know the truth. You can’t pull us both out of here. Your right arm is trapped, isn’t it?

I couldn’t lie to her, so I opted to stay silent, but even so, it only confirmed her fears. No matter how much I willed it not to be true, she was right. I couldn’t hold this position forever, and I wasn’t sure I could pull myself up to level ground, much less the both of us.

She called my name to pull me from my thoughts, but I noticed the way her voice was more tender than before, “Dain, you have to let me go.”

“No!” I immediately interjected, unable to even consider such a thought in this situation. “There’s got to be another way, just give me time to think!” I cried out, not willing to believe that she was right yet again, too stubborn to accept the reality I was faced with.

By now, the blood pooling in our hand had started to seep through each of our fingers, causing her to slip through my fingers with every passing moment. I gripped her hand with every last ounce of strength I had left, but even I could tell that it was not enough to hold.

Before she slipped through my fingers for the very last time, she whispered a promise, a promise to be with me wherever I went in life or in death. She then took one last breath and let go of my hand. In that moment she didn’t cry. She didn’t shed a single tear for herself as she fell through the air. In fact, though the sight lives on only in my memory, she smiled, just like she had for so many years that I had been at her side, knowing this would be the last time.”

The former knight paused his story there, unable to continue as grief washed over him. He’d lost everything that night: his home, his family, his friends, and his purpose, but what hurt the most, was to know that he wasn’t strong enough to save Khaenri'ah all those years ago, and that now, he had to settle for avenging the nation and every last citizen struck down by the archons’ power. He knew it would never be enough to undo his own failure to save you, to protect you like he swore to as a royal guard, but perhaps you could forgive him if he could find the answer to why the gods chose to strike down his homeland and his only love.

The rustling of the bushes in front of Dainsleif alerted him that he and the traveler were no longer alone. The newcomer began to clap, slow and loud as he revealed himself, ““That’s quite the story there, but I’m quite curious. What became of the knight in your story?”

The traveler’s mouth opened wide in shock as they recognized the newcomer in question, “C-Captain Kaeya! What are you doing here?”

Kaeya ignored the traveler’s question, intently awaiting Dainsleif’s reply, “Surely there was more to the story, no?”

Dainsleif sighed, folding his arms over his chest, “He’s roamed the ravaged land as a wanderer for years to come, silently holding out hope that his beloved might someday return, even if it is quite foolish to entertain such a thought. He’s spent the rest of his days searching for her in the stillness of the night, underneath the twilight sky.”

Kaeya began to chuckle, shaking his head disapprovingly, “That’s no way to end a story, now is it? What are the chances the princess survived and clawed herself to unlikely victory? What if the princess were to take on the role of avenger for her fallen nation just as her dutiful knight has done?” He then shrugged, “It’s just a thought though. I would hate for such a romantic story to end on such a somber note after all.”

For a moment, there was the faintest flicker of hope in the former knight’s heart, but it withered away as soon as it had sparked alight. Kaeya may have liked to push other people’s buttons for fun, but as a descendent of Khaenri'ah himself, he knew better than to make light of his homeland in such a way. This was not just another story told for the sake of being told, and the cavalry captain knew that. Still, Dainsleif also knew that the traveler was still unaware of Kaeya’s less than noble heritage, so he’d play along, for now.

“If such a possibility were to exist in this story, where might the knight find her? That is if it were possible she survived the fall into the abyss? Hypothetically of course,” he asked with a pointed glare.

Kaeya stroked his chin, as if in deep thought, “Hmm, you mentioned in your little story that she always wished to fly away like a bird following the setting sun. If I were the knight, I’d look for the princess where the sun meets the sky, at the peak of the highest mountain west of the wind.”

The highest mountain west of the wind? That automatically eliminated a few possible places. West of the wind suggested out of Mondstadt, so that left…

Dainsleif chuckled to himself, “How fitting.” He then turned to leave, not giving the traveler or Kaeya a moment to interject.

The traveler glanced between Dainsleif’s retreating figure and Kaeya, who wore a rather proud smirk on his face, “I’ll be off now. Traveler, why don’t you accompany me back to Mondstadt? Jean has a new project for the Knights of Favonious that just might interest you.”

The traveler lingered, sparing the former Twilight Sword one last glance as he disappeared into the sunset, “What about Dainsleif?”

Kaeya didn’t look back as he replied, “Don’t worry about him. I’m sure he knows where he’s going.”

shayewrites 2023

this started as a storyline, but i condensed it for tumblr. i know 3,000 words doesn’t sound like condensing, but you should have seen the first draft.

#genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #dainsleif #dainsleif x reader #dainsleif x you #fem!reader #kaeya #Genshin #shayewritesgenshin #shayewrites #genshin angst

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berryblooo · 9 months

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How Kaeya and Kokomi's mysterious pasts can come back to haunt them

Cross-posting from HoYoLab. If you enjoyed this post, please give me a like there!

Disclaimer: Spoilers for the 3.8 flagship event, Secret Summer Paradise.

Just An Ordinary Human

In an exchange between Klee and Kokomi, the young girl asks her new friend a funny question.

To which Kokomi has a perfectly reasonable answer.

So that sets the record straight, right? Kokomi is nothing but a normal human. Nothing special about her!

Not quite!

Foreshadowing is defined as "an indication of what is to come" in works of literature and media. Foreshadowing doesn't have to be a positive assertion to a plot line coming up later - it can also pose a question that will be addressed down the road.

Klee pointing at Kokomi's mermaid-like design elements and asking her if she's a fish isn't meant to make the player ask this same question literally. What it is meant to do is have us question, "Is Kokomi just an ordinary human?" She may not be a fish or mermaid, but there are other forces at play from Enkanomiya, her ancestral home, that we can look into.

Just A Calvary Captain

The characters in Genshin Impact aren't always upfront about who they are or their origins. A prime example of this is the Traveler themselves - they are not forthcoming to Paimon, their closest traveling companion, about how and why they came to Teyvat, their origins, and the powers they have.

This means we can't always take what a character says at face value. The uncertainty and subsequent questioning is meant to heighten suspicion and excitement for later reveals.

One such character who has had much of this foreshadowing about their origins and motivations is Kaeya Alberich, who conveniently also happened to be featured in this event. As one of the four starter characters, we've known about Kaeya's mysterious foreshadowing since the beginning of the game. This is in reference to his origins in Khaenri'ah and Mona's voiceline, About Kaeya.

Kaeya Alberich? He's a Pavo Ocellus. Destined for greatness and grandeur... and to hide ugly realities behind a layer of charm and elegance. He believes he has made a clean break with his past, but one day fate will catch up with him. When it does, he will have a major decision to make.

This led to fans speculating that he is Khaenri'an royalty, a lost prince because of his dad's line "You are our last hope" though we eventually found out in the 2.8 Hidden Strife event that the Alberich clan were more like retainers to King Irmin.

"Remember always that it was the Alberich Clan, who did not have royal blood, who stepped in as regents when the strength of the one-eyed king Irmin failed. Though we could not restore Khaenri'ah to life, we of the Alberich Clan should lead lives as those who blaze like fire, rather than those who wallow in the embers."

And despite fan theories speculating that Kaeya may betray Mondstadt due to his allegiance with Khaenri'ah, the game seems to point toward the opposite. If the remnants of Khaeri'ah are the Abyss Order, led by the Abyss Princess/Prince, then Kaeya is likely to side with his immediate home and family.

We see yet another hint of this in the ongoing event in his exchange with Collei.

Her hesitance is echoing that of the players' who wonder if Kaeya is a double agent working against Mondstadt's interests. But Kaeya's response foreshadows his choice in that prophesized choice he will have to make, mentioned by Mona.

We already know from Kaeya's character stories that he will drink and mingle with Treasure Hoarders to get intel for the Knights of Favonius, and it's hinted in Part 9, Crash Course, of the Archon Quest Prologue: Act I - The Outlander Who Caught The Wind that he can speak the Abyssal language to communicate with Abyss Mages.

This, and his exchange with Zosimos after the performance of his play, teases his possible double agent status.

The implication here is that Kaeya is putting up a front and acting out a part in our interactions with him. However, as has already been established, it seems less and less likely that Kaeya would betray his friends and home. Rather, he may be able to leverage his status as inheritor of the Khaeri'an royalty to put up a resistance to the Abyss Order alongside the Traveler. He gets to reclaim his homeland, while the Traveler can get their twin back.

Sleeping Dragon

Kokomi, much like Kaeya, is a descendant and heir of an ancient fallen kingdom, Enkanomiya. But is she a double agent? Is Enkanomiya foreshadowed to come back, like Khaenri'ah?

Not quite.

While Khaenri'ah was defined by being a godless nation ruled by human might alone, Enkanomiya has ties to before the creation of Teyvat as we know it and the Primordial One.

Before the Primordial One arrived to what would become Teyvat, it was ruled by the Seven Sovereigns, or dragons-lords. We've met one of the sovereigns, Apep, in Sumeru. Another of the seven dragon-lords was the Dragon of Water, who perished in its fight against the Primordial One.

Before it became known as Enkanomiya, the realm was called Byakuyakoku and was terrorized by Dragonheirs of the Depths or the creatures now called Bathysmal Vishaps. You're likely familiar with them.

Their name was changed once the people learned that the Dragonheirs feared light and could drive them away with their lanterns and artificial sun. From there they studied and experimented on the Vishaps and found that they are not only intelligent, but can communicate with each other and evolve.

It is in these experimental records that we learn of a prophecy.

Prophecy holds that the Dragon Sovereign of Water will be born in a human form. We must not let this thing happen in Enkanomiya.

The Byakuyakoku Collection, Vol 4

Following the fading of the Seven Sovereigns' power, a new generation of Sovereigns is presently being born. But now that the Bathysmal Vishaps have evolved in this manner, they have lost their purity. As such, the Dragon of Water will no longer be born from among their ranks. Prophecy holds that the new Dragon of Water will definitely descend in the form of a human.

Bolteater Bathysmal Vishap Hatchling description

This is where the theory that Kokomi is the prophesized Dragon of Water reborn stems from.

It does not matter that she says she is "just an ordinary human" because the prophecy states that the sovereign will be reborn as a human.

Her constellation also points to this.

The Latin name, Dracaena Somnolenta, translates to "sleeping dragon". Seems pretty straightforward.

What does it mean for Kokomi, Enkanomiya, and the story if she is indeed revealed to be the Dragon of Water? Will it have a resurgence like Khaenri'ah?

I don't believe so. The descendants of Enkanomiya now occupy Watatsumi Island in Inazuma. They no longer worship their dead god, Orobashi, who was slain by the Raiden Shogun, but live a somewhat independent existence on their island.

According to their local legends, Enkanomiya attempts to absorb the spirit of Watatsumi, which slowly bleaches and erodes the island's soil, turning it into an uninhabitable desert. This is why the Sangonomiya Shrine conducts the Watatsumi Mitama Omatsuri ritual that purifies the waters and soil. If this fails, the phenomena could disturb the Vishaps that lurk deep in the depths below.

If, for whatever reason, these rituals fail and the ancient Vishaps invade the surface, who better to stop them, even command them, than the reborn Dragon of Water?

The power of water is its ability to take any shape...

It's no coincidence that Kaeya and Kokomi are two of the characters featured in Secret Summer Paradise. Not only are they both heirs of fallen nations, but the event itself touches on the theme of hidden/secret identities.

This is exemplified by the main NPC, Idyia.

While she first appears as "just a normal human" we learn in Act III - Dreams and First Encounters! that her human appearance hides her true form, that of an Oceanid.

Idyia's reveal reflects what fans expect for Kaeya and Kokomi.

She is exiled from her homeland, Fontaine. While the nation still exists, it can be said that it is not the same as when the former Hydro Archon, Lord Amrita, ruled and thus has fallen in that sense. Idyia now resides in a foreign nation and hides her true origins and form.

The extra connection between Idyia and Kokomi is the affinity for the Hydro element, which is associated with transformation, illusions, and dreams.

In Conclusion

What can we take away from all this?

The characters aren't always reliable narrators. They can lie to us, just like the Traveler can withhold information.

Things are not always as they seem, so believe only that which your eyes show you... these themes will undoubtedly be expanded upon in Fontaine, the nation of Justice and the courtroom.

Heads may roll.

#kaeya alberich #sangonomiya kokomi #genshin impact #genshin impact lore #genshin theories #fontaine #bloo writes theories

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rhine-gold-archive · 2 years

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Question! - It seems like a popular theory that Kaeya is somehow royalty? I was wondering, if that's the case, then tf is the abyss-sibling thinking, trying to hack some fountain in the chasm instead of using their 'last hope'? The royal theory seems off. Surely, the abyss-sibling wouldn't forget/not know about their actual prince living in Mond? His last name says smth about 'stealing and then becoming king' - that implies he is just a plain citizen before he does something. Idk 🥴 help???

asdfghj ok, hold on anon, you seem to be making a lot of jumbled assumptions here, let’s unpack them before I answer. First of all, you seem to be conflating “Kaeya is royalty” with “Kaeya is Khaenri’ah’s last hope”, which are two completely different things. Kaeya being a prince is an unproven fandom theory, but Kaeya being called “last hope of Khaenri’ah” is a canon text, it’s from his character story. Are you arguing that like, devs are lying to you in actual in-game descriptions? :D

“Surely, the abyss-sibling wouldn't forget/not know about their actual prince living in Mond?” Why not?? clearly, there are many different factions of Khaenri'ah survivors - the abyss order, the Black Serpent Knights, who do not obey the abyss, but protect the hilichurls, Dainsleif, and then there is Kaeya’s dad who seem to smuggle Kaeya to Dawn Winery in complete secret, without any of the other factions knowing. Kaeya’s mere existence contradicts what abyss sibling and Dainsleif know, it doesn’t even matter if he’s a prince. Dain was part of the Abyss Order and knows most of their secrets, and he’s adamant that he’s the ONLY survivor of Khaenri'ah who was not turned into a monster. He says that he was not transformed by the curse because of mysterious “it” thing he has, which is hinted, but not explained. But even this “it” doesn’t protect him completely - he wasn’t transformed, but he’s still under effects of the curse - he’s immortal and he can’t age, and he lives in suffering.

But Kaeya is not only not transformed into a monster, but he also can age normally, he grew up at the same rate as Diluc. We don’t know if he’s completely free from the curse, but he’s obviously able to live a normal human life, this is why he’s so special. And yeah, it wouldn’t make sense for abyss to be fucking with the fountains if they knew that there’s a seemingly totally cured Khaenri’ahn existing already, so obviously, they don’t know that “the last hope of Khaenri'ah” is drinking shots in the Mondstadt tavern. Again, it doesn’t even matter if Kaeya is from Eclipse dynasty or not, the mere fact of his existence would change everything, why do you think Hoyo keeps namedropping him in every Dain’s quest, but never lets them meet. He would be a gamechanger for the both sides.

Another assumption you seem to be making is that abyss sibling belongs to Khaenri'ah when you say “abyss-sibling wouldn't forget/not know about *their* actual prince”. The Traveler siblings are not Khaenri'ahns, if they were, Dain wouldn’t call himself the only survivor who was not transformed, he obviously knows abyss sibling exists. also, does it not seems off to you that the Traveler says that they and abyss sibling came to this world 500 years ago, saw the destruction of Khaenri'ah, tried to leave and were stopped by the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles? How could this be if the siblings were indeed from Khaenri'ah? And would the Traveler not know already know what Khaenri'ah is and why it fell? And like, know who Dainsleif is? How can the siblings be from Khaenri'ah and only enter Teyvat at the moment of Khaenri'ah's destruction at the same time?

One theory that I personally agree with is that the traveler siblings are not from Khaenri'ah, but from the more ancient civilization that fell long time ago when the Second Throne came, and Khaenri'ah was built on the ruins of this civilization. We know that Enkanomyia was part of world-wide ancient civilization before the fall and also that there was even more ancient civilization of the Seelies, so both are valid options. The theory is that the Travelers left at the destruction of their much more ancient home and traveled for so long, they don’t even recognize their home when they return to Teyvat. That would explain the inteyvat flowers in Lumine’s hair even if she’s not abyss sibling - they only grow in Khaenri'ah, but if Lumine and Aether are from civilization that was in the same place as Khaenri'ah many hundreds years ago, it would make sense why she has the flowers, but doesn’t know what Khaenri'ah is. In this case, when abyss sibling talks about “homeland” they don’t mean exactly Khaenri'ah, but the place where Khaenri'ah was built on.

Another thing that supports it is that hilichurls have different tribe markings, and some of them clearly reference Khaenri'ah sigil, but many others don’t. So it’s very possible that Khaenri'ah is not the first nation to be transformed into monsters by this curse, that the hilichurls contain remnants of several different civilizations, one of which was the Traveler’s destroyed ancient home.

as for why Kaeya is theorized to be Khaenri'ah‘s prince - it’s a popular theory, so I’m not going to go into detailed explanations, I’m sure you can easily find them, but why I personally believe it - Alberich is the reference to the dwarven king from Nibelungen saga + sword from heaven explaining “the stealing” you seem to be confused about+ Kaeya’s C1 called “Excellent blood” + his voiceline “Haha, then according to that logic, I at the very least am some royal progeny of a last reigning dynasty too, right?” + he’s absolutely covered head to toe in “Khaenri'ah stars” which are confirmed in the Chasm to be from the banner of the Khaenri’ah royal house. It’s all not very subtle when you put the pieces together, tbh.

#khaenri'ah #rhine talks #kaeya #genshin impact #tbh i don't really care if he's actually royalty?#i'd love him the same if he's a common hillichurl but the royalty thing is hinted way too much #sorry for the long answer but you come to my inbox #and you ask me to explain why my fav is the most special boy #rhine meta #kaeya alberich

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