Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Shunkai the Wanderer floated aimlessly below the false sky. It was radiant, spotted with cold stars and empty nebulae, vast ribbons of illusory dust giving the impression of galaxies. The corpse of a moon hung in the center of it, like a hole punched through an earthen roof, letting the daylight in to blind and burn. A lie, covering the whole of Teyvat. He could remember enjoying the sight once. He would lie on hill tops at night, with nothing but the stars filling his vision.

That too was a lie, wasn't it?

He had never done that. That life was a false memory, a history crafted on the spot when he erased himself. But it felt real. It felt realer than the memories he knew to be true. Realer than investigating the fallen stars in Mondstadt, so long ago. Realer than falling to the cold metal ground from his godly form.

"Buer, can you hear me?" He whispered the words, knowing she couldn't. "Why can't I feel peace anymore?"

The wind blew warm and moist from the jungle surrounding the city. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend it was someone brushing him. But there was nothing, could be nothing, this far from Teyvat. Dragons didn't even fly this high. The only thing higher than him was Celestia, and that was not a place he yearned for anymore.

Wanderer turned slowly in the sky, swiveling to prone, until the stars were gone, and the distant ugly lights of Teyvat were all that remained. Sumeru City, and the Akademiya. Lights shone out from every house and trunk in the Vineyards, the section of the city that played host to a large contingent of immigrants from Mondstadt. By all rights, he and they should both be asleep, but they were celebrating Windblume, a holiday from their homeland that they had imported. Most of the native Sumerans didn’t care, but plenty took the excuse to celebrate, and the students of the Vahumana were taking the opportunity to study it. Maybe that idiot Aqaba was there.

So the city was bright, a shining beacon amidst the black and formless countryside, like a veil had been dropped to hide something unwanted. There were other lights, far off in the distance. If he squinted, he could pretend to see far off Mondstadt, where Barbatos was said to dwell. Was he celebrating Windblume in his own land now?

"What about you Barbatos? Can you hear me?" *Why did you give me a Vision?* He stared, one hand unconsciously clutching the Vision over his heart. The god of freedom did not answer. 

Wanderer screamed. He hurtled through the air, pouring energy into his descent to make it faster, releasing himself to the pull of gravity and assisting it all at once, until he was moving fast enough to knock out a mortal. The wind stung his face and stole the sound from his scream. The distant lights of Sumeru grew brighter and closer. Buildings separated from each other into distinct shapes, movement on the streets, individual people coming into sight.

There was the briefest flicker of confused recognition, as of making eye contact with someone you only vaguely remember, and Shunkai blinked, mouth closing and gravity vanishing.

The ground was still approaching quickly, "What the fuck am I doing?" Once more he poured energy through his Vision, slowing his fall and twisting in midair. He alighted safe and sound on the highest peak of the Akademiya, and looked around. What had that been?

"Buer? Was that you?"

A pause, and then a distant voice in his head. <Shunkai? Was what me?>

He stared at the crowds. No one was looking up. There was no presence, no recognition. He was alone in the heavens. "Nothing, forget I asked."

He waited for his words to reach her, and for her reply to return. <If you're sure. Are you enjoying the festival?>

Shunkai looked at the festival. It was why he was out so late. To experience and enjoy a human festival at Buer’s demand. "Yes. Greatest festival I've ever attended." He didn't attempt to inject any semblance of honesty into the statement. "I'm going for a flight. I'll talk to you later."

He was a kilometer away from the city before her disappointed reply reached him. <Have a good night.>

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Halfway to the Chasm, on a barren hill, Layla pulled her eye away from her telescope and squinted towards the city. Had she really just seen that wandering shugenja falling from the sky? She couldn't have, right? How would he have even gotten that high up?

She peered back through the telescope again. The stars, moons, planets and galaxies were all still exactly where they had been. Nothing was amiss or out of place. "I think I might have pushed it too far." Layla stepped away from the telescope and looked down at her star charts, spread across an old stump. She still had a lot of work to do tonight, but she really needed to sleep if she was hallucinating. "But I can't miss tonight's meteor shower or I won't be able to turn in my thesis." She wished she had some company. Maybe she could ask the Traveler to accompany her next time.

Or maybe the shugenja, if he was wandering in the area again. She hadn't ever gotten to thank him for saving that family for her, just chased off the treasure hoarders and then wandered off. She burned with shame thinking about it. She had a sword and Vision, and he had neither. She had run, and he had fought. A well of determination bubbled up from within her. Layla was stronger now. If the shugenja was in town, she would invite him to come with her, and she would fight something, and prove she wasn't as weak as before.

There was a note of confusion, but before she could manifest that thought, a light streaked through the air. "The meteors!" Layla scrambled to her telescope, leaving the thought behind.

Chapter Text

“Your essays have gotten popular. Are you going to write any more?”

Shunkai didn’t look away from the skylight letting in the noonday sun. “Only if more idiots try to say nice things about Ei or Zandik again.”

There was a pause that bore the weight of contemplation. The Wanderer didn’t move, but he knew that Buer was thinking. *If you’re reading my mind again, back off. I don’t care to discuss this.* The silence continued unabated, so he supposed she hadn’t been spying on him. Eventually, the sound of rapidly growing wood reached his ears. He refused to turn around to check, but guessed that Buer was making her way up to him via Dendro growth. 

The quiet creaks of wood ceased as Buer carefully sat down beside him on the ledge. “The Vahumana are trying to claim you’re an anonymous member of their Darshan. Will you allow that?”

He turned to scowl at her. “What? No. It’s my work.” He paused and looked away again, remembering all his works that were now forgotten. “It’s the only work I have an inkling of pride in.”

“Then I’ll get you registered with the Darshan as a visiting scholar. I’m sure that Shunkai of Vahumana will be a very revered name in time.”

“You’re baiting me.”

“Only a little bit.”

He waved a hand in dismissal. “Do whatever you want, but keep my name out of it.”

There was a different pause this time, something between contemplation and confusion. “You don’t want anyone to claim your essays as theirs, but you don’t want your own name attached to them. Why not?”

*Shunkai is a gifted name. Idiots do not deserve to sully it. Shunkai is me, not a word on a paper. Anything I claim will inevitably be corrupted by my ownership, keep this work pure. This name was a gift that I do not yet deserve.* “Because I don’t. Just give me a pen name.”

“Alright. Do you have any requests?”

“No.” Buer went silent as quill began to scratch against parchment.

The clouds far above were moving steadily westward, where they would crash against the Wall of Samiel. They had been getting steadily greyer over the past hour of staring. Rain clouds were being blown in. What would it be like to fly during the rain? In the month he’d had a vision, he hadn’t the chance. Would the water be able to hit him, or would the Anemo lifting him push it away? Would it go through his hat? Would it wash away his sins? Did Focalors far away judge him with each raindrop?

“Human nature begets conflict, and conflict begets destruction.” Buer spoke slowly and ritualistically, as if quoting from something. “Things can only ever go from bad to worse.”

The puppet thought about that, and found it described many humans he had met, as well as himself. He twisted once more to face the Archon of Wisdom. “And?”

“Do you agree with that then?”

He shrugged. “It holds up to what I’ve seen.”

“Can you think of any humans you could use as counter-examples?”

*Niwa. Mikoshi. Arlin. Kazhua, Viat.* He remained silent.

“I can think of lots of people who defy that description. Our friend the Traveler for one. Nilou, Tighnari, Haypasia, Nabiya, Layla, Kaveh, Vorthos, Farris, Delyona, Dunyarzad, Nasrin,--”

“Do you intend to list the entirety of Sumeru, or are you just waiting for me to interrupt you?” He glared and lifted up from his comfortable perch to fully face her. “You obviously want something, just tell me what to do.”

She smiled up at him with her hands behind her back. “I want you to participate in the upcoming Inter-Darshan tournament. You’ll be Vahumana’s representative.”

Shunkai stared at her, uncomprehendingly. First, what did that have to do with Human Nature? Secondly, what was the Inter-Darshan tournament? Thirdly, she had tricked him into being counted as a member of Vahumana. Fourthly, “Why are you meddling in a tournament?”

From behind her back, she pulled out a circlet of stained glass and glowing emeralds. “This is the Diadem of Knowledge. The Champion of the Tournament has gotten to wear it for the past 20 years. It’s considered a great honor. The first person to wear it fell into suicidal depression. His son is competing in this year’s tournament. I’m worried.”

Shunkai crouched down to eye level and regarded the Diadem intently. “It’s a Circlet of Logos? Is it part of a set?”

“If it is, the others have been lost.”

“What does it do?”

“Currently, it houses a fragment of the Consciousness of Sachin, a Vahumana Scholar.” Buer regarded him sadly. “I don’t know what he wants, he won’t talk to me, but his research is cared for by the Akademiya, to be given to a suitable heir. Sachin spent years studying human nature, and came to the conclusion that ‘Human nature begets conflict, and conflict begets destruction. Things can only ever go from bad to worse.’ I don’t know that his conclusion is false, but it certainly is not the only truth in this world.”

Shunkai plucked the circlet from her hands, eliciting a quick gasp from her. He regarded it pensively, then swept his hat off his head and put on the Diadem.  Buer stared at him open mouthed, while he merely tapped his foot on the ground and waited. “Nothing. You sure this does anything?”

“Take that off! Right now!” She actually jumped, reaching vainly for it.

He smirked downwards. “I dunno. If you want me to win the tournament and get it, I might as well wear it now.”

“I don’t care if you win or not, I just want you there to intervene if someone gets hurt.” She manifested her Catalyst and glared at him. The Diadem was telekinetically flung from his head, landing far behind her. “You had no way of knowing if that would affect you. That was irresponsible Shunkai.”

He shrugged. “I’m not human Buer. I doubt it would know what to do with me. But I’ll do it oh mighty Warden.”

“I really wish you would call me Nahida.”

He shrugged and turned away. With an infusion of Anemo, he regained his previous perch. The clouds had gone stormy. There might be lightning soon. Memories played across his vision, memories of wielding Sumeru’s lightning as Divine retribution. “Just send me the details I need to know, and I’ll be there.”

There was a long silence, weighed down with words unsaid and tears unshed. He could feel her frustration, but couldn’t bring himself to care. Wood creaked once more and Buer left, taking the Diadem with her.

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“Layla! I heard you won the Nomination! Are you excited?”

Layla jolted in her chair, blinking and looking around. “Nomination? What?” Two students had just sat down at her table, which was covered with reference material and unfinished star charts.

“Yup. You’re our representative. Congratulations. It seems like the perfect role for you.” The taller girl was leaning back in her chair and examining the table in the same way Layla had seen cafe goers examine bad food.

“Umm, thanks?” Layla looked between the two girls and tried to figure out what was being discussed. “I’ll do my best?”

“You’re the best Layla! I’m so glad you agreed.” The shorter girl was smiling with relief. “I thought we were going to be one of the only Darshan without a Vision wielder representing us. Every other Darshan’s rep has one, and the only other Rtawahist with a Vision is Qushji. And even if he wasn’t as old as my grandma, he participated and lost 30 years ago!”

“He got zero points.” The taller one stared at Layla. “An utter shame to the Darshan. Luckily for you, Vahumana doesn’t have any Visionaries right now. So no matter what, we won’t be in last place at this Extravaganza.”

Layla froze. She had been nominated for the Inter-Darshan Tournament? When had that happened? “Oh, did the representatives get announced? Who am I competing against?”

The shorter girl winced. The taller one rolled her eyes. “Spantamad is sending the General Mahamatra himself, so you don’t have a chance to win. Just try to come in the top three at least.”

“Munirah! Be positive!” The shorter girl poked her in the shoulder. “Layla’s a genius, and I heard she climbed the entire Wall of Samiel barehanded! She’ll do great!”

“Um, I don’t think I ever did that.”

Munirah scoffed. “I don’t think anyone’s ever climbed the Wall of Samiel barehanded. But at least you can beat Haravatat and Kshahrewar. They’re both sending machinists; Madam Faruzan and that Architect, Kaeya.”

“Kaveh.”

“That’s what I said, Sidra. Don’t try to correct me.”

“Oh, dear.” Layla had never met Faruzan, but she had heard intimidating things about her. She spent 100 years honing her powers in the ancient trials of King Deshret, and found Lord Kusanali’s recipe for immortality serum in the process. At least she finally knew both girl’s names now. She was pretty sure she had classes with both of them. “Who’s representing Amurta and Vahumana?”

Munirah shrugged. Sidra looked apologetic. “That hasn’t been announced. No one volunteered. They’re still gathering nominations, but it looks like a tighnarian Forest Watcher is going to represent Amurta.”

“The nominations for Vahumana are all over the place. They know they’re gonna lose and no one wants to compete against five Visionaries.” She leaned forward in her chair, glaring at Layla. “None of them want the utter shame of coming in last place. That would be unforgivable, a stain on their Darshan’s honor.”

Layla shrank away from her. “I’ll try my best. I promise.”

“Good.” Munirah pushed back her chair and loomed over her for a moment. “Prove you can actually contribute to this Darshan for once.” She turned and stalked away.

There was a long silence while the remaining two stared after her. Sidra leaned over and whispered. “She’s bitter that you got a higher grade than her in Theoretical Constellations last semester. She had help and only came in second place.” She grabbed Layla’s shaking hand and squeezed it. “You got this Layla. We all believe in you.” Sidra gave her a smile, then hurried after Munirah.

Layla sat quivering in her chair and staring after the other students. She really didn’t know what she had done to earn the belief that some of the students had in her. She spent all of her time working on assignments and thesis, trying to bring the dream she and Reira had into reality. She didn’t interact with the others nearly as often as she probably should. 

And this tournament? This wasn’t part of that dream at all. But, she couldn’t just let down everyone in Rtawahist. She’d already let down so many others. She would just have to find someway to do it.

Chapter Text

"You're going to do great Layla. Just believe in yourself!"

Layla smiled weakly at the duo of students who were walking with her to the venue. They were both carrying boxes of supplies, while she had volunteered to carry Farbal's strange astrolabe. "Thank Qamar, I'll try. I wish I had managed to get more sleep last night."

"You and me both." Farbal groaned as he staggered alongside them. "I had nightmares all night about being attacked by students."

"What? Why? If anyone was going to have nightmares about combat, I'd expect it to be Layla. She's actually participating in the tournament. You're just running the stall."

"Yeah, and do you know how hard it was to make a game to represent our Darshan without it using any divisive theories? I've had to change it four times in the past week, including last night when Ashk pointed out that my positioning of the stars implied that the Taurus Cluster was never in alignment with the 7th House during the 80's!" Farbal shivered, making the glass instruments in his box rattle. "I'm never getting talked into a booth again."

"Do you think they'd let us trade places?" Layla offered desperately. "I really don't think I'm cut out for this."

Qamar shook his head. "You were the only one who signed up with a Vision, and every other Darshan has a Visionary. There's no way they'll let you back out now."

"But I didn’t sign up! At least, I don't remember signing up." Layla despairingly cast her thoughts backwards to the fruitless investigation she had done after learning she had won the nominations. She had found the paperwork, filled out in an unfamiliar hand, but with her signature at the bottom. She didn't remember ever seeing it before.

Farbal snorted. "I know I've heard that one before. You really need to get your memory checked out."

Layla whimpered.

"Layla, you can do this." Qamar smiled over his boxes. "You're going to do great, and even if you come in last place, with zero points, no one will blame you, because we all know that we wouldn't have done any better."

"Ashk and Munirah will absolutely blame her. Oh look, there's my booth." Farbal swerved, leading them towards the empty booth with the Rtawahist sigil on the front. Qamar gave Layla an apologetic look before following Farbal.

Both men placed their boxes on the booth's counter and started to empty them. Layla forced herself to push past the sudden anxiety spike and step up to join them. She set the astrolabe down and stepped back. Farbal didn't even glance at her, but Qamar gave her a smile. "Thanks for helping me help him Layla. You're a good student. Will you be able to make it to the ceremony by your self?"

She nodded shakily. "You help set up, I can do this. I won't let everyone down."

"Good luck then!"

Layla turned away and stared out towards the wilds fare below the the city walls, where the stands were set up for the opening ceremony.

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Shunkai sat cross legged on a tree branch, staring out over the fair grounds. What a waste of effort. The people were scurrying about, setting up last minute decorations and performing last minute checks on everything. All for a tournament where five people would try to prove their Darshan was the best. And Buer had stuck him in the middle of it. He got to watch and make sure nothing went wrong with Blondie or the Diadem.

Blondie wasn't here yet, but the Diadem was already on a pedestal, front and center. He had watched the mahamatra deliver it earlier, and now he was positioned where he could easily keep an eye on it. It wasn't going anywhere. And neither was he.

Some of the other contestants had already arrived. Two men with inhumanly long ears were standing on the stage talking to each other. He was pretty certain that only one of them had actual fox ears. The shorter man with the spear had human ears peaking out from under his headgear. Some sort of ceremonial headdress maybe? Possibly the man was simply a furry. But neither were Kaveh, which meant he could ignore them unless they got the diadem.

Why was Buer so worried about Kaveh? Was it just because the man’s father been adversely affected by the Diadem, or was there something more to it? Did Kaveh agree with Sacchin? Maybe he should have found and spoken to him in advance, but that probably would have been a waste of time. Far easier to simply prevent him from winning the tournament so he wouldn’t ever have the chance to touch the Diadem.

He looked at the fox-eared men again in consideration. Should he sabotage Kaveh, or simply boost another contestant? Probably he should just wait for things to develop and decide once he had more information.

Someone else walked onto the stage. A girl who moved with timid footsteps. Wanderer narrowed his eyes as he watched her. She wore an interesting outfit, with a hood that didn't quite cover her pointed ears. There many of her kind in Sumeru, humans who could trace their lineage back to something decidedly not human. He was certain he had seen her before, but couldn't think of where it would possibly be. She wasn't a Fatuus, what was she?

He watched as she spoke to the MC, then walked to the Rtawahist banner. Another contestant then?  She looked like someone to keep an eye on. There was something about her that he didn't like. He stared at her as more people begin to file in around the stage. She didn't talk to anyone, though the fox-eared man did give her a wave.

He cast his words skywards. "Buer, what were the names of the contestants? Who is the Cryo Visionary specifically?"

She wasn't always listening to prayers, but she usually kept an ear out for his. <Layla is her name. She's a student here, working on a double major. Astrology and Dari Technology. She mostly focuses on the Astrology though, with a keen interest in the distances between stars and planet. I have high hopes for her.>

That was an interesting double major. “Thank you Buer.”

<Of course.>

She kept looking over her shoulder in his general direction as he watched her, like she could feel his gaze. Many of the elves had strange abilities, as did many visionaries, so maybe she could. He looked away, and refocused on keeping an eye out for Kaveh. Layla was interesting, but only a side note to his purpose here.

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"Representing Rtawahist, Layla!" There was some scattered cheers and applause from the crowd as Layla joined the General Mahamatra and Tighnari on the stage. She waved and tried to not see the number of people watching her, tried to not hear how quieter her applause had been when compared to the previous two contestants.

"Woo! Go Layla!"

On the other hand, the quieter cheers allowed her to pick out a certain voice. She looked towards it and saw Paimon floating a little bit above the crowd, cheering her on. Below her was the mysterious Traveler, who was calmly smiling, and clapping with their hands above their head. Layla smiled at them both in gratitude.

Two more contestants were announced by Kareena, and Layla saw that Paimon wasn't nearly as excited for madam Faruzan and Kaveh as she had been for her, but Traveler clapped the exact same for both of them. That did make her feel better that Paimon was so excited for her specifically.

"And for Vahumana. . . Huh? is Vahumana's representative not here yet?"

Layla looked over to the Vahumana flag. Everyone was looking around now, since no one had stepped out into position. Whoever it was, they hadn't been here earlier with the others.

And then a man descended from the sky, landing lightly on the stage in Vahumana's spot. He was wearing a large blue hat, and had an Anemo Vision on his chest like a war medal. He crossed his arms over his chest and swept his gaze over the other five contestants, pausing briefly when he made eye contact with her.

There was a spark somewhere in her soul, and she gasped as she recognized the shugenja once again. He squinted at her, but then looked past her to Kaveh. "These introductions are pointless. Let's just get this over with."

Kareena recovered excellently, and introduced him as Hat Guy. Layla didn't take her eyes off him as the crowd burst into conversation. He was definitely the shugenja who had saved that family, but he seemed completely different. he had been calm, almost placid even when fighting, and had simply wandered away. right now he seemed sullen, like he was being forced into this.

Multiple thoughts fought for supremacy within her, but the first one to surface once anxiety. There was no way she could beat him in this tournament, just like she wouldn't be able to defeat the General Mahamatra or the legendary Madam Faruzan. There was no way she could come in the Top 3 now.

The next thought was about his fighting style. She remembered that he was very skilled at it. But she couldn't actually remember the fight in any great detail. He had definitely defeated half a dozen treasure hoarders, but, she couldn't remember how. Had he had a Vision then? And what kind of name was Hat Guy?

After the Ceremony ended, she tried to make her way to him, but he immediately took to the air and flew away. Layla wanted to follow after him, to thank him for helping her all those months ago, but he was gone, and before she could get away, or talk to Paimon, Madam Faruzan started talking to her.