Ren
Ren's hands were shaking.
Not from the exhaustion of the past few days, but because of the overwhelming anxiety of being on a floating island above the clouds with a woman who summoned a literal title card.
Safe to say, his brain was in shambles.
'What the FUCK do I DO?!'
If the ridiculous hat wasn't enough of an indication, the title card had confirmed it. The woman sitting across from him, calmly sipping her tea, was the mage he'd been looking for.
And she was absolutely nothing like what he'd expected.
His eyes darted around the space without moving his head. The island and the painted clouds were indications that this was a created space. But it also felt so different that his brain was having trouble figuring out what to do.
'I can't sense anything from her.'
A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face.
He knew rationally that Alice had no reason to want him dead. She was the one who planted the lead and disguised herself as a storyteller.
She had practically guided him here.
People who wanted to kill you didn't usually give you directions first.
But he was also standing inside what his every instinct was telling him was a Domain Expansion, maintained by someone whose power he couldn't begin to read.
The only other time he'd seen a domain expansion was from his dad's demonstration, and this was similar in some ways.
'Don't panic, I need to understand what I'm working with.'
He let his eyes drift from her face for just a second, trying to analyze the barrier itself.
It was similar to a Domain in construction, maybe even more similar to Cloud Retainer's domain. But the energy used in this was something he'd never seen before. It wasn't negative energy, but he was hesitating to even classify it as positive.
The energy felt hollow.
'Can't risk dropping the technique. There's no telling if this has a sure-hit effect or not.'
"Oh my, aren't you tense," Alice laughed lightly. She set her cup down and twirled one finger, and the chair across from her rotated toward him on its own. "Come and take a seat! We have much to discuss~"
She might as well have spoken into a wall.
Ren was still frozen in place, his feet rooted in the ground and very focused on keeping Hollow Wicker Basket active.
Alice watched him for a few more seconds before finally sighing, "You really are a handful of a child, you know?"
Then she raised her hand.
Ren's eyes went sharp immediately.
'Should I summon Mahoraga?'
The fact that this was the second time he considered summoning the Divine General wasn't something he was proud of.
His instincts were telling him that Alice could probably handle Mahoraga. He had a feeling that she was around, if not stronger than Arlecchino's level. But the clash might be enough to destroy the barrier and give him an opening to get out.
'Maybe—'
SNAP.
'What—'
"—Now isn't that better?"
Ren blinked.
He was sitting in the chair.
His eyes blinked rapidly as his senses finally worked and he realized he was sitting across from Alice. His hands were thankfully still locked in the form for maintaining Hollow Wicker Basket, and the sudden teleportation almost made him summon Mahoraga.
Alice looked extremely pleased with herself.
"Hmm." She set her cup down with a small click. Her expression was still amused, but looked firmer. "It seems like we are not going to get anywhere like this. So let me make this clear."
Her eyes locked onto his.
"If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't even notice." She said in a cheerful, non-threatening tone.
The way she said it sobered up Ren's brain real quick. It wasn't really a threat, but more of a statement, and that really hammered the reality that he stood absolutely no chance.
He took a deep breath and let his body relax slowly, and released the hand sign keeping Hollow Wicker Basket active.
"S-Sorry about that." He exhaled. "I've been on edge for a while. You kinda caught me at a bad time."
"Oh, it's quite alright!" Alice brightened immediately, "Your expressions were a sight to behold. Truly!"
Ren felt his face heat up.
Suddenly, two enormous hands materialized out of thin air beside him.
He had approximately half a second to register their existence before they descended on him, patting his head with enough enthusiasm to make his neck wobble, rubbing both sides of his face simultaneously with vigor.
"H-Hey, what are you—Mmhp?!"
One of the hands had produced a piece of cake from somewhere and shoved it directly into his open mouth mid-protest.
"Aren't you just an adorable little thing~" Alice cooed from across the table, her expression the picture of delight.
'What is happening?'
Ren's arm futilely moved to stop the hands while he was unable to even move his head away.
He sat there with a mouth full of cake and his cheeks being pulled in two different directions while one of the most powerful entities he'd ever encountered treated him like a small child.
After what felt like a very long time, Alice seemed satisfied and dispelled the hands.
Ren immediately brought both hands to his face and rubbed his cheeks. 'Ow…'
He stared at her.
She stared back pleasantly.
A teacup drifted across the table toward him.
"But enough of that." Alice folded her hands together and smiled at him over them. "Back to my question earlier. Could you tell me what that technique was?"
/ — /
"Interesting…" Alice hummed, rubbing her chin as she looked at him. "So that's why I felt something odd when it reacted to my space. Though I did not expect it to have any effect at all, especially due to your constitution."
"I'm… sorry?" Ren said hesitantly.
"Ah, I apologise. Please forget the ramblings of this great witch." She waved a hand dismissively and rested her chin on the other one. "I believe we have more important things to talk about. You were looking for me, yes?"
"That's right." He stared at the tea in front of him, the steam curling upward. "I was hoping you'd be able to answer some questions."
"Oh?" She tilted her head. "And why do you think I would have answers to any of your questions?"
'Ok, she has to be playing with me.'
Ren took a breath. "Weren't you the one who wanted me to find you? You disguised yourself as a storyteller and dropped a hint in the middle of a restaurant. It was kind of hard not to notice the timing."
"Oh yeah, that was me!" She laughed out loud, putting two hands on her head, completely unabashed. "Well, seeing as you completed my little side-quest, it seems right that you get a reward. So, how can this great mage assist you, Descender?"
'Descender?'
That was definitely new. Cloud Retainer had used the term 'outlander' when referring to him. But 'Descender' felt a little too grand, like it meant something more than just a person from another world.
With Alice's personality, he wouldn't be surprised if her words hid more than what they seemed on the surface.
But that wasn't really important right now, so he filed that away for later.
"Before anything else, I'd actually like to know more about who I'm speaking to. The title card was something I'm definitely… not forgetting anytime soon, but I don't really know anything about you beyond the fact that you're a mage."
Alice seemed delighted by the request. "Apologies, I've been dying to use that for so long that I got a little carried away. Quite rude of me."
She cleared her throat with mild ceremony. "You may call me Alice. Simply put, I am the Great Witch who watches over Teyvat's borders. Among other things that aren't quite relevant right now."
"Watches over Teyvat's borders?"
"Let's say I'm the person in charge of noticing who enters and leaves this planet."
'Oh damn.' Ren's eyes widened slightly. The implication of such an important person noticing him made him a little dizzy. "Why did you seek me out?"
The witch's smile softened slightly. "As the one who watches the borders, I have knowledge of anyone who enters this world. But you somehow escaped my senses."
She sighed dramatically. "I only found out when you did something that sent a ripple through the world… Care to enlighten me on that matter?"
"I'm pretty sure I haven't done anything to ripple the world," Ren laughed, and it came out slightly more nervous than he intended. "I'm nowhere near strong enough for that."
'What the heck is she talking about?'
He was pretty certain he hadn't done anything remotely close to that. He ran a delivery business and knew a couple of Adepti, but—
'Unless…'
His eyes widened.
"Care to share?" Alice asked pleasantly, having apparently been watching his expression the entire time.
Ren hesitated. He wasn't willing to give up information about jujutsu that casually, especially not Binding Vows.
Yanfei was the only person in Teyvat who knew about that, and he intended to keep the circle small.
"I thought I was the one asking questions?"
Alice covered her mouth, but it did almost nothing to hide the smile underneath. "Oh! I apologise. You are just such an interesting child. I couldn't help myself."
'Oh, thank the Archons she didn't get angry!'
Ren took a breath and moved on. "My next question. Is… Is there a way for me to go back home?"
"Before I answer that…" She tilted her head. "Why are you so insistent on going home? From what I've seen, you've built something nice for yourself in Liyue. You even have yourself a good circle of friends"
She answered his question with a question. Again.
But it made him stop and think.
He really did become attached to Liyue in a way he never expected to. His business and the friends he'd learned to trust and cherish. And he liked it here more than he thought he would.
But…
There was something he needed to do. And he couldn't do it in Teyvat.
"I have something to do," he said firmly. "Something I can't let go of."
That seemed to satisfy her. "I see. Then I won't pry further."
She set her cup down. "There is a way for you to leave Teyvat. Many ways, in fact. I could even arrange it for you." The words made him sit up straighter. "But finding your planet and navigating there is the tricky part."
"Could you—" He leaned forward without meaning to. "Could you help me get back home? I'll do whatever you—"
"Alright, alright." She shook her hands at him. "I understand that I'm amazing, but the begging is a little much."
"I will help you." She raised one finger and wagged it at him. "But under one itty bitty condition."
'I don't like that tone at all.'
Ren swallowed. "And that is?"
"You must explore Teyvat, grow strong, and make an impact on the world in a way only someone like you can." She held his gaze. "Get strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with the gods themselves. Only then will I help you get home."
Ren stood up, and his hands slammed down onto the table unconsciously. "But that's insane—!"
"I know." Alice held the same expression, but it held more… understanding, which made Ren stop in his tracks. "I understand how unreasonable it sounds. But you must understand that without that level of power, getting home isn't possible."
She didn't explain specifically why he needed that amount of power, and what he'd use it for. But he had a feeling she wasn't going to explain.
He sat back down slowly, his head dropping low.
'Getting as strong as… an Archon?'
Normally, the idea of getting stronger would make him excited. Strength would only assist him in his goals.
But this wasn't a strength for a fight or for a mission. This was strength as a prerequisite for something that kept getting pushed further into the future the more he learned about it.
He'd already been here for the better part of a year.
How long would it be until he could even consider going home?
How much time would it be until he could reach his goals?
When will he see his family—
Something landed gently on his head.
The puppet hands were back. They propped themselves on both sides of his head and rubbed it slowly.
"Don't look so distraught," Alice softly said, "It may take time. But I believe you can reach those heights." She put a hand over her chest with genuine conviction. "You can trust my instincts. I am the world's greatest witch."
It still took a while for Ren to think normally again. But eventually, his mind was clear.
"Is there anything else you'd like to ask?"
He looked up. "Yeah… Do you know if I'm bound by Teyvat's fate?"
Alice's eyes shot up.
For the first time since he'd arrived, her composure cracked for just a second. "...Why do you ask that?"
"I don't know much about fate in my world," Ren said, "but from what I know, it functions like a system. Its only focus is maintaining balance. When something powerful enough enters the equation, the system works to rebalance itself around it."
Alice was quiet for a moment, and he could see her filing the information. "How interesting… To think such a system would exist in another world." She hummed, "To answer your question, no. You are not bound by Teyvat's fate."
She leaned forward slightly and dropped her voice, gesturing for him to come closer. "This is something of a secret, so keep your lips sealed. But you are what's known as a Descender. Beings unbound by fate. Free to carve their own path through the world rather than walk one that was already laid for them."
'Unbound by fate.'
"Is that… a good thing?"
Alice shrugged.
"Ok…"
He tried to think if there was anything else he needed, but his mind kept coming up empty. Whether it was the mental exhaustion finally catching up or just the sheer amount he'd already processed, nothing was appearing in his head.
Alice stood up from her chair and walked toward him.
"What are you—Ow!"
She had plucked a strand of hair from his head with two fingers.
"Sorry," she said, "you had something caught in there." The strand disappeared somewhere before he could track where. She patted his head a couple of times. "There we go."
"T-Thank you?"
"No problem, dear." She stepped back with a smile. "As pleasant as this has been, I believe it's time for you to head home. It's nearly midnight outside."
"Huh?!"
She snapped her fingers.
The space collapsed inward, the island and the painted clouds folding like paper, and Ren stumbled as solid ground appeared under his feet.
He was back on the plains.
'Did time move differently inside her space?!'
He turned around.
But there was no one behind him.
/ — /
'I'm finally back,' Ren let out a deep sigh, his breath visible in the cold midnight air.
Liyue was beautiful at night, it had been some time since he was able to appreciate it. After everything that happened in the past few days, a sight like this helped calm him down a little.
There were still people walking about, but the streets were mostly clear, with barely any stores open.
Ren walked through the city without any destination in mind.
Going home would be the obvious answer. He was exhausted, his ribs still ached, he had a week's worth of paperwork waiting for him, and he had a business to get back to.
But he kept walking away from his apartment anyway.
The word 'home' made a complicated feeling bubble up in his chest, and it wasn't something he wanted to sit with alone in a room right now.
So he kept walking until he arrived at the harbour's docks. He sat down at the edge of one of them and let his legs dangle as he watched the moving water. The ocean reflected the lights of the city in broken pieces on the surface.
'A year…' After almost a year, he finally got the answer to how he was getting home. But the condition attached to it made reaching it feel impossible.
He'd gotten much stronger since he arrived in Teyvat. More shikigami, more CE, more training. He was nowhere near where he'd been when he woke up in that cage in Liyue.
But this… getting as strong as an archon would take years upon years of training.
Just standing next to Xiao, someone who was still a demigod, and the gulf of power was wider than a ravine. And he'd been dogwalked by a Harbinger, and she hadn't even been trying.
For a moment, Ren felt his resolve waver.
What would things even look like back home? Were his parents ok? Would things even stay the same?
What if the thing he'd been working towards would never come to fruition?
"Haaahh…" He sighed. No matter how much he sulked right now, he knew he'd lift his head up eventually. He always did.
There was no way he was going to stop. His goals were bigger than him, and he would keep pursuing them no matter how long it would take.
But for now, maybe it was alright to just… stop and rest.
…
…
"Ren? You're finally back?" Someone said behind him.
"Hmm?" He turned his head. A familiar mop of blue hair appeared in his eyes.
Ganyu stood a few meters behind him with a stack of papers tucked under one arm. Her expression changed from pleasantly surprised to worried once she got a better look at his face.
"Ganyu? I didn't expect to see you here." He blinked, "How did you even know I was here?"
"I was finishing some late reports for the Qixing and felt a familiar presence near the docks," She hesitated for a moment, "Are you… alright? You seem down."
She set the papers away into her Vision's storage and walked over, taking a seat beside him at the dock's edge.
"I guess I'm not the best right now," he said. A sad laugh came out with it that was quieter than he intended. He looked back at the ocean. "Sorry."
"Don't apologize." She was quiet for a moment. "I heard you'd gone out for family reasons."
Ren raised a brow. "Did Meifen tell you?"
"Shenhe, actually."
"...That's surprising."
"It is isn't it?" Ganyu agreed with a small smile.
The water moved quietly below them. A lantern drifted somewhere further out in the harbor, its light cutting a small orange path across the surface.
"Did something happen?" Ganyu asked.
"Not really." He exhaled. "It's kind of the opposite."
"…Is there anything I can do to help?"
"I don't think anyone can help with this one." He sighed, leaning back on his two hands. "But don't worry. I'll be back on my feet soon enough. I just need a minute."
Ganyu nodded, thankfully not pushing further. She just sat beside him with her hands folded in her lap, and they settled into a comfortable quiet.
Ren's mind didn't notice it consciously, but her presence did ease the tension in his shoulders.
After a while, she stood up.
"I-If you want somewhere quiet," she said quietly, "I know a better place than the docks."
"Huh?" He looked up at her.
She had her hand extended toward him.
He took it without thinking about it too much. She pulled him to his feet, and they quickly started walking.
They went past Liyue's gates, into the wilderness beyond the city, moving upward through a path that Ganyu clearly knew well.
Neither of them spoke while they walked, but it wasn't awkward. Everything was just peaceful, and it was the calmest ten minutes Ren had in what felt like a really long time.
At the top of a hill, Liyue Harbor spread out below them in its entirety.
"Whoa."
From up here, the whole city was visible. The glowing lights lighting it up in the night, and even ships sitting still in the dark water.
"I come here sometimes when I want some peace and quiet," Ganyu said, stopping at a flat section of the ground.
She turned to look at him. "Would you like to sit with me?"
"S-Sure."
He didn't know why he stuttered. He was tired, and his brain was running on empty, and it just came out that way. A small giggle came from beside him, and he felt his face heat up slightly.
They sat down.
For a while, they just existed there together, the city below them and the sky above, and nothing that needed to be said.
Eventually, Ganyu spoke, her gaze still on the harbor. "I'm sorry for dragging you up here without asking if you wanted to come… I didn't force you, did I?"
Ren looked at her nervous expression, like she was really concerned that she had just made his mood worse.
He shook his head. "Nah, it's alright… This actually helped." He smiled at her, "Thanks, Ganyu."
She seemed to relax slightly at that.
They talked a lot after that. Nothing important, just about work, the city, and other mundane topics.
There was still a heaviness in Ren's heart, but for this instant, everything felt much lighter.
The image of Ganyu laughing as Liyue's lights lit up her face would forever be ingrained in his memory.