aether teyvat /7

The train was meant to be safe, at least Edy had promised them that. It should have been smooth sailing until they hit Ten.

But the peacekeepers come through the cars all the same asking to see papers. They have none, just the tickets Ed had forged for them. Lumine grabs his hand and drags him out the other end of the car slowly, trying to make it look natural. Aether wraps his other hand around the knife in his pocket. He knows that they can't go back to One, at any cost, they just can't.

They travel through the dining car, hands locked together. "We're looking for our parents," Lumine says politely to a worker. He smiles reassuringly to support the lie and it works, the two of them are allowed to pass through. The scent of food makes his mouth water, it's been some time since either of them ate.

Lume doesn't stop walking until they hit the last car. The door at the back is wide open and Aether steps through to lean over the railing to watch the track as it rolls away below them. He can't remember the last time he really felt safe but the wind in his hair and the sight of Six receding behind them is enough for now.

"Hey, this area is off limits."

It all happens so fast. Hands grab at his shirt, lifting him and trying to drag him back, Lumine yells something and digs her knife into his captor's arm. He feels two hands on his back, they brace against him and then suddenly push hard and Aether stumbles forward into the railing and tips over it headfirst.

"AETHER!"

A sudden brightness, then nothing at all.