Chapter Text
“Oh it’s you,” came that voice that the Wanderer had begun to dread. He would most likely hear it in his dreams- no, nightmares, if he was one to have dreams.
He groaned. “Can’t you see I’m busy.”
It was a lie. He was never truly busy. The work he was assigned these days was banal and menial. He wondered how this place was seen as the pinnacle of education in Teyvat when this was the quality of their education system.
“Can’t you just tell me your name?”
He blinked at this. What an odd request. “I thought you already knew my name.”
The other man laughed loudly, thinking the Wanderer had just told a joke. His laughter slowly died out as he realized he really wasn’t joking.
“Wait, you’re not really called ‘Hat Guy,’ are you?”
“That is what most people call me these days, yes.”
“That has to be a nickname, though.”
There was a pause between them. The Wanderer looked up at the other man’s piercing green gaze. The difference between a nickname and a name didn’t seem important. He gave an eye roll, gathered up his books, stuffing them into a bag. “I said I was busy.”
With that, he stomped away with no clear destination in mind. It was challenging enough to find a secluded place from all his classmates. Now there was this strange man pestering him anytime their paths crossed.
The Wanderer clocked his garments as desert garb the first time they met, and it wasn’t hard to identify a few of the symbols he adorned as belonging to some society. However, he didn’t often concern himself with the people of Sumeru and didn’t see this man as worth his time. If he wanted to know more about his stalker’s origins or motives he knew it couldn’t be hard to figure out.
He kept walking in some direction. For a while, he could tell he was still being watched. Something about those bright green eyes seemed more capable than the average human’s. Perhaps he was trying to figure out where the Wanderer was running off to so that he could make sure they “ran into each other” again.
The Wanderer made sure his path zigged and zagged in many different directions, but he slowly made his way up the Divine Tree. The Wanderer was never afraid of heights because falling didn’t pose any real threat to his life. He supposed it was possible for him to die, but it would take a whole lot more than a simple fall. Not to mention his relatively new Anemo vision made it so he really didn’t need to worry even if he did slip.
After walking for longer than necessary to throw off his stalker, the Wanderer found himself up among the highest branches. The view of Sumeru up here was quite impressive. He wasn’t one to stop and admire nature often, but these views did demand attention.
Off to one direction you could see the cliffs and waterfalls surrounding Fontaine. The Wanderer had never been to this nation, though he couldn’t say he had any desire to go. Looking out another way showed Liyue, the edges of the Chasm. Finally, there was all the surrounding rainforests and the distant desert of Sumeru.
Sumeru — the city many considered his home. He did not. He didn’t have a home. But it was the place he mostly resided in for the time being, so let the humans call it what they want.
–
“I’d recognize that hat from miles away.”
There it was. Almost like clockwork. The Wanderer would go find some new quiet spot to read through his required reading. Everyday, finding more distant or secluded spots to hide away.
And every day he would be found.
“At this point I think what you are doing is called stalking.”
The Wanderer was inside—this time, in a dark corner of a cafe. He was probably so easily spotted by the other man since he usually preferred to do his reading outside.
“Well… I like to think I’m just greeting a friend,” the Wanderer blinked at that word, but he continued. “Besides, I actually deliver here every day, so it seems more likely you’re the one stalking me today.”
He scowled at the other man who decided to take a seat across from him.
“We can’t be friends, I don’t even know your name.”
“Oh! It’s Sethos. I’m glad you finally asked,” Sethos said with a beaming smile.
“I didn’t ask.”
“Well now you know, so we can be friends right?”
“No,” the Wanderer said, eyeing the door to the cafe. He realized now one of the greater benefits to reading outside was it was much easier to escape from Sethos. Since he was inside, and Sethos was sitting in the other seat, the Wanderer was essentially trapped unless he made a scene and physically forced his way out.
“Well, ‘Hat Guy,’ I heard from Tighnari your outward appearance may actually be deceiving.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” the Wanderer frowned. Tighnari was that fox man he often saw with the Mahamatra. Why was his name coming from his mouth? Tighnari seemed smart and cunning, but not quite in the same way Yae Miko was.
“You roll your eyes and walk away every time you talk to me, but then you show up here. What a coincidence, right?” Sethos said. The Wanderer squinted at him. He really wasn’t sure what Sethos was getting at, but the longer he was trapped here, the more alarm bells were going off in his mind.
“Yes. Exactly that. A coincidence. What’s your point?”
Sethos sighed, “You really are playing hard-to-get, huh? Can’t you just tell me your name?”
“I don’t have one.”
“What about your hat? Where’s it from?” Sethos asked.
“It’s from here,” the Wanderer said, not technically a lie. He did have it fashioned in Sumeru.
“Fine. Then where are you from?”
“Here,” he said again.
Sethos laughed, “Sorry to be rude. If I told you I was from here, would you believe me?”
The Wanderer gave him a once over. “You’re clearly from the desert,” he said. “Why are you spending so much time in the city, anyway? Whose errand boy are you?”
“Should we order some drinks if we’re going to get to know each other?” Sethos asked instead of answering any questions.
Some sort of alarm bell sounded in the Wanderer’s mind. He started at Sethos, refusing to break his gaze. He could not tell what sort of motivations were behind this man’s words or actions. Most humans were simple. Even if he didn’t always understand why they did the things they did, he had gotten good at predicting what they were going to do. They always wanted something.
“I have somewhere to be,” The Wanderer finally said. He gathered up his things and stood up from his chair. Thankfully, Sethos accepted this and actually stepped aside, letting the Wanderer pass.
“Alright. See you next time,” Sethos called as the Wanderer made his way out of the cafe.
Irritated and confused, he decided to do some research. He did technically have somewhere to be, but with his speed it wasn’t something worth worrying about. He made his way, instead, to the House of Daena. The largest library in Teyvat must have some information on this desert man’s origins. Something at least to tip him off to what his motivations were.
–
Hours passed and he found next to nothing. He learned more about King Deshret and the desert than he ever cared to know. Though, he had to admit there were some interesting parts.
He knew he was in trouble when he heard the sound of little footsteps approaching him.
“I had a feeling I might find you here,” he looked up from his book to meet a green gaze. Though this pair of eyes did not belong to his stalker, it was almost just as unwelcome.
“It’s almost like you’re the God of Wisdom or something, Buer,” the Wanderer retorted.
Buer giggled. “Well, that is true. Though there is one thing I don’t seem to know,” she paused. “Oh? You want to know more about a person you’ve met?”
The Wanderer groaned. “You said you’d stop doing that.” Buer had technically claimed she stopped reading his thoughts, but the Wanderer knew it was more like a reflex for her at this point.
“My mistake, your thoughts are louder right now than they usually are,” Buer paused. The Wanderer felt like she was looking right through him. “In fact, I can’t say I’ve ever seen you like this before.”
“I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean.”
“You don’t usually care about people you meet. From what I have gathered, you display low levels of empathy for ordinary people or everyday issues,” Buer told him.
“Well, this is different. This kid won’t leave me alone and I don’t know why.”
“Hmm, Sethos, right?” Buer said, clearly reading his thoughts once again. “I have heard of this person. He recently took on a leadership role at the Temple of Silence. This is an ancient organization in the desert that keeps and guards knowledge about King Deshret. Up until recently they have had their doors firmly closed to the city of Sumeru. In fact, even their location or known existence was hidden until Sethos took over.”
The Wanderer took in that information. That would explain why there was so little information he could find in the Akademiya’s library. If this organization had been underground for so many years there certainly wouldn’t be any mention of it in serious academic texts. “I see…”
“I know this isn’t the information you really wanted to know, but I’m afraid the rest of what you want to know has to come from another source,” Buer explained. The Wanderer understood what she meant even without it being spelled out.
“You think the Temple of Silence is trustworthy?” he asked a slightly modified version of the question that was on his mind. If Buer was still reading his thoughts anyway it didn’t really matter what he spoke out loud.
Buer nodded, “Yes.”
The Wanderer stared her down until he was certain she wasn’t going to say any more. He had spent enough time with the God of Wisdom to know that she only liked to share enough information to move people in the direction she felt made the most sense. That’s not to say her judgment was always perfect. She was still learning a lot about humans after she spent several centuries locked away.
“Now that that’s settled, come with me,” Buer said. The Wanderer made no comment and followed along. Earlier when he told Sethos he had somewhere to be, he really did. Buer was being kind for not reprimanding him for ignoring her orders for so long.
Once they arrived at the Sanctuary of Surasthana, Buer revealed that the thing they were worried about ended up being a false alarm. They had been listening to some intel that Withering Zones were returning. Though they believed this to be impossible, they decided to investigate. According to Buer, it turned out to be just the imagination of some children who heard some bedtime story. These kids were playing in the forest with some Aranara, who, in turn, spread the story to kids of other villages.
“I do need you to find Tighnari and his forest rangers in Gandharva Ville to deliver a letter that explains this,” Buer said. “I have had him monitoring the situation just in case it turned out to be real.”
“Okay,” he said, taking the letter. He waited for more instructions. Usually, Buer told him what she expected him to do after he finished a task. After nothing more was spoken he asked, “What then?”
“After that, I figured you are free to do as you like.”
“You’re freeing me? Just like that?”
“Well I’d prefer if you stayed nearby and checked in from time to time, but yes. There’s not a lot else I need you for at the moment,” Buer said.
–
The Wanderer took Buer for her word. After he found Tighnari and delivered the letter, he spent some time outside of the city. It was much quieter away from the busy life of everyone who lived in the city.
Every now and again he caught himself thinking about Sethos. It was almost like he was anticipating their next encounter now that he knew a little bit about the guy.
However, he didn’t show up.
Now that the Wanderer wanted to see the green-eyed man, he was nowhere to be found. The Wanderer made sure to keep a close proximity to the city. He also kept an eye on the paths that led to the desert.
If Sethos really was the leader of some desert organization, it was possible he was caught up with some desert business. The Wanderer considered making his way into the desert, but he really wasn’t sure where to begin his search. So he kept to his normal routes.
Occasionally, he went back into the city when he needed to check out new books or submit an assignment for his classes.
Then one day it happened. The Wanderer was sitting high up in a tree. He told himself he wasn’t just watching for Sethos, but he wasn’t really doing anything else either.
But there he was.
Sethos was back in the city. For once, he didn’t seem to be in a huge rush to get somewhere. He was always running. Instead he was walking up the path right to where the Wanderer was perched up in his tree. Though he didn’t seem to be looking up. It was unlikely he had seen the Wanderer in the tree.
“The errand-boy’s come running all the way to the Akademiya. Quite the busy little bee, aren’t you?” The Wanderer heard his own voice before he even really meant to say anything. Sethos stopped and looked up, a smile growing on his face as he spotted the Wanderer.
“I’m just here for lunch—someone gave me this. Want some?” Sethos asked, offering a wrapped up parcel.
“I’d say you’re no errand boy at all. You’ve got a more important role,” the Wanderer told him. He wanted to hear it from Sethos himself. He wanted to know what the other man had been up to these past few days.
“I’d say you’re no student either. You’ve got a more important role,” Sethos replied.
At this, the Wanderer felt Sethos knew too much. He grabbed the brim of his hat, tilting it down to hide his gaze. He jumped down from his tree branch and walked away without another word or without looking back.
As he walked away, a horrible mix of feelings started to swirl inside his chest. Somehow it felt like Sethos knew of his past. Before, he might have agreed that he had an important role. He used to so desperately seek a Gnosis, feeling it would be the thing to make him complete. However he had learned a Gnosis would not give him what he wanted. He had given up on that dream he had chased for several centuries. Leaving him now with almost nothing. He had goals, sure, but wasn’t sure anything he was doing could be called important.
On top of this he felt guilt? Shame? Some lowly emotion that he had little experience with and wasn’t sure how to identify.
He had been the one to start the conversation this time, but he ran away even faster still. He wanted to stay and find out what it was that was so intriguing about the other man. But every limb and instinct in his body pushed him away.
He wanted to turn back and say something else.
To continue the conversation.
To say something.
Anything.
—
It would be some time before he would talk to Sethos again. He became hyper-vigilant anytime the other stepped into the city. He started to learn Sethos’s patterns on when he would make trips to the city and when he wouldn’t show up at all. At first it had seemed Sethos had no schedule and no real obligations that dictated his movements. The Wanderer learned this was not the case.
It seemed to him that Sethos enjoyed meeting people. The Wanderer noticed that Sethos made quick friends with anyone he met. He started to watch him more closely.
This also meant he stopped wearing his hat and usual attire. He figured if he wasn’t as easily identified, he would have a better chance at hiding from Sethos. Though part of him wanted to talk to Sethos more, he wasn’t sure he would be able to without running away again. He wanted the chance to watch Sethos. To learn more about him without feeling the pressure of his gaze on him. He wore the robes Akademiya students were supposed to wear and he blended in almost perfectly with the students of the city.
The Wanderer started to wonder if he misunderstood Sethos. Surely there was some reason Sethos had been pestering him so much at first. However, as he observed the social nature of the other man he started to feel that perhaps it really had been coincidence that their paths kept crossing.
Sethos would probably talk to a fungi if it talked back. Maybe the Wanderer was just another person Sethos happened to meet. Maybe there wasn’t anything special about their meetings. Maybe Sethos wasn’t seeking him out afterall.
This realization only made the Wanderer feel worse. Though Sethos had said himself he believed the Wanderer to have an important role, he really wasn’t anyone important these days.
"Are my eyes deceiving me!?” a familiar voice sounded from behind him.
He turned to be met face to face with the traveler and her annoying pet. He was so focused on Sethos he hadn’t heard anyone else approaching him. The Wanderer made a mental note that he needed to work on his passive perception skills. This normally wouldn’t have gone unnoticed by him, but perhaps Sethos was taking too much of his attention.
Before saying anything as a reply, he scowled at the two of them.
“Leave me alone.”
Lumine’s expression brightened and he subconsciously ducked his head, forgetting he wasn’t wearing his hat that would usually shield his expressions. “Wow, you must be up to something. Are you on a mission?” Lumine almost giggled.
“Oooh!” Paimon exclaimed next to her. “I bet Nahida put you up to this, right?”
“I said leave me alone,” the Wanderer glanced back over at the store where Sethos was making a delivery. Sethos had struck up a conversation with the store owner so he had been there the last fifteen minutes at least.
However, Sethos was gone.
With a start, the Wanderer stood up for a better view. It was possible Sethos had gone further inside. His eyes scanned the nearby areas and couldn’t spot anyone.
“Are you looking for someone?” Lumine correctly guessed. Though possibly even Paimon would be able to figure that out by looking at the Wanderer’s expression.
“No,” he lied, but continued to scan the area. Coming up empty handed, he decided he needed to hide. If he didn’t have eyes on Sethos, Sethos might have eyes on him. “I have to go.”
He pushed past Lumine and Paimon, trying not to panic, and left his half-consumed pastry on the bench. The one place he knew Sethos would not be able to reach was too far so he set his sights on another hiding spot. With long strides he made his way down the street, ignoring Paimon’s shrill voice telling him he was being rude, or rather more rude than usual.
The Wanderer moved briskly, as fast as he could without actually running. He saw his goal. A narrow alley right near the entrance to the Grand Bazaar. He was almost out of sight, almost to safety.
He rounded the corner at this brisk speed, only to come crashing into something.
Someone.
Because the universe hated him it was exactly the someone he was avoiding.
"Hat Guy!" Sethos said brightly. The Wanderer had hit Sethos at such a speed he sort of bounced backward and fell to the ground. Somehow, Sethos was rooted to the ground like a boulder and barely staggered. Sethos reached a hand down to the Wanderer, offering his help. “Where’s your hat?” he asked.
"Sethos," the Wanderer said in reply, but it came out much more like a grievance than a greeting.
The Wanderer stared at Sethos, mildly horrified, definitely embarrassed. Despite himself, he found his arm reaching up to grab Sethos's extended arm and haul himself up. He tried not to notice the texture of Sethos’s hand on his own. They were rough, calloused, but also strong like the rest of him seemed to be.
The Wanderer used his own strength to get up off the floor, but Sethos pulled too. Their combined strength brought the Wanderer chest to chest with Sethos.
"Woah, you're a bit lighter than I thought," Sethos breathed, his voice much quieter than the Wanderer had ever heard it before.
Their faces only inches apart, the Wanderer got an up-close look at just how green Sethos's eyes were. He had nothing to grab onto to push himself away so he held firmly onto Sethos's wrist in one hand and and shoulder in the other, trying to brace himself and regain his balance. Thankfully, at least Sethos seemed to be a sturdy person.
"Woah! You know Sethos?" Lumine and Paimon had just caught up to them too. As if this whole scene couldn't get more embarrassing.
Sethos finally took a step back and lightly pushed the Wanderer back to help him regain his balance. The Wanderer was fuming inside, absolutely enraged.
"No," the Wanderer basically spat in response to Paimon's question.
"Oh," Sethos said, turning to the onlookers. "Hey you two!" Sethos's voice returned to his usually bright and enthusiastic tone.
Lumine glanced between the two of them, considering the situation. She was a smart person, she usually chose her words carefully.
"Hi Sethos! We would love to stay and chat, but we actually are working on a commission right now," Lumine said.
"Commission?" Paimon questioned, turning to her traveling partner.
Lumine just gave her a gentle smile and nodded towards the Wanderer and Sethos.
Paimon looked from Lumine to Sethos to the Wanderer and back to Lumine. This repeated once before Paimon seemed to understand.
"Ohhhhhh! Right! That commission," Paimon said. "I forgot all about it when we saw Hat Guy running. I mean he was running like he was being chased... it was kind of alarming."
Sethos gave the Wanderer a questioning look at Paimon's words, but didn't say anything to him. Instead, he acknowledged the others.
"Aww, that's too bad! Hey! If you two finish up that commission before tomorrow we should grab a meal. I found this place that sells shawarma wraps, and man, are they delicious. You two have to try them with me sometime!"
Lumine gave a smile at this invitation and Paimon's eyes practically glowed at the suggestion of food.
"That sounds great, Sethos," Lumine said. "I'll see you around, and I will look for you if we finish that commission quickly."
With that, the two of them left the other two alone. For once, there was silence between them. There were definitely questions that needed answers, but the Wanderer didn't want to be the one to break the silence.
"So... What's with the outfit?" Sethos asked, using that quieter voice from before.
The Wanderer frowned. "I am a student, you know?"
This earned him a laugh. The old Sethos that he was more used to showed himself. However it lasted only seconds and the quiet, serious Sethos returned. "Wanna go for a walk?" Sethos asked.
This was not really the response he was prepared to get from the other man. The Wanderer wasn't sure where this suggestion was coming from, but it sure as hell beat out the other options.
It had been over two weeks since he last spoke to Sethos. He had been careful about hiding in the shadows and out of sight, but part of him was missing their random encounters from before.
"Okay," the Wanderer agreed. Sethos blinked as if he wasn't sure he heard correctly.
"Okay, then," Sethos agreed. "Follow me?"
The Wanderer gave a single nod and Sethos took this confirmation to head off down the road.
Neither of them spoke for a while after that. Sethos led the Wanderer out of the city. They crossed the bridge made from one of the Divine Tree's oldest roots. It was so old at this point it was basically fossilized and hard as rock.
Something about walking in silence felt nice. The Wanderer realized something about Sethos’s energy was magnetic. It was like laying in the sun on a lazy day to recharge. He had some questions to ask himself, but he knew that time would come later.
The Wanderer got the feeling Sethos was not very familiar with these parts of the rainforest. They reached a crossroads after a few minutes and Sethos paused, trying to get a good look at his options. To the left was nothing but ruins that would likely be overrun with fungi and eremites scrounging for treasures.
Sethos made a move to step in that direction and this is what finally broke their silence.
"Not that way," the Wanderer said, reaching out and grabbing Sethos's shoulder to stop him. Sethos looked confused, so he explained. "This way is a much more pleasant path."
"You know these forests well," Sethos said.
It wasn't a question, so the Wanderer didn't reply, once again letting them fall into silence. As they walked through a hollowed out tree trunk, the Wanderer realized he was leading Sethos right into the heart of Vanarana, the home of the forest-dwelling fairies called Aranara. Most humans never stepped foot in these forests.
Most humans also didn't have the ability to see Aranara.
The Wanderer, therefore, spent a lot of time in these forests. It was a particularly peaceful place to come and sit. The Aranara often left him alone. Though sometimes they would offer him flowers or tell him a story. The Aranara were exceptionally good at understanding the Wanderer. They seemed to be able to tell when he wanted company or when he wanted silence.
As they made their way more into Vanarana, the sounds from the outside world dimmed.
The Wanderer could hear the footsteps of Aranara. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one disappear from his sight. It was unlikely that Sethos would be able to see them to begin with, but it seemed like the Aranara were hiding away as they ventured deeper.
"What is this place?" Sethos asked, gazing around at the trees that resembled giant lily pads and the Aranara homes that looked like seed pod nests belonging to some bird species.
"This is somewhere I like to go to escape the city," the Wanderer said, surprising himself with his level of vulnerability.
Sethos didn't reply immediately, he was staring hard at a rock.
"Is this where you've been hiding the last two weeks?" Sethos asked.
The Wanderer jolted at the suddenness of the question. So direct. Sethos was always direct, though. "No," the Wanderer said, not addressing the fact that he had been hiding.
"Hmm," Sethos stopped walking so the Wanderer stopped too.
"Why do you care so much about where I've been?" the Wanderer asked, trying his best to keep the accusatory tone out of his voice.
"I just missed you," Sethos said.
The Wanderer waited for him to add more to that statement or perhaps explain what that meant.
But he didn't.
"I think you just missed my hat," the Wanderer mumbled, feeling embarrassed and attempting to deflect the statement. It wasn’t possible the same Sethos who could make friends with anyone in all of Teyvat could have missed him of all people.
Sethos laughed brightly at this, "I cannot deny that."
More silence. Sethos wandered a few steps away where there was a fallen log. He took a seat and took in his surroundings. The Wanderer watched him as he looked all around. Finally, his eyes followed one of the lily pads upward until he was gazing at the sky.
"The sky looks so weird here," Sethos said.
"Weird?"
"It's beautiful," Sethos corrected himself, "but you should see the skies over the desert."
The Wanderer didn't reply to this. He had been to the desert. He doesn't remember if the skies had been particularly beautiful or not. Though, he hadn't been in the desert for long. Sighing, he took a few steps forward until he was in front of Sethos.
Sethos pulled his gaze away from the sky and was now looking up at the other man. The Wanderer felt that pull again. As he looked into Sethos’s eyes there was something there that he couldn’t quite understand, but he wanted to.
"If you don't want to tell me about yourself, that's okay," Sethos said.
The Wanderer frowned, unsure where this was going.
"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable," Sethos said, turning his gaze away. "I haven't had the chance to interact with many people up until recently. I realize I might have scared you away."
The Wanderer laughed at this and Sethos looked up at him again. The Wanderer felt he might stumble if he looked at Sethos’s eyes again. He turned and took a seat on the log next to Sethos. "Me? Scared?" He laughed at the absurdity of the statement.
Sethos was frowning now, "You looked pretty scared when you were trying not to sprint down the road earlier."
It was the Wanderer's turn to frown. Sethos nudged his shoulder with his own. The area where their shoulders touched felt hyper-sensitive. That was strange.
"I'm just joking," he said. "Though I am curious why you were in such a rush. Were you running away from the Traveler and Paimon?"
"Don't worry about it."
"Well... Okay."
The Wanderer was shocked that Sethos seemed to be okay dropping a topic so quickly.
Sethos was quiet after that, continuing to gaze around the forest. The Wanderer noticed a few of the more curious Aranara began to creep out from their hiding places. Though they were mostly behind Sethos or where he wasn't looking anyway.
"What do you mean you didn't have the chance to interact with many people?" the Wanderer found himself asking.
Sethos turned and met his gaze. The Wanderer realized they were sitting quite close together on this log. Though they weren't quite as close as before when he had crashed into the other man. Sethos's eyes flickered back and forth as if he was trying to decipher the answer to a riddle. He wondered if it was the same sort of riddle he felt staring at Sethos too long.
He sighed and looked back towards the ground.
"It's sort of a long story," Sethos said.
The Wanderer was silent, at first. It seemed like Sethos was hinting to him he didn't want to say anymore, but then a thought occurred to him. What if this was Sethos asking permission to share his story?
"I don't have anywhere to be," the Wanderer said.
Again, Sethos met his gaze. The look in his eyes softened as if that was the reply he was hoping for. His eyes flicked back and forth once more as they searched for some kind of answer that the Wanderer was certain he did not have. Then, after a moment Sethos launched into his story.
He explained all about the Temple of Silence and generally its role during King Deshret's rule. Then he went on to tell about some of his earliest memories. He explained that he was the adopted grandson of someone called Bamoun. There was a time in his life where Sethos was more carefree. This was before they figured out he was a suitable vessel for this object of divine power called a Ba Fragment.
Sethos explained how this power made him feel and how he housed it for the greater part of his life. He grew up in seclusion after that. Bamoun and the Temple of Silence deemed him too important to leave for very far or very long.
As he tells his story, the Wanderer can't help but see parts of himself in Sethos.
"Well, you know how I told you Cyno had the other Ba Fragment? My grandfather devised a whole plan for getting Cyno back to the Temple of Silence and making us duel for the right to have both Ba Fragments."
"You fought the Mahamatra?" the Wanderer asked in disbelief.
Sethos sighed. "Yeah, we fought alright. He won, of course. That leaves me where I am now. I gave up my Ba Fragment and I feel like I don't know who I am anymore."
"Wait what? How are you the leader of the Temple of Silence if you lost?"
Sethos grinned at him, "I don't remember telling you I was the leader of the Temple. How did you know that?"
The Wanderer felt his face get hot. "I have my sources."
"So you have been stalking me?" Sethos asked.
"I prefer the term gathering intel," the Wanderer replied.
Sethos let out a hearty chuckle at this.
"See, I knew there was something here," Sethos said.
The Wanderer frowned. "Something where?"
"Never mind," Sethos shook his head. "Anyway I became the leader because Cyno is Mahamatra. It's not like he could easily leave his role or somehow do that and lead the temple. It's sort of lame. I'm the leader, but only because they don't know who else to make the leader. Isn't it kind of nepotism?"
"Seems like it, yeah," the Wanderer deadpanned.
"Hey!" Sethos shouted in mock-assault. "You're supposed to be comforting me."
"I never signed up for that."
"Well then just be silent, okay?"
The Wanderer mimed zipping his lips and locking them shut with an imaginary key that he then threw away, waiting for Sethos to continue.
"Well, I don't know what more there is to say, actually. I feel like I should resent Cyno. He somehow got to live the life I was never allowed to have. He had the same power all his life and I'm sure his life wasn't easy all the way through, but he had freedom. And now he has both the Ba Fragments, and a vision, and a really cool job, friends who love him, and I'm pretty sure he's got a husband - if not loving boyfriend too."
At that he made eye contact with the Wanderer again. He didn't say anything, keen to stick to his word on not talking.
"I don't know myself. I was always told that I would have all this great power and lead this organization one day. I lost that power."
He paused again. The Wanderer felt a familiar pang as he remembered what it was like losing the Gnosis. He wondered if he should say something now, but then Sethos continued.
"What's weirder is that I don't think I even feel that bad about losing that power. I almost feel... relieved? Grandfather would be heartbroken if he heard me say this. He always wanted the most for me. He really did give me everything. Except for friends."
"You seem to be great at making friends, everyone loves you," the Wanderer broke his silence.
"I'm going to push past making a comment on the fact that you were totally stalking me because sure. I think the people I talk to in the city like to talk to me, but at the same time they talk to me like an outsider. They want to know where I came from, they comment on my clothes, they notice my accent and my skin tone. They don't notice me ."
The Wanderer blinked a few times.
"It's almost like you don't hear yourself," the Wanderer said, recalling every conversation where Sethos had pestered him about his hat, his name, or where he came from.
It was hard to tell on Sethos's tanned skin, but he thought he noticed the other man flush.
"I know... that's part of why I tried apologizing earlier. I didn't mean to make you feel that way. I think I was just projecting.I saw you and thought you had to be someone like me," Sethos said. "I realize now that was kind of stupid."
"You may not be as stupid as you think," the Wanderer said, slowly. He realized he was breaching the dangerous waters of talking about his personal life. Maybe he could let Sethos have a peek.
"What do you mean?"
"I was sort of a God once," the Wanderer said, feeling embarrassed saying it out loud.
"Sort of?"
"Well, yeah, I was."
"I'm sorry, what the fuck?"
The Wanderer rolled his eyes. "Yeah, this is why I don't go around telling people."
"No! I mean... That does explain how you always look so divine."
The Wanderer blanched and Sethos burst into laughter again. Several Aranara scurried out of sight, possibly alarmed at the sudden noise. The Wanderer was pretty sure he didn't have the ability to blush, but why did his face feel so hot?
"Sorry, sorry," Sethos excused his laughter. "I didn't mean to laugh, but you should see the look on your face."
The Wanderer frowned. Meanwhile it felt like a balloon was deflating inside his chest. It took all of his self control to stay seated on that log and not run away once again.
"You wanted to know more about me, but now you're just making fun of me," he said, slightly pouting.
Sethos calmed down and gave an apologetic look. "I'm really sorry. I guess I just wasn't expecting you to say that. Are you for real, though?"
"What do you mean?"
"How were you a God?" Sethos asked.
Feeling insecure now, the Wanderer gave an abridged and vague explanation. "I was experimented on by some members of the Akademiya. They wanted to replace the Dendro Archon with something more powerful and fear-inspiring. They built a giant robot and obtained the Electro Archon's Gnosis."
Sethos gaped at this, "No way."
The Wanderer nodded, leaving out the details about the fact he was the one who stole the Gnosis in the first place. "Obviously the plan was shut down. Now I am just myself."
"Wow we really don't hear much out in the desert, huh? When did all of this happen?"
The Wanderer considered the time that had passed since then. He didn't pay attention to that sort of thing too closely, but he thought it had been over a year at least. "Maybe a year or two ago."
Sethos was quiet for a few moments after this as he considered this information. The Wanderer felt vulnerable knowing that Sethos knew this bit of information about him now. It wasn't his most proud moment.
"What was it like?" Sethos asked.
The Wanderer turned to face him. "What was what like?"
"A Gnosis. Divine power. How did it feel when you had it?" Sethos asked.
The Wanderer paused, trying to put his mind back in the state it had been all that time ago. He remembered desperately seeking a Gnosis for years and years. He vaguely remembered getting his Delusion for the first time too. The Gnosis was like a Delusion that came from the future. It gave him similar abilities, but the power was amplified a few thousand times. Having the Gnosis felt like he would finally get what he wanted.
"Too powerful," the Wanderer admitted. After a moment he added, "I used to think the Gnosis was meant for me because that was what I had been told. But after having it, I think it's better if someone else keeps it."
Sethos nodded. He seemed to understand what the Wanderer was saying. He probably felt similarly after having the Ba Fragment. Even if a Ba Fragment would pale in comparison to a Gnosis, the Wanderer felt like Sethos was possibly the only human in the world who would be able to understand this experience.
"I think I'm happier with just a Vision," Sethos said.
The Wanderer nodded in agreement.
--
The two of them stayed in the forest for hours after that. Sethos occasionally made remarks about the forest as they meandered down a path. He also told stories about the desert. The Wanderer mostly just listened, feeling like he had already shared too much about himself.
At one point, Sethos found a tree with apples and decided to flaunt his archery skills by shooting them off of the branches. He picked up one of them and offered it to the Wanderer, who took it, but put it in his pocket for later.
As the sun set, they started heading back through the forests. They took the path through Vanarana again. Sethos stumbled over tired feet. The Wanderer reached out to steady him.
"Oops," Sethos laughed at his own clumsiness.
They got back to the city, and stopped at its entrance. The Wanderer realized Sethos more than likely didn't have a home in the city. He wondered where he was supposed to sleep. The Wanderer did not have to sleep, though usually chose to because it was a nice way to get some peace and quiet for a few hours.
"I guess I should get going now," Sethos said, indicating a path back out into the forest from where they had just come. It was odd to him that Sethos didn’t part ways awhile back when they were closer to the desert if he wasn’t planning on staying.
"You don't have a place to stay in the city?" the Wanderer asked.
Sethos rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I was staying with Cyno, but I think he wouldn't appreciate me coming home so late.”
"So you're just going to go all the way back to the desert?" the Wanderer asked.
Sethos nodded. "It'll be okay! I've done this before. If I run, I'm quite fast."
The Wanderer frowned, remembering earlier how Sethos had stumbled in the forest. "No."
"No?"
"You should stay here."
"But I have nowhere to stay."
"You can stay in my dorm room," the Wanderer offered before he could think through his own decision to offer such a thing.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," he said, though his mind was sounding that alarm bell again.
The Wanderer didn't often use his dorm room. All first year students at the Akademiya were assigned a space where they could stay Most likely due to the fact many students came from abroad to study here. The Wanderer, however, did not need the space. He didn't like how tiny the room was either, much preferring the openness of a tree or even the Sanctuary of Surasthana. He liked to be somewhere where he could watch the sky at night.
"Okay," Sethos agreed. "I'll find some way to repay you. I really wasn't looking forward to my return journey. The desert scorpions at night are awfully mean."
With that, he led them both to his dorm room.
It looked nearly identical to when he first saw the room. The bed was made, there were no decorative or personal items around the room to show that the room did in fact belong to the Wanderer. That was, except for his hat that he left sitting on top of the dresser in the room. His other clothes were folded neatly inside the drawers.
"Are you sure you live here?" Sethos asked, noticing just how bare the room was.
"Yes," the Wanderer said. "Though I don't actually use this room often."
Sethos laughed, though this time maybe it was out of uneasiness. "Are you sure you're human?"
The question was ironic considering the fact he was not at all human. However he figured Sethos knew enough for now. This would have to be a conversation continued at a later time.
"Just be grateful you get to sleep on a bed tonight and not on some rocks out in the forest."
Sethos gave a sheepish smile. He then started to get ready for bed. He took off some of the jewelry from his hair. Next he removed his shoes and arm sleeves. Then he unwrapped the orange scarf around his shoulders. The Wanderer found himself entranced. Each piece Sethos removed made him look smaller and less threatening. Soon he no longer looked like he was the important leader of some ancient desert organization.
He was just Sethos. A man who wanted nothing more but a sense of normalcy.
"Aren't you going to sleep too? We can share the bed, it seems big enough."
It was definitely big enough. But the Wanderer was rooted to the ground. He couldn't move. His throat felt dry, so he tried clearing it.
"I uh..." the Wanderer started, glancing away from Sethos. It seemed to be the only way his voice would come out. "I actually forgot one of my books earlier at the library."
It was a lie. Sethos tilted his head as if he could tell it was a lie. "Oh?"
"Yeah. I'll go get that. If I don't I think it might be gone in the morning," he said, his voice sounding like a different person's.
"Oh, okay."
The Wanderer ducked out of the room without saying anything else. He made his way towards the library even though he knew he had not left anything in there. Everything felt all jumbled up inside. His mind replayed moments from throughout the day, trying to parse all the information.
However when he closed his eyes he just saw him.
Sethos.
He remembered the feeling of Sethos shoulder bumping into his own. Sethos’s hand helping him up. Sethos’s wrist as he guided him down a narrow forest path.
Sethos's laughter. Sethos's deeper voice when he was being more serious.
Sethos smiling. Sethos's eyes when they were mere centimeters from him. Sethos's braids. Sethos's toned, bare arms as he was getting ready for bed. Sethos's waist that seemed to be just the right size if he were to wrap his arms around it.
Fuck .