It was a late night at Angel's Share again. I spent my time on the second floor away from the noises one would associate with a popular bar. My latest glass of Death After Noon had just run dry as I sat there, wondering about the many ways I could entertain myself the following morning. I glanced down at the entrance. The barkeep was working away, drying glasses and serving drinks to incoming patrons.
"Diluc," I sighed to myself, anxiously rotating my empty glass, "Busy as usual." I began to think about our conversation the other day. The thought of a peculiar-looking face raced across my mind. "He must've thrown it out." I thought to myself as a feeling of disappointment welled up inside me. "But if he did, he would have said so. Why would he need to avoid a direct answer?" I shook my head, knowing I'll never receive an answer to my question.
I had stood up to come downstairs for another glass when I heard the door open once again. A glance back down revealed that the new customer was none other than the Honorary Knight herself. I looked at my pocket watch. "3:00am," it said. "What could she possibly be here for? Certainly not drinks; she's underage." I thought to myself. I decided to remain at my perch, watching her as she approached the bar with Paimon at her side. The noise was far too loud for me to be able to listen in from such a distance, but the body language was enough for me to understand. Diluc seemed to agree to something, nodding after a while. The duo then left without purchasing a single drink. Before I could think on it further, a familiar voice came from below.
"I can see you peering into other people's personal matters up there." Diluc's voice rose above the noisy ambiance of the tavern with little effort. Despite being discovered, I somewhat felt more at ease.
"Looks like I've been found out." I admitted with a sly grin, "But if it's not something that needed to be discussed in private, what harm is there to a little eavesdropping?" Diluc's gaze dropped as he resumed polishing the glass in his hand. I recognized this to be a perfect opportunity to have a little more fun tonight. After all, my evenings have been quite a bore recently.
I made my way down the stairs, carefully placing each step. The other patrons didn't seem to notice me, seemingly too occupied in their own drinks and stories of glories past. I slid into a seat at the vacant bar and set my empty glass down. I produced a few high-value coins from my pocket. "Another glass of Death After Noon please, Master Diluc." I accompanied the exchange of Mora with a sly smile. Diluc didn't seem to react to it as he began efficiently mixing my new drink.
"You don't intend on drinking here at the bar... do you?" He asked, placing a full glass in front of me.
"Why of course I do," I took a quick sip of the concoction, "Don't tell me you're already sick of seeing your bro, Kaeya." He grunted at the word "bro" and slowly distanced himself from me. "So, what did she tell you?"
"She?" Diluc asked, maintaining a steady gaze at the glass in hand, "I have many female customers."
"Lumine. She was just here and it seems you two are planning something."
"Well, your intuition is misplaced."
"That may be true, but people don't just come in for a quick word and then leave without ordering anything. It's impolite."
"They were lost."
"Lost, huh? That makes sense." I took a long sip before continuing, "It's so late, though. Where could they be headed?"
"That is none of my concern."
"But you must know where they're heading. They asked for directions after all."
"I apologize, but I don't feel comfortable disclosing such information, Sir Kaeya."
"Hmph, be that way then." I sat in silence for several minutes, occasionally taking swigs from my glass until it was all gone. Diluc maintained his usual stoic manner as he diligently maintained the bar. He was still unwilling to budge so I decided to investigate on my own. I left the tavern with a "later" and Diluc responded with silence. A cool, gentle breeze blew past as the tavern door closed behind me. "My investigation has begun." I thought to myself and began to wander around under the bright moonlight. It was not long before I met another soul that was out and about in the dark of night.
"Captain Kaeya, sir!" A voice suddenly echoed through the night.
"Swan. How are the patrols?" I put on a serious face.
"It's all clear, sir."
"Good." I smiled at the opportunity, "Say, have you seen Lumine around recently?"
"Lumine, huh? Can't say I have."
"Ah, well, thanks anyway." I said with a tinge of disappointment in my voice as I left him to his duties. I passed by the fountain at the town square when the sound of clattering metal stole my attention. I turned around, ready for combat, only to see a few rats scrambling around Good Hunter's cooking stove. I almost felt embarrassed for being so jumpy. Soon, my wandering took me up to the statue of Barbatos. On a passing breeze, I heard the gentle notes of a lyre and the sound of song.
"Upon his throne, laid the string. To break the chains and slay a king. A song of freedom through the halls. A graceful tune, for one and all." Venti grinned as I turned around, slightly dumbfounded. He sat comfortably on the low wall surrounding the platform. "Captain Kaeya. What brings you here at such an hour? Hopefully it's of nothing at all too dire."
"I guess you could say I'm looking for someone." I said nonchalantly, "Besides, I could say the same for you."
"The most silent hour to guide the hand, of a simple bard to perform so grand. Perhaps I can be of assistance to you for I have nothing to do in this instance." He rubbed the back of his head.
"Have you seen Lumine come by recently?"
"I believe I caught a glance. It was all happenstance. She left through the side gate at an hour oh so late."
"Wonderful. Thank you." I said. I was about to leave the bard's company when he spoke up.
"Would you mind if I came with you? You know, I can help, too."
"It's pretty late. It could get dangerous out there. You're just a bard after all."
"Don't underestimate a bard by just his looks. There's more to me than just songs and books." With a single motion, he clasped his lyre to his belt and twirled a bow in his hand. With a sharp twang, his arrow hit the statue's base with a small clink. He was clearly skillful with the bow which took me by surprise. "Unfortunately, in a heated fight, I just can't seem to rhyme words right." He chuckled shyly.
"You seem more than capable. More than I expected." I threw a glance towards the direction of the side gate, "Let's go then, before its too late." Venti nodded and we raced towards the gate.
After a small word with the guard, we snuck out into the night. There was no sign of life on the docks and the bridge remained barren. "Where could they have gone? Is it some mission they're on?" Venti mumbled to himself as his eyes scanned the lake shore.
"I can't say for certain, but it seems that they're working with Diluc to do... something." I commented. We searched the city's perimeter all the way up to the other side of the bridge with no success.
"They've hidden themselves well, but only time will tell. They'll return in the morning, which is most reassuring."
A moment before I could admit defeat out loud, a large burst of wind knocked me off my balance. I used my arms to break my fall before swiftly bringing out my sword and lunging towards the source. I stopped in my tracks when I realized who was in front of me. An arrow laid on the ground between us, its owner presumably long gone. A hint of Pyro element emanated from the arrowhead.
"Lumine..!" I exclaimed, "What are you-" "Hey, now isn't the time to talk!" Paimon interrupted. She started to look around our moonlit surroundings.
"Retreat inside with safety in numbers, for out in the dark, the unknown slumbers." Venti chimed in. There was a silent agreement as we hurried back through the city gates. We took a moment to rest by the fountain.
"So, Lumine. Mind telling me what important business you had outside at a time like this?" I asked with a hint of sarcasm.
"Our business is none of your business." Paimon said with a pout.
"We had received word of assassins working outside the city walls." Lumine answered as a bewildered Paimon tried to stop her. "I was lucky to have been there to save you."
"'We'... You mean you and Diluc." I said.
"Uh... yes." She looked down at the ground as if she had just leaked a secret. I grinned as the mystery unfurled itself in front of me.
"If it's assassins, I can get the knights-"
"No!" She blurted out.
"No?"
"I mean-" She stuttered as she searched for the right words, "if there are too many people looking for them, they'll never show." Her cheeks grew red as my suspicions grew.
"Is it an evil plot against the Knights of Favonius? Or perhaps it's against each and every one of us." Venti wondered out loud.
"Even when there's a major threat, Tone-Deaf Bard here never fails to make rhymes." Paimon crossed her arms, "And you almost got shot, but you focus on this!?" She looked at me, referring to my questioning of Diluc's involvement.
"Hmph, I know my priorities." I replied to her comment with a tinge of coldness, "Nevertheless, I must thank you, Lumine. So, thanks."
"Anytime." She grinned, her cheeks still burning red. I took out my pocket watch, opening it with a clean click.
"3:45. We should get some shuteye while we still can."
"For no one does time stop, as certain as a bubble's pop. For now, let us depart, for tomorrow is another part." Venti lightly strummed his lyre as we dissolved into the nighttime city streets. Despite the supposed conclusion of the mystery, I couldn't help but lie in bed wondering what the truth may truly be.
I wandered the wind-blown streets in search of the truth under the light of the morning sun. I had an average amount of sleep, yet I felt restless. I had a nagging feeling that Lumine was hiding the truth from me, choosing to give me white lies. I had originally set out to search for her, but it seems she was no longer within the city walls. It gave me the opportunity to question the city folk without risk of her interference. I noticed an unmistakable headband sitting at a table at Good Hunter. I slid my hand into her field of vision before sliding myself into the chair opposite of her. "Amber, fancy meeting you here."
"Oh, Captain Kaeya! I didn't see you there!" She said after quickly swallowing a bite of food, "I was just sitting down for a nice breakfast." Her breakfast consisted of a few fried eggs alongside a stack of pancakes. She shoveled a thick cut of pancakes into her mouth as I spoke to her.
"Lumine has been acting strangely lately. Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary? I know you spend a lot of time with her."
"Not really." She said with a full mouth, "What's happening?"
"She seemed to talk to Diluc about something and I suspect they're doing something behind the scenes."
"Really? She never seemed like someone to keep secrets. Anyway, I'm pretty sure it's nothing bad."
"Still, I'd want to know what they're planning."
"Um...Have you tried just asking them?" Her constant eating slowed the conversation down.
"I have and they both gave me different answers. Diluc refused to tell me anything while Lumine mentioned an assassination plot." Amber almost spat out her food in response.
"An assassination plot!?"
"From what I gathered, yes, but she refused to allow the Knights to get involved."
"That is strange." She put her finger to her chin, "But have no fear, for Outrider Amber is on the case!" She jumped up from her chair and raced off before I could say anything further, leaving her half-empty plates behind.
"Always full of energy, that girl." I whispered to myself, watching her disappear past the city gate. I got up and resumed my wandering. However, it was not long before I found another stop. The sound of crashing from inside a house caught my attention. I opened the surprisingly unlocked door in an instant to see Mona standing over a toppled table. Various metal trinkets littered the floor by the sideways table, clinking lightly as they collided with each other. "Is everything alright in here?"
"P-perfectly fine! Just a little accident." She stuttered as she clumsily cleaned up the mess.
"May I-"
"No! N-no! I got it handled." The trinkets clanged against each other as they rolled around on the table.
"Maybe I'll come ba-"
"I-it's fine, really." She stopped a glass ball from rolling off the table as the other objects settled into place, "What did you need?"
"Well, I was gonna ask about Lumine..."
"Ah, yes. Her fate is yet still a mystery to me, so unfortunately, you wasted your time coming here." "She hasn't been acting normal lately. I wanted to see if you had any information on the cause." I leaned back on the doorframe.
"Nothing different from what I've seen. She still checks on me every once in a while."
"Hm, so I really did come here for nothing."
"Oh, uh, she mentioned something about a secret hideout for Fatui agents. I wasn't paying much attention. I was in the middle of reading the stars."
"Fatui... did she ever mention where this hideout was?"
"Where..?" Mona scratched her head for a moment before her eyes lit up, "Right! It was in the Thousand Winds Temple."
"Thousand Winds?" I confirmed out loud, remembering how the temple has practically been sealed off for years.
"Yes! My memory does not betray me." She crossed her arms. A smile creeped across my face.
"I appreciate the help."
"Of course. The stars see everything." She began her speech, but I had left her door before I could hear more about astrology. I had a new target and I intended to neutralize it. "There must be a reason why those two are hiding this from me," I thought to myself as I walked up the stairs towards the cathedral, "If I eliminate this secret threat first, perhaps I'll find out why." Soon, the sounds of a familiar lyre could be heard playing. He sat upon the same wall as the night before, but a small crowd had gathered.
"Just was the hero's words, strong were the people's hopes. His message spread upon the birds, the freedom's letters' envelopes." His fingers danced on the strings, "The seeds of change were sown, that much was known. For as the sun would rise, the people's dread met its demise." He noticed me standing amongst the audience. "Thank you. Now, please, excuse me. I have other duties to perform." The crowd dispersed rather quickly, talking amongst themselves. He adjusted his green hat on his head and clipped his lyre to his side. "Captain Kaeya, what brings you here today?"
"I've come to request to borrow your bow skills." I bluntly said.
"A request for combat power. What's it for at this hour?"
"I'm going to infiltrate a Fatui hideout by the Thousand Winds Temple. And, please, take a break from the rhymes."
"Haha, I'm sorry. Force of habit, I suppose." Venti chuckled shyly, "A Fatui hideout, you say? What would they need that for?"
"Only one way to find out and I'll most likely need some backup."
"Then I'd gladly accompany you." We left for the temple immediately, not willing to lose any time. I shared what I had learned with Venti as we walked on the long road. "They're keeping a potentially dangerous hideout a secret. Now that you mention it, it does sound suspicious." He thought out loud, stepping over the loose stones that once served as stairs on the path towards the temple.
"The stairs are emptier than usual." I noted. The pathway leading up to the temple was often occupied by hilichurl camps, but the only things scampering around were the squirrels.
"I'd take this as a good sign, but its always calm before the storm." His bow materialized into his hand, its green body glistened in the sunlight. We arrived at the temple entrance to see a toppled Ruin Guard.
"Strange. There's usually a Ruin Guard walking around here at all times." As I inspected the ruined mech, I sensed a strong Pyro element emanating from it. "Pyro element. It was like the arrow that almost hit me."
"Perhaps it's the same perpetrator." Venti reasoned, continuously scanning our surroundings with an arrow ready to fire.
"That is very likely." I agreed with him, despite the nagging thought that the Pyro element from the Ruin Guard felt different than that of the arrow. I looked at one of the large metal gates and noticed a hole had been blown into it. I called for Venti's attention. "There. That must be where they're lurking."
"Carefully now." Venti released an arrow into the opening. It exploded into a small plume of pure Anemo energy, dislodging a few chunks of the old, crumbling floor. There was an eerie peace as the dust settled. I wielded my sword and slowly approached the opening. A quick peek inside revealed the well-lit interior. I motioned for Venti to follow me and we entered the hideout together.
Deep within, the strange rooms and corridors were lit with a blue light emanating from various spots on the walls. It was life-less outside of a few crawling insects. Soon we came to a large empty room with a large light source in the ceiling. It seemed to be a crystal of some kind with a blurry symbol embedded in its core. The walls were especially dim, escaping the light of the mysterious crystal. It was dead silent as we slowly entered the room. "Was the intel wrong?" I wondered to myself, "Could Lumine have been led astray and now I've taken the bait?" I was about to voice my thoughts to a nervous Venti when the sound of shuffling feet on stone stopped my train of thought. A gate slammed down behind us, closing off our escape route. Venti was still scanning the area, remaining calm and collected.
More shuffling was heard before the small explosion of a mechanism startled us. A projectile flew past us with a Pyro emanation that was similar to what I felt on the Ruin Guard. A gruff voice laughed from the darkness.
"So they sent one of their captains after us instead of throwing their lackeys at us." The voice said, "This will be interesting." Something suddenly clicked in my mind. I lifted my sword to the sky and channeled Cryo element through it, resulting in a short burst of the element from its tip. The Cryo element made contact with the crystal and its luminance increased ten-fold, revealing more of the room. Fatui agents armed with their typical knives lined the walls. The gruff voice seemed to come from the one directly ahead of us, standing upon a raised platform. His cloak's hood was decorated with feathers compared to his feather-less cohorts. He grunted in confidence. "Try not to kill him." The agents readied their blades and I readied mine. Venti's arrows now have targets.
One by one, the agents broke formation and slashed at me with their blades. With two blades on each arm, they easily outnumbered my single sword. I barely had time to breathe as my sword clashed with theirs every second. Occasionally, my blade would make contact with flesh, resulting in a yelp of pain. I could hear the sound of Venti's bow firing nonstop behind me as well as the sound of the arrows meeting their target. Occasionally, a blast of Cryo from my sword would stagger a few of the incoming attackers, but they would quickly be replaced by more. "Venti, back me up." I said without thinking. I heard a sound of agreement from him and I let loose a burst of Cryo energy.
The cold air quickly froze into large crystals of ice which hovered around me. I felt Venti's back on mine as the force of a strong wind started to pick up from under my feet. It almost felt like it would lift me from the ground in a heartbeat. The ice crystals began to accelerate with the increasing winds. They became faster and faster until it became a Glacial Vortex. The forceful winds knocked the attacking agents back and pelted them with sharp shards of ice as the crystals splintered under the immense force of the turbulent winds. Through the howling wind, I could hear the sound of Fatui agents being struck and retreating. The wind's powerful energy concealed the rest of the room from my field of vision. I smugly smiled to myself with a slight chuckle as I accepted the thought of an easy victory.
The winds began to die down after about a minute and the room began to become visible once again. However, before the wind completely died down, Venti moved away from my back for a moment. I heard the sound of cloth in the wind, but I couldn't react in time. I turned around and saw more agents, but one of them had a stained knife. It was then that I noticed the deep gash in my stomach. As I held onto it with my left hand, I came to notice that Venti was no longer beside me. Another agent had a tight hold on him and was refusing to let go, despite Venti's Anemo swirls. The agents seemed to have stopped their attacks for the time being. Their numbers had thinned, but I was down a companion.
"Sir Kaeya of the Knights of Favonius." The head agent said in a slow, mocking tone. I flinched at the mention of my name, turning towards him with a piercing glare. I had used my Cryo abilities in an attempt to slow the flow of blood from my stomach, but it was hardly effective. I could feel a warm trickle down my leg. My left hand still held on as he continued to speak. "You're a smart man, so how about we make a deal? We won't kill your friend there if you surrender yourself to us." I took a quick glance at Venti who was shaking his head while still attempting to break free.
"It's a deal." I said without hesitation, dematerializing my sword.
"What?" Venti exclaimed in disbelief. The head agent laughed at my response.
"Good. Throw the kid out." At his word, another agent opened the gate and the agent left the room with a frantic Venti in tow. "Now, Sir Kaeya. Your Vision." I had expected them to forget, allowing me the chance to escape, but now the situation was getting dire.
"If I allow myself to be captured by the Fatui, who knows what kind of leverage they'll get over Jean." I thought to myself. A drop of sweat rolled down the side of my face as I hesitated, still breathing heavily from my wound.
His brows furrowed. He raised his Pyro-powered gun and aimed it at me. "I'd pick your next moves carefully if I were you." Using my bloodied hand, I slowly grabbed the Vision that dangled from my belt. The increase in blood loss caused me to slightly lose my balance as I stumbled slightly to the left. I heard his trigger slowly move in the silent room. I threw the bloodstained object to the ground. An agent immediately picked it up and handed it to him. He seemed pleased with the result as he manipulated it, lowering his weapon. "Take him to the back. We shall inform the others immediately." The head agent turned towards the tunnel, heading deeper into the ruins. An agent grabbed my wrists and tied them behind my back before leading me by the arm.
We trailed behind the head agent by a considerable amount of distance. I wondered for a moment about how smart one would have to be to become a head agent. We paused in a medium-sized room. There was a couple of agents standing guard. The head agent handed my Vision to one of them before opening what seemed to be a cell door. He motioned me in, but my hands had grown cold enough.
A small, sharp shard of ice had already collected in my hand. With a few slow cuts, the rope that bound me bound me no more. I shoved the agent next to me to the ground as I raised my hand up. The Cryo energy had accumulated in substantial amounts, causing the water in the air to freeze. With proper manipulation, I grasped at the cold air and a double-bladed sword of ice formed in an instant. Having taken them by surprise, I used the sword to cut the agents down within a few seconds. The head agent now stood before me with his Pyro-powered gun raised.
"A real clever one, aren't you?" He sneered, "How you managed to fool me is beyond me, but what I do know is that you will die here for your lies." He fired a Pyro bullet and I blocked it with my Cryoblade. It shattered just as easily as it regenerated. I lunged at him as he fired again. A strange anger had welled up within me. With all my might, I brought the sword down on him. He stumbled back for a moment before he open fire once again. I ignored it and, in a blur of rage, went in for as many slashes as I could. By the time I tired myself out, he was lifeless on the ground. The Cryoblade in my hand shattered into tiny shards as the Cryo energy that supported it dissipated. My right leg and left arm burned as the Pyro-bullets had bore deep holes in them. My heavy breathing became more labored as I used the wall to support myself. As my anger died down, the intense pain began to settle in.
I glanced at the bloody object in an agent's hand. A small charm in the shape of a four-leaf clover dangled from it. I considered reclaiming it, but movement became increasingly taxing as time went on. "Guess I'll have to disappoint her." I thought.
Slowly, I searched the body of the closest fallen agent. With every movement came a stabbing pain throughout my body. I grabbed his knife and cut strips out of his cloak. "I'll die for my lies..." I repeated to myself, "My lies..." I felt a deep sadness as well as a burning anger as I continued to think about those words. After much effort, I had managed to bandage my arm and leg enough to carry myself outside where Venti was hopefully waiting for me. The deep gash in my stomach was still a problem, however. I dragged myself to my feet once again and leaned against the wall as I stumbled through the tight hallway. The light from the crystal had begun to dim from the lack of Cryo element. I was in no condition to relight it.
The sound of quickly approaching footsteps alerted me. With a shaky hand, I materialized my sword and held onto it as well as I could. Another Fatui agent emerged from the doorway.
"What happened in here? You! Halt!" The agent barked as he pointed his knife at me. Still keeping much of my weight on the wall, I raised my sword. My breathing quickened, but remained heavy. He slowly approached me and I stood my ground, deciding to be more reactive as I hardly had any extra energy left to expend. He took a strong step forward and I guarded myself with my blade, bracing for the impact of his knife. I closed my eyes. Moment after moment passed and my hand felt nothing but the weight of my sword. Slowly, I opened my eyes again. The agent laid on the ground, face-first. An arrow protruded from his back. Venti emerged from the doorway and I felt a giant wave of relief wash over me. I dropped my sword, but it dematerialized before it could hit the stone floor. I crumpled to the ground with a thud as I succumbed to the pain, attracting his attention. He raised his bow towards me for a moment before recognizing me in the dimming light. He lowered his bow and frantically ran over to me.
"Kaeya!" Venti shouted in a clear panic, "Are you alright? These wounds... I need to get you back to Mondstadt... stat!" He slung my arm around his shoulders and slowly helped me stand. I didn't resist as he slowly led me back outside. Every step brought along more pain shooting up my injured leg. I occasionally let out a wince as the throbbing pain overwhelmed me. It was a long and arduous journey back into Mondstadt. At times, I could feel my consciousness slipping away.
"You're a good soul, Venti." I had mumbled in between steps, "Your Vision... Barbatos was right in recognizing you." He smiled at my comment, but remained silent and focused on supporting my weight.
At the gate, the guards on duty were in a flurry. "Captain Kaeya! Quick! Someone call for a medic!" one of them shouted as we arrived. The last thing I remembered was being laid down on a bed. I thought to myself "If Diluc saw me like this, I'd never hear the end of it." I escaped the hounding feeling of pain as I quickly fell asleep, only waking once to speak to a green-clad bard.
It was going to be another late night at Angel's Share. The clock had tolled for 10 P.M. I had snuck out of the cathedral against Barbara's wishes, unwilling to be cooped up inside any longer than I already had been. My relatively minor injuries were healed, but there was still a lasting ache. The deep cut on my stomach had not fully been healed yet, but I could manage it. The bandages had not yet been removed. I had a slight limp, but it wasn't very noticeable. My Cryo Vision once again hung from my belt. As I slowly walked through the streets, I reflected on the events that took place inside the hideout earlier in the day. I had hoped to discover the reasoning behind why Lumine would keep it a secret, but all I had was speculation. "Did they think I would do something rash about it?" I thought as I walked by the Goth Hotel, "Or did she doubt my abilities." My brain felt exhausted from all the speculation and I put the topic away for another time.
I heard a voice call out to me. Venti was running towards me. "Captain Kaeya, are you feeling alright?" The concern in his voice was a welcome surprise.
"I'm managing just fine." I said with confidence.
"Well, can you accompany me to Angel's Share for a moment? I've been told there's a lyre playing contest taking place there."
"Huh? A contest? I've never heard of such things taking place in a tavern of all places." I voiced my skepticism, "I suppose I don't have much to do today anyway."
"Alright! I'm just a little nervous is all." He lit up with excitement as he led me towards the tavern, "I'm sure if I saw you there, I'd feel so much more confident." He continued to excitedly talk about the history of lyre-playing and I just smiled. At the door, he slightly hesitated. "Is it alright if you... entered first?"
"Hm? Would it matter to you that much?"
"Yes, actually..." He blushed slightly. I walked past him and pushed the door open, revealing a mostly dark room. Venti suddenly pushed me all the way in and the door closed shut behind me. I didn't have a moment to panic before an intense light suddenly flashed, enveloping the entire room in white light.
"Surprise!" Multiple voices shouted. After my eyes adjusted to the intense light, I scanned the room. There was a large table set up near the door and everyone was gathered on the other side: Amber, Barbara, Jean, Klee, Lisa, Mona, Paimon, and Lumine. Even Diluc was standing behind the bar with his usual stoic expression. I must've looked more surprised than I thought I did as there was giggling amongst them.
"Happy Birthday, Kaeya!" Paimon shouted above the giggling.
"Yes, a most happy birthday to you." Mona smiled coolly.
"Another year under your belt." Jean gently commented with a smile. She raised a glass as Klee handed me one. "To another great year."
"Yeah!" They shouted as they raised their glasses as well. I raised my glass last.
"I must thank everyone for organizing such a surprise for me." I couldn't mask my embarrassment as I felt my cheeks grow warm.
"Hehe, did you like the lighting?" Klee asked, tugging on my shirt, "I made it myself!" She smiled proudly.
"Yes, it was wonderful." I smiled back at her before looking at Lumine, "Lumine, I must ask. Did you go out to the Fatui hideout?"
"The... hideout?" Lumine looked bewildered, "I'm afraid I have no idea what you mean."
Amber chuckled. "None of the stuff we said was true. They were all to keep you from finding out that we were preparing for your party!"
"Oh, I see..." I replied as another surprising twist came my way.
"I think we should enjoy the food everyone worked so hard for." Barbara added. One by one, everyone nodded in agreement and we started to participate in the prepared feast.
Throughout the night, Venti remained glued to the bar, constantly asking Diluc for more wine. Barbara occasionally sang songs as she chatted with Jean. Klee took the opportunity to show off her new treasures as Lisa and Mona watched in awe. I joined Amber, Paimon, and Lumine at a table filled with plates of food.
"So, tell me. How did you set up such an effective illusion?"
"Well, first, everyone had to be in on it. Diluc was the last person I came to cause I felt that you'd start following us around once we did." Lumine took a sip of her Apple Vinegar Cider. "Oh, have I become too predictable?" I said, slightly sarcastically.
"Yeah, totally predictable." Paimon chimed in before taking another big bite of Sticky Honey Roast.
"The assassin at night? That was me." Amber admitted, smiling ear to ear.
"So there wasn't an assassination plot at all..." I thought out loud.
"We had Mona lie to you about what I said in hopes that you'd suspect it was just business as usual." Lumine seemed to look at my previously injured arm, "We never intended for you to get so gravely injured..."
"How did you manage to get so beaten up? If you don't mind me asking." Amber looked at me with curious eyes. I hesitated for a moment.
"It was just the Ruin Guard that's usually at the Thousand Winds Temple." I said, knowing it was the furthest thing from the truth, "Fought it alone for a while cause I left Venti at Springvale."
"Fighting a Ruin Guard all on your own? Geez, it was a miracle Venti got there in time to save you."
"Venti was the only one that wasn't in on the plan." Lumine admitted, "All we told him was to help you in whatever you needed and that there was a lyre playing contest here."
"So he was in the dark, too." I mumbled, shooting a quick glance at him. He had taken another sip of his wine, drying out the glass.
"I'm not so great at lying..." Amber confessed, "That's why I ran off so quickly yesterday. I was so close to crumbling under the pressure." She rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment.
"Well, we shouldn't talk about such dreary topics during a celebration." Lumine said, attempting to lighten the mood, "Paimon's almost eaten everything already." "You're right. Let's eat now, worry later." Amber agreed and took a bite of some Sweet Madame. I gratefully joined in on the feast of delicious food. I listened to the girls talk about various topics as I silently ate, only speaking from time to time when spoken to. The hours whizzed by and soon, everyone was saying their goodbyes. In the end, I was left at the bar with a glass of Death After Noon in my hand and Diluc was busying away behind the counter once again. I expected it to go the same way as it did the day before, but Diluc spoke first.
"Who was it?" He asked, putting the glass in his hand down on the counter and filling it up. His voice had a strange tone to it.
"What do you mean?" I took a sip of my drink.
"Your injuries. I don't believe for a second that a Ruin Guard did that to you."
"It was the Fatui." I flatly admitted, "The lie they made was actually true." I looked up to see Diluc with both his hands on the bar, looking down at the ground. I considered asking if he was alright, but I decided against it. Without a word, he walked around the bar to my side, taking a seat on the stool to my right. He had a glass of wine with him as well. We sat in a shared silence for a moment before he suddenly put an arm around me. He slowly pulled me in. I winced as the pain from my stomach made a reappearance.
"Those Fatui..! Attacking a captain of the Knights of Favonius. What are they thinking?" He muttered as he gently pushed my head onto his shoulder. I didn't resist the notion. "Tomorrow morning, I'm gonna show them..." "Don't. You'll cause more trouble than good." I quietly protested.
"It's trouble that they deserve." He abandoned his glass on the bar and wrapped his arms around me. I felt his hand in my hair as he hugged me tighter and tighter. "To think I could've..." His voice trailed off.
"Lost me?" I put on a cool smile, "Your bro Kaeya would never do that." We spent another half hour in the same position. When he let go of me, he lightly ruffled my hair before standing up.
"You should get some rest. You're still injured, you know." He cracked a small grin at me; a sight I haven't seen in a long time. I took his advice, leaving the tavern with a "later" and getting one in return. I retreated back into my bed for some fulfilling sleep after a day of chaos.
The following morning, the atmosphere was ordinary. However, it was not too long before there was an obvious scene taking place outside the Goth Hotel. Several Fatui diplomats had gathered outside. Curious, I abandoned my trip around town and went to an advantageous location to eavesdrop. Upon arriving at the perfect spot, I immediately noticed Diluc's burning red hair. His voice was loud and rough. "What other weapon would have caused such deep burns besides Fatui technology?"
"Our technology is very advanced, yes, but that does not mean our fellow Fatui did this-" "It is absolutely clear that they did and the act in and of itself is an affront to Mondstadt and its people!" Although his arms were crossed, Diluc seemed ready to attack. I smiled as I watched from overhead.
No evidence of the hideout was left when the Knights came to investigate. The hole leading into the hideout had entirely disappeared as if its very existence was merely a runaway dream. As such, no bodies were ever discovered of the Fatui agents that Venti and I had struggled against.
The wind-riding bard's song flowed from above as Diluc raged on. "In the dark and gloom, the hero fell. A clever trick to break their spell. For troubled waters, they paid the price. A dance of nothing, but wit and ice."