Did Aether imagine it or was he being followed?
The Abyss had sharpened his senses and filled the prince with a dose of paranoia that edged between being healthy enough to keep him safe and making his life a living hell when it came to planning ahead.
Maybe Aether should've shown more effort in establishing a relation between the Abyss Order and Mondstadt once he'd learned about how powerless he was in the city itself. Maybe if he had, he wouldn't feel like growing sick with every step he took further along the inner city walls.
Mondstadt was a sore spot for Aether because of its complete lack of relation to the Abyss. Without the Abyss at his immediate command, Aether knew that he was weak, and he'd found two more reasons to avoid Mondstadt from the very beginning: in here, he couldn't command any Abyss creature to his side at any moment, should he need assistance. Additionally, just like elemental magic granted by Celestia needed Visions to work, Aether relied on the Abyss to be able to use his own elemental magic in both forms, the Abyssal and the light form.
As prince of the Abyss, he probably should've shown great interest in conquering Mondstadt and eradicating his only weak spot a long time ago. Doing so just hadn't aligned with his careful, steady approach and the other matters he'd been occupied with until now.
Initially, Aether had needed all the time he had to establish and strengthen his position at the top of the Abyss Order, but also to test his own strength in different environments, and to conduct his experiments into corruption - valuable time he couldn't have afforded to lose anywhere else.
When his attention had finally fallen on Mondstadt because of Lumine's extended stay there and Dainsleif's recent appearance in it, Mondstadt's status had come as bad surprise to him; because the Abyss had no influence in Mondstadt, it factually made the city one of a kind in almost all of Teyvat and Aether's ultimate weak spot.
Aether had told Albedo as much. He'd warned him that his discomfort would grow and make it impossible for him to stay in the city for an indefinite time. He'd told Albedo that his strength was at its peak wherever the Abyss was at its strongest. He didn't know what would happen if he was separated from the Abyss for too long.
Sharing these findings with Albedo had felt liberating but also strange to Aether because it reminded him that trusting someone could so easily be forgotten in the Abyss' darkness. Standing at the top of the Abyss Order had always been lonely – as he was used to always having Lumine by his side – and when being the strongest, people easily forgot their weaknesses.
The common tongue's saying went like this: the brighter the light, the deeper the shadow. The deeper the shadow, the greater the blindness.
Aether's fingers brushed over the stone on his side as he walked along the inner city walls, focusing on the little sounds he could hear around himself. It already dragged Aether down to be just this far away from where he could hear the Abyss' call for him, just on the other side of the city walls, barely out of reach of his fingertips. With every step, Aether's discomfort of being in the wrong place reached to embrace him tighter.
Damned be this city sevenfold, for all its wrongs that lurked unseen.
The creeping feeling of danger kept tingling the back of Aether's neck and made his hairs on his back stand on end but no matter how many times Aether threw inspecting, cautious glances around, he couldn't seem to locate any pursuers.
Was he imagining it?
Part of him wanted to believe that he did - but if Aether could not rely on his senses, what else did he have to believe in?
Instead of taking the stairs that led down the small courtyard that stretched toward Mondstadt's second city gate, Aether swung his legs over the small stone wall, jumped all the way down into the courtyard, and rolled off the landing's impact. Thankfully, no guards were present in the yard or at the gates at the moment, so Aether could allow himself a quick breather.
He leaned his back against the stone in the gateway to be closer to the Abyss without reconnecting with it and closed his eyes for a moment, willing his senses to relax.
The Abyss Order's past attempts to take root in the city, coincidentally related to these city gates, had been planned by low-ranked Abyss Mages and local groups of Hilichurls, acted out half-heartedly, and ultimately, had all failed. Ever since Aether had known that one day he'll need control over Mondstadt, he'd surveyed the situation from afar without playing an active role himself.
That – surveying, staying passive, experimenting unseen – had been before meeting Albedo. That had been before Aether had to set foot into the city personally.
However, these little, continuous skirmishes by his lowest rank of subordinates had served the higher purpose of helping Aether pinpoint his enemies' identities, way of thinking, and powers they had at their expenses. Following his current intel, would Aether need to name a few antagonists he was likely to face, he knew about the significant role the Knights of Favonius and the Darknight Hero played in keeping the Abyss' forces out in the wild.
Aether liked knowing what he was dealing with.
Aether definitely didn't regret his decision to take his time with Mondstadt's conquest in retrospect, even if he doubted he could keep up the pretense of being indifferent or weak for an indefinite time. After all, someone like Diluc Ragnvindr must be suspicious of the Abyss' true intentions, as a man of his caliber couldn't be easily fooled by such weak display of strength. By the time he'd realize where the real threat came from, it would be too late though.
When that was, Aether didn't know. He planned to find out soon.
Knowing himself, he would've waited and delayed that moment. Progress on his experiments around corruption were slow and Aether knew that Mondstadt was dangerous to him, so he had wanted to be prepared as best as possible for when he needed it.
But then, Aether had met Albedo, and his priorities had unexpectedly undergone a drastic change, introducing a new factor to his plans.
And now, Aether was walking through Mondstadt, feeling like a toddler attempting his first steps.
With a sigh, Aether pushed off the stone and braced himself, readjusting the Fatui mask on his face as he lamented that this had to be his choice of clothing. Pretending to have affiliations with what Aether considered another enemy was the lesser of two evils but an evil anyway.
Not that he had much of a choice here.
Aether reached for the bricks of the wall stretching up in front of him and climbed it with trained ease, keeping on his planned pathing. He crossed a narrow pathway behind a couple of houses and stepped onto a broader paved walkway with a small plaza to the side, which led in direction of the Knights of Favonius' headquarters. Further ahead the walkway, benches and bushes decorated the footpath and made it a beautiful view.
But Aether didn't have eyes for it because as soon as he took a step from behind the houses, his senses warning him of danger went haywire and made him stop again. Heaving, Aether leaned against the house wall, battling with the rising panic. Yet, when he watched his surroundings, there still was no one suspicious in sight …
With a deep inhale to calm himself, Aether wrapped his arms around his middle and walked on, concentrated on walking steadily to give his mind occupied with something else: a hard task, since the ground swayed lightly under his feet.
Aether breathed easier once he'd left the plaza to his left and could count on being covered from sight by a wall now.
See? It's fine, he told himself.
Aether kept going faster –
- and almost lost his balance when somebody dropped an arm loosely around his shoulders and leaned onto him. It took Aether's entire self-control to not automatically manifest a sword and defend himself - instead, he snapped his head around, but the Fatui mask and the hood drawn into his face made it hard to see who was at his side.
"Hello, friend! Are you lost?", somebody asked joyfully.
Aether met eyes with a light blue one, which sparkled with amusement. Who was this person and more importantly, where did he come from? How had he managed to sneak up on Aether unseen? Aether froze.
"The Goth Grand Hotel is over there", the other followed up despite Aether's silence and turned slightly to the side, pointing with the hand over Aether's shoulder into the direction he was looking. "Where were you headed, my friend? The Cathedral? That's not the quickest route to take."
"I'm not lost." Aether safely shook off the arm around him and turned to fully face who had stopped him, weighing his options wearily. Unbelievable that he'd missed this guy's approach. Could it be that this man was the reason why Aether's danger sense had acted out?
Aether had no way to confirm this suspicion.
"Is it a crime to walk around Mondstadt now?", Aether asked sharper than intended, looking the blue-haired man up and down.
The Cryo Vision holder was taller than Aether but less muscular than him. Right now, they were most likely evenly matched should he attack. Judging by his behavior, Aether concluded, the other must be affiliated with the Knights of Favonius, even if his prominent choice of clothing was too revealing compared to their usual outfits. Stylish though.
"Ah, no. You seemed to be lost." The knight slowly walked on in the direction Aether had been headed, gesturing hands lifted high enough that Aether could follow their movements through his Fatui mask. Aether believed that this was strategic play. "You've stirred up quite the commotion. Your friendly captain is just here to help you."
"I'm fine on my own. Thank you", Aether replied stiffly, still wary. He couldn't be sure if he had to expect any danger from his person because right now, the knight seemed to be more intent on playing mind games. However, Aether had no time to waste. How could he get rid of him effectively?
The blue-haired knight turned around his axis, put his hands on his hips, and cocked his head. A smile was playing around the corners of his mouth and by how his hair was falling in his face, Aether's choice was either to focus his gaze on his lips or his eye - or worse, let himself be distracted by the fur collar around his shoulders or the chain reaching over his cleavage. Tactical plays, altogether.
Aether didn't want to leave the knight out of his sight either because he assumed this might be exactly what the man was playing at. But on the other hand, the city wall was right at Aether's side. He could make a run for it at any moment. The question was: should he?
"You seem awfully defensive, my friend. Do you have something to hide behind that mask? Hm?" The knight chuckled but Aether stayed as reactive as the Geo element to other elements, pondering whether it was worth abandoning the plan at once or taking a risk.
"No worries, we all wear things to cover something up. There's nothing unusual about it. I would know", the knight went on, unsuspecting of Aether's thoughts. Was he stalling for time? Was he waiting for someone else to appear?
Whatever the case, Aether didn't have more time to waste. He didn't intend to give up on Albedo's plan before he'd tried everything possible either.
Aether disentangled his arms around himself and picked up walking in moderate speed. If this knight was stalling time, he'd hold Aether back somehow; if he attacked, Aether would have enough time to jump into safety. Also, the discomfort Aether had felt creeping up on him was downright nauseating by now.
"What's the hurry?", the blue-haired knight asked when Aether brushed past him and glued himself to Aether's side, following along with his hands behind his back and the eternal smile around his lips.
Aether picked up the pace and reached the staircase leading up to the level just below the one with the Statue of Barbatos on it. Initially, Aether had planned to climb the short wall to his right and reach the plaza by that way; like this, he would have to leave the city walls for only the short period of crossing over to the Statue of Seven and back. Aether would be able to handle it.
Not if this Knight of Favonius continued shadowing him.
"I think you might have got the wrong idea", the knight persistently kept talking, leading a conversation for two effortlessly. "It wasn't my intention to offend any of you. I like the Fatui ambassadors. I'm always up to grab drinks and dinner, if not for you lots' reluctance."
"What's your intention, then?", Aether asked, growing annoyed by being lumped together with some Fatui, but distracted by a new problem.
They were almost on top of the staircase. From there, Aether would have to decide whether he should turn right and follow his initial pathing or … ah. Turning left would only lead him into a dead end.
Are you lost?, Aether recalled the first question the knight had directed at him. It made sense to ask this, since Aether was headed this way to nowhere – when any Fatui member would've naturally chosen to turn and walk past the Grand Goth Hotel in direction of the Knights of Favonius' headquarters, or would have taken the stairs to the upper level.
Naturally, Aether's actions drew suspicion.
Aether cursed mentally.
"My intentions?", the knight echoed and shrugged. "Nothing much. I don't think I recall seeing you here before. So, I wanted to welcome you. We should get to know each other better in the process. Break the ice, you know?"
The knight's pun fell on deaf ears because the two reached the top of the staircase and Aether still had no idea what to do. "Why don't we start with names, my friend? My name is Kaeya Alberich, and you are?"
Aether stopped abruptly.
"Wait. You are Kaeya Alberich?", he repeated, incredulous, and gave the man in front of him a second scrutiny.
Of course Aether knew who Kaeya Alberich was, of course he had heard of him. His intel on the Cavalry Captain went even further than just a name - but he'd never seen him face to face before. Aether hadn't known how Kaeya looked like prior to now.
This changed everything.
"Ah. It sounds like you did hear about me." Kaeya had taken another step into the courtyard and had his back turned to Aether, so he missed the moment when Aether reached up and took off his Fatui mask. "And here I was at a loss because of your cold attitude towards me."
"Albedo has never described your appearance to me. I didn't connect any face to the name."
Kaeya's playful smile died away at the mention of Albedo's name and he turned his head to look over his shoulder and down at Aether. His eye widened momentarily when he got a direct look at Aether's face for the first time, despite that it was painted in his hood's shadows. Gold met blue and left Kaeya breathless in a sudden vortex of emotions.
"You … What?" Kaeya shook his head lightly as if in a daze. He'd known that the Fatui agent sneaking around Mondstadt was suspicious, but he wouldn't have guessed this turn of events even in his wildest dreams.
Was this who Kaeya thought it was? The resemblance was uncanny.
"Albedo is going to look for you. You should go meet him. He went to the Knights of Favonius' headquarters." Aether returned the Fatui mask to his face, leaving enough time for Kaeya to adjust his facial expressions into something more neutral. "He'll answer your questions. Depending on your answers, I might too, later. But my time's limited. Excuse me, Kaeya Alberich."
Aether wanted to rush past Kaeya, who was staring blankly at him, but Kaeya held him back by extending an arm sideways.
"Wait", Kaeya said, tone changed into something more subdued. When Kaeya turned to look down at Aether, it seemed like he struggled to concentrate between several thoughts. "I was serious about the commotion part. You're being followed by several people. They won't let you go easily."
Without leaving Aether the time to reply, Kaeya made a decision: he reached up to his ear and unfastened the earring that dangled from his earlobe. He extended the blue stone to Aether and waited that he took it.
"Give this to Sister Rosaria if you need help. She owes me."
Aether opened his hand and let Kaeya drop the cold earring into his palm. With another "thank you", this time an earnest one, Aether closed his fingers around the token and finally continued on.
The senses of danger the Abyss had sharpened in Aether hadn't lied to him after all - a reassuring feeling that helped Aether quiet down the worst of his discomfort.
Now he knew: he was being followed.