Episode 9: If This Feeling Could Last Forever


The stillness of the night in Mondstadt was almost all-encompassing. It got so quiet and remote in some areas that it almost seemed like you'd stepped back in time, to an era long before humans walked these lands. Diluc had been away from this scene for a while now, but tonight, he had returned to his old haunts, picking up where he left off. After clearing out a few bandit camps, the time drew near for a more consequential appointment.

Scurrying through the night like it was his home turf, he made his way towards the meeting place he had agreed on. He hoped from the bottom of his heart that this mission would be a success.

At last, he arrived, and noticed a shadowy figure nearby, leaning against a tree.

"Hello, Mona."


Opening Theme: FELT - START


Mona Megistus, a name that carried a sort of majestic feeling in sound alone. The astrologer who had never left Mond, despite intending to stay for only a short while… This was the person Diluc had turned to for help.

"Hello, Diluc. Long time, no see," Mona replied coolly.

"I like your tone already. Please tell me you have something," Diluc immediately cut to the chase.

"Indeed I do. I think I know where she is."

One of the individuals that Diluc had visited in Mond early that morning was her. He had brought a small item from Diona's house, hoping that Mona would be able to find some hint of her location through the art of scrying.

"Incredible. I knew coming to you wasn't a mistake, astrologer," Diluc said in low tones.

"Don't praise me too soon. There's good news and bad. Which would you like to hear first?"

"The good."

"Alright then," said Mona, with a flourish of her hand. "Diona is somewhere in Liyue Harbor."

This news hit Diluc like a punch to the jaw.

"What?! How can that be? I didn't find the slightest trace of her anywhere."

"That brings me to the bad news. I don't know her exact location. The trail was too hard to follow once she got there. It seems someone knew enough to cover their tracks, or they met someone who did in Liyue Harbor."

"I see. So we aren't dealing with grunts any more, is that it?"

"Don't say "we". I want no part of your plans from now on," Mona said with a sigh.

"Yeah, yeah. I know you'd rather stay out of sight. Still, I'm grateful. You've given me a lead when I had none."

"And of course, that won't come for free," Mona said pointedly.

"Right," Diluc said, handing over the amount they had agreed on beforehand.

He started to leave, turning back towards home, but stopped.

"Hey, think you could tell me my future real quick before I go?" Diluc said half-jokingly.

"I can tell you anything you want as long as you're willing to pay. Well, except for… ahhh! You know what I mean!" Mona floundered.

Diluc laughed heartily.

"Got it. I'll come back with a big sack of Mora when I'm ready to know my fate. Until then, farewell Mona."

"Mm. Take care."

Diluc headed back towards home, his secret rendezvous a resounding success. But as he left her line of sight, Mona's face fell. She began muttering to herself, with a dejected voice.

"Please don't ask me about your fate, Diluc. Or anyone else's, for that matter. They all end on the same day… beyond that, it's all dark…"

Mona stared up at the sky, full of constellations that were invariably tied to the fate of countless souls, and sighed.

"If I can no longer see the future, what's going to become of us?"


Diluc returned to the mansion just before 3 a.m., and quickly retired to his room. There was no one awake at this hour, at least no one that would be willing to reveal their presence. The Master changed into his bed clothes, then slipped into the sheets of his luxurious bed. Before long he had fallen into a deep sleep.

And within its tranquil embrace, he dreamed a dream.

The first thing he was conscious of was blackness. An unending, ceaseless void that surrounded everything absolutely. At first, he wasn't sure if he even existed, but soon he knew without a doubt that he did.

Not only him, but innumerable others.

Surrounding him, as far as the eye could see, were countless human-like forms. They didn't appear exactly "normal", but nevertheless he recognized them. And among them were countless familiar faces, and even more unfamiliar ones.

In his vicinity, he saw Kaeya, Jean, Lisa, Keqing, Ganyu, Ningguang, even the man he had met at Wanmin that day… No, even counting the ones he recognized would be folly. There were simply too many. But one person standing nearby caused him to do a double-take of disbelief.

It was his father, Crepus Ragnvindr. He stood amongst a group of Knights, some of whom Diluc recognized from his childhood.

"This is… This isn't possible," he muttered, astounded by the sheer impossibility of what he was witnessing.

This no longer felt like it was even a dream. The crisp realness of everything was mind-bending. He studied every person's face, replicated in immaculate detail… It felt more real than even reality itself.

Just as he started to descend into panic, a strangely-nostalgic voice, filled with kindness, spoke to him.

"Fear not, stranger."

At that moment, Diluc jerked awake as if he'd been shot. He was covered in sweat, breathing heavily as his heart raced out of control. He took a few minutes to gather himself, replaying what he had just seen over and over in his mind.

"What the hell was that?!" he whispered to himself, almost as if to confirm he was still real.

He looked down at his hands, which were shaking. It had been a long, long time since a dream had bothered him in the slightest. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time.

He cursed under his breath, letting his head hit the pillow once again. He tried to go back to sleep, but for several hours, he failed. The image of what he saw, and those final words… they wouldn't leave his mind until the very end.


The next morning, a sleep-deprived Diluc greeted a familiar group at the front door of the mansion. Their plan for this day was to make a trip to a secluded hot spring near the base of Dragonspine, and fully enjoy themselves there. This trip would mark the final day of the Liyue girls' stay in Mondstadt. It would be an awkwardly-composed group of six: Diluc, Kaeya, Jean, Lisa, Keqing, and Ganyu.

But first, they had to finish their preparations, and that included waiting on the two women upstairs. Jean had brought a basket lunch for them to enjoy once they got to the hot springs, a meal that promised to be delicious.

After a short while, Ganyu and Keqing appeared at the top of the stairs. Keqing was wearing the pretty blue dress she had bought the day before, and Ganyu was wearing a white one that Keqing had secretly purchased while Ganyu wasn't looking. The two were pretty enough to paint.

Diluc smiled in awe of his lover as she descended the stairs with all the grace of a princess. Keqing smiled back, her face exhibiting affection that anyone present could clearly pick up on.

"Now that we have everyone, are we all ready?" Kaeya spoke up.

Everyone agreed, and the group set off for their destination.

As the crow flew, the spot wasn't too far from Dawn Winery. It was across the river, atop the ridge that lined the other side, separating Liyue from Mondstadt. However, getting there required a bit of work. First, the group had to take the back road to Springvale, stopping before they got there to ascend a rather steep incline to the south. Next, they had to wrap around the base of the mountain, following the stream that skirted it. They would then have to cross a rickety bridge near the waterfall that fed the river at Dawn Winery. After that, the spring was only a stone's throw away, down the slope and around a corner, nestled in a small hanging valley.

The group took their time, enjoying the beautiful spring weather that the gods had graced them with on this day. Their conversation was limited to descriptions of their surroundings and remarks about the weather.

After a little over an hour, their scenic hike came to an end, as they saw the steam of the hot springs rising. But that wasn't all they saw.

As they rounded the corner of the mountain's base, they were graced with an astounding view of Liyue, in all its glory. Everything was visible, from the majestic Wangshu Inn, to the distant mountains where mere mortals dared not tread. Even the peaks of Inazuma were visible in the far distance, beyond the silver shores.

Keqing's eyes sparkled as she took in the view. She had seen every side of Liyue, or so she thought. This was something new to even her.

"This view was worth the trip alone," Diluc said, taking in the vista.

"Indeed. So much so, it almost erases that cliché you just spewed," Kaeya said with a chuckle.

Diluc closed his eyes, repeating his mantras for a calm mind.

Lisa spoke up, mercifully guiding everyone forward.

"Let's set up the picnic, then once we eat we can soak for a while, sound good?"

A chorus of agreements greeted her.

Jean carefully set up the picnic blanket, placing the basket to the side. She took out the various eats that she had cooked with Lisa's help, laying them out like a smorgasbord in the middle of the blanket.

Soon, everyone was gathered around, happily sharing their meal. A smile was on each face, and the awkwardness from a few nights before was completely gone. The delicious food filled their stomachs, tasting so much better after their strenuous hike.

"These hash browns are delicious! I want the recipe!" Keqing said with gusto.

"Ah, I can get it to you before tomorrow," Jean said kindly.

Diluc sat back and watched the scene before him. He was amazed at Jean's resilience - her ability to show kindness to others. Even though he had most certainly hurt her, and Keqing was part of the reason for that, she showed her no malice.

Finished with his meal, he fell back on to the thick grass, his hands behind his head. In this posture, he closed his eyes, and felt the breeze rustle his bangs. In that moment, he felt a feeling that was so unfamiliar it almost hurt: true peace.

Just as he began to drift off to sleep, he felt a gentle hand touch his forehead. Looking up, he saw two shining amethyst jewels gazing down at him.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," she whispered tenderly. "We're about to get in the hot spring."

"Ah, sorry," he said, rousing himself. "I don't want to miss that," he continued with a joking leer.

"We'll all be wearing towels, so too bad for you," Keqing said teasingly, sticking her tongue out at him.

Diluc almost started to wax philosophical about how he had already seen much more of her than that, so he was the real winner here… but he wasn't sleepy enough to make that big of a mistake.

With that, the group separated into two, with the women going behind a nearby rock face, and the men staying behind. They changed out of their clothes, donning towels that Lisa had packed for everyone. To no one's surprise, the men finished first, and headed in.

"Ouch, hot!" Kaeya shouted, leaping back and shaking his foot like a madman.

Diluc glared at him, then stepped in himself. The water was hot, but not overly so. He allowed his body to grow accustomed to it bit by bit, until he was almost fully submerged. Kaeya followed, clicking his tongue.

A short while later, four beautiful, towel-clad women appeared from around the corner of the rock face. Each one wore wildly different expressions on their face. Lisa looked calm as a cucumber, clearly used to this sort of thing. Keqing's face was slightly flushed, but she was holding it together surprisingly well. Jean was looking down, clearly embarrassed. And Ganyu was red as a beet, frantically looking around for a way out. It seemed that half-qilin were the weakest of all to lewdness.

"Well, what do you men think?" Lisa said seductively, causing further embarrassment for the other girls.

"As beautiful as a spring blossom, all of you," Kaeya said in his best smooth voice.

"I think you should all hurry up and get in before someone has a heart attack," Diluc said dryly, feigning indifference.

And get in they did. The women joined the men in the shallow pool, spreading out until everyone felt more comfortable with the co-ed bathing situation.

Sitting in the hot spring, with a perfect view before them, it would have been impossible not to enjoy this.

"I can't believe Mondstadt has places like this," Keqing mused. "It's truly beautiful."

"This land has many secrets. It is a mysterious place…" Jean said, with an air of reverence.

"I've seen many years go by, but this country has kept its character all this time," Ganyu said, speaking softly, from the heart.

"I wonder if it will still be standing strong long after we're all gone?" Jean spoke up again.

No one had an answer for her as they all imagined the future in their own way. Diluc's thoughts drifted to the meaning of his existence here, even though he was just a small ant compared to the endless stream of time. Suddenly, he felt very small. It wasn't a bad feeling, either. He felt that no matter what the future held for him, it would merely be another tiny speed bump on the path to eternity. It was a freeing feeling.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted his deep thoughts.

"Heh, I know this will sound silly…" Jean spoke with a small laugh. "I know it's impossible, but I can't help but wonder, what if we could stay like this forever? What kind of world would that be?"

A hush fell on the group as they contemplated the true depth and meaning of Jean's words.

Diluc was the first to answer her.

"I don't know, Jean. But I do know this: that's a world we should all wish for."

He had settled on that somewhat cliché answer, but in his mind, he weighed the possibilities of such a world, and in the end, felt that such a fragile thing could never exist. After all, life was a never-ending tightrope walk, tottering between suffering and joy. Without one, could the other even have any meaning? He didn't know. But that ideal image of a peaceful, kind world that lasted forever… a world where everyone he loved was there, living together in harmony… A world where days like today happened every day… That illusory, nonexistent memory would forever remain burned into his mind.


Hours later, the group made their way back down the mountain, chasing the distant sun as it fell lower and lower. Feelings of fulfillment and sadness existed simultaneously inside Diluc's heart as he watched it make its exit.

Their day had been one to remember, and no one seemed willing to let go of the lingering atmosphere, holding on tight to the last moments before it would inevitably slip away.

As they reached their twilit crossroads, the group was split down the middle, each heading for their own destinations. Diluc spoke, breaking the comfortable silence, and marking the end of their brief fellowship.

"Guess this is goodbye for a while," he said. "Thanks for everything, my friends."

"Thank you so much," Keqing joined in.

Diluc didn't miss the slightly pained expression that flashed across Jean's face for the shortest time.

She spoke up softly.

"Goodbye, you three. Safe travels."

Jean's eyes belied that she wanted to say more, but right now, in this moment, there was simply nothing more that could be said.

Lisa and Kaeya threw in their parting words as well, and with a nod, the blue-haired man turned around, leading the other two behind him.

The groups went their separate ways, not knowing how long it would be before they would see one another again. Only one thing was certain: they would never feel exactly the same feeling they felt today. Not ever again.


Late that night, long after most had already gone to bed, a certain purple-haired young woman snuck down the hallway of the mansion at Dawn Winery. Her destination? The bedroom of its Master.

Knocking on the door softly, she entered without hearing an answer, to find Diluc quietly reading a book by candlelight. He looked up, surprised by her entry.

"Oh? Missed me that much, huh?"

"Idiot. Of course I did. I've been wanting to come to your room the whole time we've been here…" she pouted.

Diluc smiled wryly at the troublesome girl before him.

"You should really be more honest with yourself."

"That's what I'm doing right now." she said, looking down at her bare feet.

"…Touche."

Waiting no longer, Keqing shuffled over to Diluc's enormous bed, her night clothes rustling in the quiet room. Diluc lifted the covers, and she happily jumped under them, innocently snuggling up to him like a cat.

The two made their bodies as close as possible, thriving on the warmth that surrounded them. Then, Keqing asked a question.

"Hey, Diluc."

"Hm?"

"What is Jean to you?"

Diluc was surprised it took her this long to ask that disagreeable question. She must have been holding it in the whole time.

"It's hard to say. I deeply respect her, going all the way back to my time in the Knights. That's a story for a different day, though. I think my feelings only amount to that, in the end. Respect and friendship."

"I see…" she whispered, looking reassured.

Then she continued.

"But what are you to her…"

"I can't read minds, so I'm not sure. But quite honestly, I feel like her feelings go beyond mine."

"I knew it," she muttered. "Why are you so honest?" she continued, with a sad look on her face.

"I simply believe that you deserve to know the truth."

She looked at him with upturned eyes, finally showing a conflicted smile.

"Did you get that out of a book? Geez, how do you manage to say the right things every time?" she said, lightly thumping her fists on his chest as she sulked happily.

"I'm not sure, perhaps it's because you're such a masochist that anything would sound good?" he replied with a playful smirk.

"…Maybe," she replied, then kissed him.

Diluc wrapped her up in his strong, protective arms. When they stopped to take a breath, Diluc whispered in her ear.

"I'll take care of everything tonight."

Their bodies entangled, the two consummated their feelings time and again, falling into the sweet depravity of unfettered love.


Ending Theme: FELT - you


Next:

Episode 10: Somewhere, Those Wings Still Flutter


A/N:

Writing interactions with these characters has been so fun.

I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. One more episode until Arc 1 of 3 is finished.

Feel free to review, and I appreciate the kind words so far.

Stay tuned…

-Mr. Standoffish Man