Episode 12: Stumbling in the Dark


The night fell on a restless city. With most of the initial shock of grief having worn off, a feeling of wrongness lingered like smoke in an empty bar. The horrible truth of reality was beginning to set in: one of Liyue's most beloved leaders was gone forever. And the burning anger from before was replaced by an uncanny clamminess that seemed to hang in the air, clinging to everything.

It was going to be a terrible night.


Opening Theme: Breaking Benjamin - Angels Fall (Aurora Version)


Diluc left that mourning city behind, trudging through the wilds towards Dunyu Ruins. Not a trace of mercy remained in his empty heart. He would find his enemies, and he would end their lives. Nothing more, nothing less. His personal feelings – including his burning guilt over striking Jean earlier – were irrelevant now. This mission would be accomplished no matter what, even if those ruins became his grave.

Crickets chirped in the darkness. Diluc journeyed through the night, traversing rocky cliffs and small streams, drawing ever closer to the ruins. Finally, they were in sight.

As he got within earshot of the crumbling structure, he noticed something. It was quiet. Too quiet.

What's going on here? Where are they?

Diluc advanced forward, all of his senses strained to their maximum. He scanned for any sign of movement, or even the slightest sound.

Nothing.

Peeking his head inside the crumbling doorway of the ruins, he scanned the darkened interior. There was no one there at all. A sinking feeling started to creep up on him, as he considered a disgusting possibility.

Did that bastard lie to me about this too?

Anger rose in his chest. He checked every corner of the ruins, but no one was there. The only sign of activity was a slightly-warm fire pit, with a few tiny coals still glowing. Other than that, the area was completely barren.

Damn it!

Diluc's chest burned with frustration. He had built up his rage for this moment, and now he had no outlet for it. His fist slammed the rock wall in disgust.

He lied? No, he had no reason to lie. So they cleared out already? Fucking hell, what can I do now?

With no clear clues as to what to do next, Diluc climbed to the tallest point of the ruins, overlooking the peaceful locale. From that viewpoint, he could see the entire surrounding area, wrapped in the blanket of a spring night. The only sound that could be heard was that of insects and frogs, as they happily enjoyed the night. How he envied that ability of theirs.

He had finally reached his wit's end. The blind rage that had fueled him for the past 24 hours was dwindling, as his rational mind slowly came back to him.

He sat down with a deep sigh. The stars were twinkling above, a million miles above the pain in his heart. Images of her face flashed in his mind, one after the other, like pictures from a book that he couldn't forget.

That night, for the first time since her death, he allowed himself the time to begin processing it.

To a man like him, Keqing had been a miracle. His life had been far from rose-tinted, and there were still so many things from the past that weighed upon his heart. Their unlikely relationship had helped him to heal in ways he hadn't even realized… not until she was gone. Now, the void inside him was seemingly endless. It felt like he could fall into it forever, and still not find a bottom.

His heart longed for her more than anything else.

"I miss you so much, Keqing. Why…? Why did this have to happen? Which god decided this…?"

He began speaking to the quiet night air. The millions of lights above him reminded him of that beautiful night he had spent with her, and his eyes burned.

His hand went to the breast pocket of his jacket, where he still kept the cheap amethyst necklace that had reminded him of her. He pulled it out, letting it reflect the light of the stars above, just like her eyes had. As he gazed at it, he noticed something strange.

The amethyst was chipped. A tiny shard was missing from the once-whole gem.

"Ah…"

Grief can hit people in unusual ways, at unexpected times. In that moment, when he saw that broken little amethyst dangling there, his heart was completely crushed. His body was wracked with sobs, and he mourned from the very bottom of his heart.

He cried and cried, until his eyes would no longer produce tears. His body buzzed with pain, which mixed with the relief that only weeping can bring. Finally, he caught his breath and regained his composure enough to speak again.

"Hey, will you hear me out? There's a lot I never got to tell you, Keqing."

Leaning back against the rock wall, he began to pour his heart out to the girl who would never again hear his voice.

"To be honest, I really didn't like you at first. You were such a stickler for rules. Too damn uptight and proud, too."

A fond, wistful grin spread across his face.

"But you were gorgeous from the very start. I never thought you'd grow on me so much. But when I heard you, too, had lost your father… I felt like I had found a kindred spirit, in a way. Haha. Pathetic, huh? This is the side of me you never got to see… The weak man who can't forgive himself."

His mind drifted over the various memories he had accumulated in his all-too-short time with her, moments that were as precious to him as life itself.

"I love you so much. It isn't like me to talk about my feelings, so I never told you as much as I should have. Truth is, I hoped you'd become my wife one day… that was my greatest desire."

Diluc stood, brushing the dirt off his trousers.

"I guess that's enough for now. I should let you sleep, huh? Good night, Keqing."

Tears still blurred the red-haired man's vision as he made his way down the stairs to the bottom of the ruins. His mission had failed, yet paradoxically, his raging heart felt the slightest bit of relief.


That same night, miles away in Mondstadt, a weary traveler was returning home, with nothing to show for her efforts. With drooping shoulders, Jean slowly pushed open the doors of the Knights' headquarters.

"Ah, Jean, welcome ba- wait, where's your partner?" Kaeya queried, looking confused.

He had been expecting Diluc to return with her. That was the plan, after the government of Liyue had reached out to the Knights with that urgent request. He didn't have all the details, but he knew something must have gone terribly wrong.

"He won't be coming," she said, looking down at the floor.

She was on the verge of tears already, even though she had told herself so many times not to cry in front of anyone.

"Jean, what happened? Just what is going on here?"

"Kaeya… something awful happened… God, I don't even want to say it… Lady Keqing passed away. She was assassinated…"

"…What…?" Kaeya replied, his face twisting in abject shock.

"She was killed… and now Diluc has killed people again…"

"Wait, slow down! What did he do?!"

"He… slaughtered some people from Snezhnaya, and said he wouldn't stop until he avenged Keqing's death. That's why Ningguang called me to get him. So… I tried to stop him, I really did… but he… he hit me… then left…"

His mouth hung open in shock for several seconds as Jean dropped those unbelievable words on him. He just couldn't fathom the absurd things she had told him in such a short time. After a few seconds of contemplation, his eyebrows furrowed in anger.

"That bastard. What the hell is he thinking?!"

"I don't know!"

While Kaeya raged, Jean started crying. The tears she had held in began falling like rain, leaving Kaeya watching in discomfort. He started to raise a hand to comfort her, but drew it back. All he could do in the end was offer a few short words.

"Jean, I'll get to the bottom of this. I swear it."


Diluc made a solemn trek back towards Liyue Harbor. The countryside of Liyue was beginning to get tiresome. He was losing track of how many times he had traipsed around these wilds, desperately grasping for leads, with nothing to show for it. It left a foul taste in his mouth.

Not only that, he sensed that someone was following him.

After taking his frustrations out on a group of water slimes near a small stream, he was almost back to civilization. It seemed like he might live past tonight, after all.

He drew nearer to town, approaching that terrible place where Keqing had breathed her last. That barren, uninviting ruin was the last thing her eyes ever saw. Diluc couldn't help but wonder what her last moments were like. Was she lonely? Did she cry the moment she realized her life was at an end? Was there any place in her heart for him in that final moment? These thoughts tormented him like nails being driven through his heart.

But as he passed by that forlorn place, a strange, familiar voice from behind stopped him in his tracks.

"The one you seek is closer than you know."

Diluc whirled around in an instant. Standing there on the path behind him was a man dressed in black. His blond hair fluttered in the light breeze, and his cyan eyes almost seemed to glow in the darkness.

"Dainsleif."

"Why state the obvious?" he replied in a monotone.

What an irritating person he is.

"What do you want? I'm not really in the mood for a chat," Diluc grumbled, almost leaving right then.

"Think about what I said."

"Who were you even talking about?"

"I believe you already know that," he replied, his face never changing.

"…The ones who killed Keqing? You know where they are?!"

Dainsleif smirked and nodded, as if applauding Diluc. His all-knowing attitude annoyed the red-haired man to no end.

Diluc closed in on him, until he was only a foot away from his face.

"Tell me. Hurry!"

"No need to get pushy, I was planning to do so from the very start."

Diluc glared at the blond man. Again, he was offering a lead when there was none. That familiar feeling of unease crept up on Diluc once again. Who exactly was this man, anyway?

"The culprit has been hiding under your nose this entire time. Even now, he is staying at a room in the inn in Liyue Harbor, with his little brother."

"What?! That's… not possible! Don't fuck with me!"

"Oh, but it is. If you wish, please try to prove me wrong."

"Wha… Who the hell are you, anyway?! Why do you know this?!"

"I believe I already told you that. I'm just a wanderer that notices things that others don't."

Diluc didn't know what to say. That strange man had become intricately interwoven in the events of the last month, and he didn't know why. He knew far too much to be anyone reputable. Yet, his last advice had been spot on. Without him, the trail would have disappeared long ago. So, what other choice was there but to take him at his word again?

There was none.

"Oh, but he isn't there right now. Wait for him at dawn, the day after tomorrow. Otherwise, you may not be able to ever find his room."

"Look, I appreciate your attention to detail, but how do you know all this? Seriously."

Dainsleif lowered his gaze from the stars above, leveling it with Diluc's. His voice dropped to a lower, more serious tone.

"One day, you might again learn the truth… The secret of this world. Until that day, I cannot answer you, my old friend. Now, best of luck."

The enigmatic man turned, his cape flapping as he did. He walked away, disappearing behind a nearby boulder. Diluc followed him almost immediately, but when he rounded the corner of the boulder, to his astonishment, the man was no longer in sight.

'Secret of this world'? What is he trying to tell me? And… what's this disgusting feeling…?

Diluc was left confused. He didn't understand anything anymore, but he was incredibly uneasy. It felt like things were going in a direction that didn't even make sense, but something nagged at him, something that wasn't explainable. Creeping up his spine, he felt an unnerving feeling of déjà vu.

That night, back at the inn, he tried to force himself to sleep. However, the mattress might as well have been lined with thorns. That bed held too many memories that just wouldn't stop haunting him. Her slim body, outlined in the moonlight as they made love… he could still see it, just as clearly as back then. He longed for her touch, but she was always slightly out of reach of his outstretched fingers. Like a ghost, she never left his side, not until the first colors of dawn painted the black sky.


Ending Theme: FELT - Bouquet


Next:

Episode 13: And Yet, Time Marches On