Episode 21: A Story, Abbreviated


Fall in Mondstadt was always a beautiful sight. The trees were dyed in various shades of orange and red, slowly letting go of their precious leaves, which fluttered away in the cool breeze before returning to the earth to crumble away and return to dust. Winter was clearly on the way, bringing with it a season for huddling close to a fire with the ones you love.

For the man named Diluc Ragnvindr, this was no longer possible. The one he loved most was much too far away to hold in his arms now, and the "replacement" would not cut it any more, as much as he loathed to admit it to himself. Now for him, the coming season only evoked feelings of sadness and longing.

Mondstadt greeted the red-haired man once again, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that he no longer belonged there.


Opening Theme: My First Story - Home


Two men had left Mond, but three now returned. Alongside Kaeya and Diluc was Dainsleif, the man that Diluc still couldn't fully trust. His revelations had been shocking, but a seed of resentment still dwelled in Diluc's heart toward this man. It probably always would.

When the three arrived at the Knights' headquarters, Jean was the first to greet them.

"Diluc, you're back! Where did you go? I couldn't get an answer out of anyone… they just said you were on another mission…"

The first words that she spoke when Diluc entered the Knights' headquarters were painful ones that pricked his heart like thorns.

"Sorry, Jean. A lot of things happened. I'll have to spare you the details for now."

"I see…"

She trailed off when she saw the stranger that followed Diluc inside. Clear concern was written on her face as she studied that man, who looked suspicious at best.

"Who is this man? I haven't seen him before. A friend of yours?"

Diluc glanced over at Dain, who sighed and looked down at his feet.

"Yeah, a friend."

The blond man raised an eyebrow, but didn't add anything to Diluc's statement.

"Ah, so what brings you two here? Oops, you three, looks like," Jean corrected herself as Kaeya stumbled in the door, looking like death warmed over.

"I wanted to warn the Knights that my friend here would be staying in Mond for a while, just to make sure they wouldn't give him any trouble."

"I doubt that would happen anyway," Jean said, smiling kindly.

"Never know. He has an… interesting personality."

Jean kept her smile, seemingly not concerned any longer.

"Well, I'll tell them anyway. By the way, Kaeya, are you feeling alright? You look awful…"

"Oh, perfectly fine! I just haven't had anything to drink since an hour ago, and I'm feeling PARCHED, I tell you!"

"Control yourself, Kaeya. Don't make an ass of yourself in front of our friend," Diluc said, with a hard gaze.

"He's the exact reason I'm like this," Kaeya muttered under his breath.

"Well, now that we've arrived, gentlemen, I believe I'll retire to my room at the inn. Come fetch me when I'm needed."

Dainsleif interrupted the brothers' bickering, delivering his announcement in a monotone, low voice. He then made his early exit, while Kaeya stumbled off to another room in the headquarters. Diluc turned to leave as well, forgetting that Jean was even standing there.

"Wait, Diluc."

"Ah, what's up?" he replied rather shortly.

"What happened while you were gone? Where did you go?"

"I went to Liyue. Had some business to take care of."

The slight waver in Jean's gaze didn't go unnoticed by Diluc.

"I see…"

"Yeah, sorry. I'll tell you the whole story soon, I promise. Right now, I have preparations to make. An old friend is coming back to town."

"Oh, okay," Jean said, looking down. "I won't bother you about it again."

"Don't worry about it, I understand."

"So who's coming back to town? Do I know them?" Jean continued the conversation, despite Diluc shifting towards the door. He turned back to her with a half smile.

"You most certainly do."


Meanwhile, in the library, a rather straight-faced jester had already found who he was looking for.

"I knew you'd be here."

"I'm the librarian, even the most mentally deficient among us could guess that much."

Kaeya threw back his head in mock laughter.

"Perhaps you're right. Care to share more of your immense knowledge with me?"

"How about no. Why're you here, something wrong?"

Kaeya took a seat in a familiar chair, just as he had done many times before.

"I'm worried. Things have gone in a direction I never expected."

"How so?" Lisa said, turning from the shelf for the first time to pay attention to Kaeya.

"Where do I begin?"

Kaeya explained it all, from the meaning of the trip to Liyue, to Diluc's final goodbye, and ended with that astounding meeting with Dainsleif late that night at the inn. Lisa's face slowly lost composure as he went. Finally, he reached the end of his unbelievable tale, and only silence remained for a while.

"I don't even know where to start…"

"Wherever your heart desires," Kaeya replied sarcastically.

"I would say "why are you telling me tall tales", but I don't think you could make up something like this… I just can't believe Diluc managed to meet that girl again. It seems impossible. Does Jean know?"

"Nope."

Lisa held her head in her hands.

"This is going to be disastrous."

"That's not the only disaster. I'm afraid we may not have the time to worry about other people's relationships if my hunch about Dainsleif is correct."

"What do you mean by that?" Lisa said, looking concerned at how serious Kaeya was.

"Just a feeling I have. That man has nothing left to lose. Trust me, I would know about that. He's a loose cannon, and he may have what it takes to do something unthinkable. He desires to go to war with fate itself… and I'm sure they won't take too kindly to that."

"…I see."

"That's all you have to say about it?"

"If things go to shit, I hope you won't betray us. Does that count?" Lisa replied, with no trace of mirth on her face.

In response, Kaeya lowered his head. He didn't speak for many precious seconds, and when he did, it was barely audible.

"I may not even get the chance."


After leaving the Knights' headquarters, Diluc went straight over to Angel's Share. He had to let Charles know the plan. Their important visitors were coming soon, probably within the next few days. When they did arrive, this place would be cordoned off, and used as the grounds for a meeting that seemed to be of utmost importance.

Stepping inside, the place was as lively as ever. Diluc somewhat envied the free-spirited souls who were enjoying themselves without a care in the world. If they knew what was going on now, would they still be able to live like that?

No way.

He knew, because he used to be one of them. Once upon a time, he hadn't questioned a single thing about the world he called home. Now, his mind was full of questions without answers.

As he scanned the room, lost in thought, his eyes fell on a small table for two in the corner.

Back then, when they first became something more than acquaintances, he had been reluctant to show her this side of his life, out of fear that it would hurt her impression of him. After all, bar tending was fairly uncouth compared to her lofty job. That worry seemed so silly to him now, though.

All of a sudden, he found himself wondering what it would have been like to share that table with her. Would she have enjoyed herself in a place like this? Maybe her eyes would have lit up when the delicious food was brought out. They surely would have glittered like the most precious of gems in the presence of the many lanterns fixed on the walls.

He pictured her smile lighting up the room as they laughed and carried on with all his friends, without a care in the world…

"Sigh…"

Diluc buried those thoughts in the back of his mind to indulge another time.

He had a short meeting with Charles, informing him of the high points of their plan, and skipping the unnecessary details, like why this plan was happening. Wrapping it up quickly, Diluc was about to leave when a suspicious-looking, yet familiar blond guest walked into the bar.

"Ah, Diluc. Didn't expect to meet you again so soon."

"Same here, thought you went back to your room."

"I couldn't stay put. Being cooped up in a small room doesn't help me rest easy. Not right now."

Diluc nodded in understanding, before saying his goodbyes for the evening. He didn't intend to stick around Dain any longer than necessary. Nothing good would come of that, surely.

As Diluc pushed his way out the door, Dain looked down with disappointment on his face.

"Guess it'll have to wait," he muttered under his breath.

It was almost dusk when Diluc made it back to his mansion. He had planned to turn in early, since the Traveler could show up any day now. Best to get an early start, in case something unexpected happened. That was his intent, but when he settled into his comfortable bed, he couldn't drift off to sleep at all. His mind was much too busy to allow him any rest.

I'm going to have to tell Jean soon. I can't keep running from this forever. She deserves to know, especially after everything she did for me.

As he tossed and turned uncomfortably, scenes from that nostalgic summer played over and over in his mind, like a bittersweet movie made just to tear him down. That summer had been a miracle in itself; a reclamation of time that should have been forever lost - a relationship that never should have happened.

He knew it was wrong from the start, but at least some small good had come from their sin. He had managed to get back on his feet, and face the future once again. Without Jean, he might not have had the strength to see Keqing off with a smile. He had so much to thank the Acting Grand Master for, but instead, his heart was drifting away at the cruelest possible time, and there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it.

His fist met his pillow in frustration.

On top of all that, he still had even more to worry about: Aether would be here soon. Diluc well understood that something had already started, and Aether was likely a central figure in it. Dain clearly wasn't calling him here for no reason. Diluc thought back to The Traveler's time in Mondstadt. It was fairly peaceful, and he even helped save many lives on that terrible day when Dvalin went amok. He quickly became well-known and trusted there.

What would he do when he found out the truth? Was Dain really going to reveal everything about Paimon's power, and try to turn back time, defying the invincible hands of fate? Or did he have something more sinister in mind?

Diluc sat up in bed, holding his aching head, trying to dispel the worries that gripped his consciousness like a vise.

In the end, he never found sleep until the early hours of the morning.


And so, sooner than expected, the time of the fateful meeting drew near. The Traveler's long, twisting journey had led him to almost every corner of the world of Teyvat, but in the end, he hadn't found what he sought most. Prematurely cut short, his path now led him to the place where it all began.

Aether and Paimon arrived in the land of winds the following day, as the shadows grew longer across the verdant valleys. Before they even arrived in Mond proper, they were quickly met by another blond man, an old acquaintance they hadn't seen in years.

"Greetings, Traveler. I hope you've been well," Dainsleif called out to him, standing atop a rise near the Dawn Winery.

"I wish I could say so, but that journey wasn't very enjoyable. Too much damn snow."

"What's this about, Dain?" Paimon queried.

"You'll see soon enough. For now, let us get to the city."

With many questions on their minds, Aether and Paimon followed Dainsleif towards the sturdy stone walls of Mondstadt. On the way, Dain spoke up again.

"Aether, a lot of things have happened while you were gone. I'm sorry to say it, but… some of the people you knew are no longer with us."

"What? What do you mean?" Aether said, looking deeply concerned.

As Dain explained the Springvale massacre to him, the Traveler's face fell. But the worst was saved for last.

"Also, it saddens me to tell you, but Lady Keqing of Liyue is no longer with us. She passed away recently as a result of a terrible assassination plot."

At this, Aether's eyes flew wide open, and he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Wh-what?! That's… No way!"

He could still remember the time he had spent in Liyue, and that young woman was a constant fixture there. He had spent many hours with her, and had grown rather fond of her blunt, yet kind nature. This disturbing news shocked him to his very core.

"Paimon can't believe this…" she whispered in a broken voice.

Tears filled Aether's eyes as he mourned the loss of his old friend.

"Is this why you called me here?" he finally asked the other blond man after regaining his composure somewhat.

"No, there is something else. But come, we have almost arrived," he gestured as they crossed the bridge into the City of Mondstadt.


Meanwhile, inside Angel's Share, Diluc waited impatiently for the visitor he had been told would arrive that evening. How Dain knew that, he wasn't sure, but now wasn't the time to start questioning him. His record of predictions was flawless up to now, after all.

Plus, Diluc had another problem on his hands.

"Just what are you doing here, anyway?" he said, glaring at the flashy man on the other side of the bar.

"I'm incredibly hurt. After all we've been through together, you wanted to leave me out at the very end?"

"Not particularly."

"Then why are you being so cruel?! My heart is fragile, you know?"

Diluc sighed.

"Just don't act like a drunk fool this time. This meeting is too important for that."

"Relax. Do you really think so little of me?"

Diluc looked at the blue-haired man out of the corner of his eye, then turned around again, fiddling with a glass.

"Your silence is concerning!"

The blue-haired man thought he heard a small snicker from where Diluc stood. Out of view of the redhead, Kaeya gave a small, fond smile, then spoke in a much more serious tone.

"Hey, brother. There's… something I should probably tell you, while I have the chance."

Diluc turned his head towards that mysterious man, his adopted brother. That was the first time he had seriously called him "brother" in years. His eyes showed a mix of concern and questioning as he opened his mouth…

But the creaking of the front door ended the moment prematurely.

In walked Aether and Dainsleif, with Paimon floating behind them.

"We're here. Let us waste no time."

"Hold up, Paimon is starving!"

"For once, I can't disagree with her," Aether said, flashing a small grin.

For some reason, though, his eyes seemed quite red.

"You're in luck then, the food has been prepared for a while, it seems," Kaeya said, pointing behind the counter with his thumb.

The small group took a seat at a table near the middle of the bottom floor, and Diluc brought the plates of food over with practiced skill. Once they were settled, they began to eat in silence.

For a disconcertingly long time, no one spoke at all, not even Paimon. It was as if they could all feel the significance of what was about to take place. The air felt heavy, and no one was willing to kick things off.

Finally, Aether spoke up.

"Diluc, Dain told me about you and Keqing. I'm so sorry. She was a wonderful young woman, and a good friend of mine."

Diluc's gaze wavered at that painful name, and he glared at Dainsleif.

Wonder if he felt the need to tell him that he caused the whole fucking thing…

Diluc managed to swallow his anger, and nodded to Aether in respect.

"Thanks, Traveler. I know her soul is at peace now."

Aether raised an eyebrow, but quickly decided not to question him any further. The room once again became silent, as the group finished up their stressful meal.

"Ahhhh, Paimon feels much better now!"

Of course, she was the one to break the silence. Aether chuckled, then agreed, patting his stomach appreciatively. Diluc smiled at this nostalgic scene, which took him right back to almost half a decade ago. Those peaceful, hopeful days were now long passed.

"It's about time. Let's proceed with the matter at hand."

Dain's face lacked any humor. His sharp, aqua eyes penetrated each one present, driving home the seriousness of the situation.

Diluc nodded.

"Traveler, I requested you for a specific reason. I'm sorry to say this isn't just a friendly reunion. There are many things you must know."

Aether's eyes slightly widened, and he leaned forward onto the table, ears piqued.

"I don't believe I need to remind you of my mission. I'm sure you remember it well."

"Right," Aether nodded.

Dain sighed, sitting back in his chair, as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

"I have always been at war with fate. Ever since that day when we were cursed, I have sought a conclusion to this hideous tale. I believe that ending is now near. No, it may be upon us even as we speak."

"Eh?"

"Wait, don't tell me, we have to fight you now?! Paimon doesn't want to, Dain is our friend!"

"No, I don't think that will be necessary, though that might depend on you, little one."

"Wha-? I'm Paimon, not a kid!"

Dain gave a small, conflicted smile, with distant pain showing in his eyes.

Just like always, she was evading the subject. Despite his best efforts to see through her, he couldn't tell if it was a conscious effort on her part, or if she really didn't know everything yet. Regardless, that uncertainty would soon end.

But as Dain stood at the edge of the cliff, eying the abyss below, he hesitated. If this ended in failure, he wanted at least a sliver of his history to be remembered somehow, somewhere. That young man still didn't know everything, either, and the same went for him.

Maybe it would be fine to delay it just a bit longer. Just a few more minutes in this miraculous, ephemeral, yet never-ending world…

"Sorry, before I continue, there's something I want you all to hear."

"Huh?" Diluc said, confused.

"I'll get to the point soon, I promise. But first, I think it's time you heard the truth, Diluc. And you as well, Kaeya Alberich."

"You mean…?"

"Yes. The reason behind all of this… the fall of Khaenri'ah… and the secret of this world."

Setting his face like a stone, Dainsleif drew closer to the others, his eyes glowing like blue fire.

And his lips began to tell of an olden tale that no other living man still knew.


Ending Theme: FELT - find the light


Next:

Episode 22: The Truth of This World