The next morning, Mieko heard Diluc and Traveler talking about going into a domain. "A domain?" She asked, smiling as she walked over.
"Oh, Mie." Diluc nodded. "Yes, Traveler has been thinking about who to bring."
"I can go. It's been a while since I fought with you. And I'd like to see the Traveler in action." She added.
"Oh? It has been a while." Diluc stated. "Very well. If Mieko is going, I shall as well." He stated.
"Good. And you're too tall, Diluc."
"I've been taller than you since I was 16, Mieko."
"But you're extra tall today." She replied. They went into the domain together, Diluc keeping at Mieko's side and talking to her. "You should talk to Natalie."
"I'll pass."
"Diluc." She didn't push him further, but she worried about him. She glanced over her shoulder at the sky, feeling a bad feeling welling up inside of her. She shook her head, continuing to talk with him and getting the same kinds of responses. This banter continued into the domain, Traveler and Paimon piping in occasionally. While inside the domain though, Mieko had begun feeling strange. She felt more weighted than usual, like she was carrying double her own weight. Diluc checked on her, shaking his head.
"We should get her out of here." He stated. "If this continues too long, she might end up dying."
"I'm fine. I'm sure it's just because I haven't been training enough with Albedo." Mie retorted. "I'm fine." She added, continuing forward. Diluc walked with her, keeping an eye on her. She never dismissed him like that, but instead of arguing with her, he just did his best to be aware of her condition. Upon entering a room, something changed. Mieko turned, eyes widening to see many large forms appearing around them.
"The Abyss Order?" Traveler asked.
"This is definitely them." Diluc stated, a Pyro Abyss Mage appearing in front of Mieko. "Cornering us is a bad idea." He said calmly, Mieko shifting her weapon in hand. "Mie."
"On it." She replied, smiling and spinning, slamming her weapon right into the shield of the Abyss Mage, activating her power as well to quickly dismantle the shield before going after the creature, Traveler aiming for the hilichurls and mitichurls that were coming their way. Mieko silently cursed to herself for not noticing them sooner, and for clearly not hitting as hard as usual. She was just glad that a majority of the enemy were wielding Pyro, so she was still of use. The fight continued for a short while, but then Traveler and Diluc noticed something coming out from a portal right next to Mieko as a Mitichurl began fighting with her.
"Mie, move!" Diluc was mortified as the Abyss Herald ran his weapon right through Mieko's side, the woman having not been able to turn because of her weapon being yanked in the other direction by a Mitichurl. Mieko was ripped off the Abyss Herald's weapon, sent flying across the domain's floor. "Mie!" Traveler managed to catch her, but it was clear she was injured badly. "Get her to the church!" he exclaimed, slamming his claymore into the Mitichurl.
"But the Abyss Herald!"
"Get her out of here!" Diluc stated. "I'll handle this!" Traveler nodded, picking up the injured woman and hurrying to leave the Domain. They ran all the way to the church, leaving her with Barbara. Diluc was capable of handling the Abyss on his own, there were only the Abyss Herald and maybe 2 other monsters left.
"I'm sorry. I need to go find Albedo." Traveler said, hurrying off to find the alchemist. Mieko was hurt badly, Albedo needed to know. But when they turned to the door, there he was. "Albedo…"
"What happened?" He walked past Traveler without looking up at them, kneeling next to Mieko.
"She volunteered herself to go into a Domain with us… We were ambushed by the Abyss. Diluc said he'd handle it, while I got her out." Traveler said.
"I asked you to watch over her, why did you take her into a domain?" Albedo deadpanned.
"You said to keep her busy… We figured a domain would be-" Paimon began, only for Albedo to cut her off.
"Busy? You were well aware she hasn't been well."
"Please, don't fight you two… Mie… I can't stop the bleeding…" Barbara cried. "It isn't working… Is it because of the Abyss?" As she kept trying, the blue haired woman groaned a little.
"Barbara…?" Mieko mumbled, opening her eyes slowly.
"Mie!" When Albedo called her name, she looked up at him blearily.
"Albedo…" She smiled up at him. "I'm… Sorry… I tried to move in time… I guess I didn't train enough… I was so slow…"
"Don't worry about that right now, darling." He said, his voice softening significantly. "Try not to move."
"Where is Diluc? Is he alright?" She asked, clearly sore.
"He was still in the domain." Paimon answered.
"Mm, by himself? What a reckless boy… I'll scold him later." She said, flinching a little as she turned to look at Traveler. "Ah, my wound won't close though, I take it?"
"I'm sorry Mie… I can't…" Barbara sobbed.
"Shhh, don't cry Barbara." She soothed the young woman. She felt Albedo's hand on her head, leaning back to look up at him. Her eyes were so dull, she was clearly fading fast. She didn't even see when Diluc arrived, tattered but otherwise mostly unharmed. She was exhausted, but she kept smiling.
"Mie, you… You promised not to leave me…" Albedo said, his hands shaking just enough to be visible.
"Archons, please, don't take Mie from us." Barbara cried, trying her damndest to heal the woman in front of her.
"Goodness, I don't think you need to call on the Archons for that." Everyone in the room turned to see two women walking in. One in all red with familiar red eyes and blonde hair, the other with hair and eyes just like Albedo.
"Miss Alice?" Diluc asked.
"In a moment, dear. Sorry, this matter is quite pressing." Alice said. The woman next to Alice walked over immediately to Mieko and Albedo.
"Step aside, Deaconess Barbara." The woman said softly, kneeling next to Albedo and placing her hand over the injury. "Alice."
"Yes, Rhine?"
"Stabilize her for me. She's been poisoned by the Abyss for a very long time…"
"Poisoned by the Abyss?" Traveler asked. They realized, what they could do to help. "I can purify her."
"Oh, that would help immensely, Traveler. If you could." Alice chuckled. Traveler knelt down next to Mieko, taking a moment to purify the Abyss energy in the woman, sensing how torn up she was inside, and how frail she was.
"Has anyone around her died very suddenly?" Rhinedottir asked.
"When we were younger, her best friend died suddenly one day." Diluc replied as Alice knelt next to Barbara and did what Rhinedottir requested.
"Collapsed, and unable to be healed?"
"Correct." Diluc narrowed his eyes.
"The poisoning has been slow, but since that happened, it's no wonder she's falling apart now." Rhinedottir shook her head.
"Falling apart?"
"The majority of human bodies without visions cannot tolerate the poison of the Abyss. In those who are susceptible, it can kill them very quickly. Suddenly." She stated. "But in those who are less susceptible, but who are exposed… it can take years to show any real signs."
"Are you saying… That Mie has been suffering this whole time?" Albedo asked.
"It appears that way. She held her own, but she could only tolerate so much. Even her vision couldn't protect her for this long…" Rhinedottir stated.
"It's like… Yuki has been protecting her." Traveler said softly.
"A very intriguing thought, Traveler. Explain." Diluc and Traveler explained what they knew and had seen. While they explained, Albedo leaned over Mieko.
"I love you… Please, don't cry." Mieko said softly to Albedo, the alchemist gripping her hand tight. His chest felt like it was caving in, and he felt something warm dripping down his cheeks. However he didn't make a sound, and he wiped them away quickly, head down to avoid it being noticed.
"I see… 15 years of poison would definitely wear her body down to the point of breaking…" Rhinedottir nodded, turning to Albedo as Alice worked. "Do you wish to save her? No matter the cost?"
"I would give anything, Teacher… Please, don't let her die, not like this…"
"Very well." She nodded. "I am glad, Albedo. That you have finally found someone to experience the joys of life with." She stated, placing her hand back over the wound once Alice was done, pressing her hand against it. Mieko flinched, but Rhinedottir pulled the woman's hand to Albedo's, and that settled her down. "I am sorry, little one… You will be alright soon." She said, a soft glow that Albedo recognized as Alchemy radiating over the injury. Mieko's whole body was soon alight, Albedo holding her hand still and watching to make sure she wasn't in pain. Rhinedottir smiled to herself, finishing her work and removing her hand. "Tomorrow she will be alright." She stated. "For now, she needs to sleep it off…"
"Sleep what off?" Diluc asked.
"... You are close enough to her to be called her friend? Would you treat her any differently, if she was no longer human?"
"No longer… Human?" Paimon asked, concerned.
"No. I would not." Diluc stated.
"I used Alchemy to save her body. I changed her. She is now not human, and thus not susceptible to the poison any longer." She stated, Albedo's eyes widening. "A homunculus… An artificial being… But she has a human soul, as she is still living… All I did was change the casing she is in, to alleviate the strain of being poisoned for so long. Now that I have changed her, she will be stable and on her feet again once she wakes." She stated. "She will need to sleep until she gets accustomed to the new body around her."
"Artificial…?"
"I assume you can keep this quiet, Deaconess Barbara?"
"O-Of course. I would never tell a soul…" She replied, Traveler nodding in agreement.
"Good. All of you must not speak of this to anyone." She stated. "Albedo. We need to talk."
"Barbara, Diluc, Traveler and Paimon, come with me~" Alice cooed, leading them away so that Rhinedottir could talk to Albedo.
"I know you have questions. But I will only answer your questions about her." She stated. "I cannot stay longer than that." Albedo gripped his hand into a fist, but nodded and asked all the questions he could think of. "She will be no different than she was when you saw her last, aside from perhaps being a tad younger looking." She added, smiling a little. "Yes, well. I am far more unwelcome here than you." She added. "Oh, also. Because her body is artificial, it won't age… Of course, you could alter the appearance with Alchemy should you wish it. But otherwise, she will remain the same… As you do." Rhinedottir stated. "Her hair should still grow… Though it is quite long already. You must enjoy playing with it." At his embarrassment, she quirked an eyebrow.
"Teacher, that's not…" His cheeks were pink.
"My apologies." She replied. "Do you love her?" As he nodded, she smiled. "Good. I am glad that I saved her. Until we meet again." She said, heading to leave. "Alice."
"Yes, yes, I'm on my way." She turned to Albedo. "Albedo, dear, if you need anything, I'll be around for a few more days. I'll come and see you at the Knight's Headquarters when she wakes. Probably tomorrow."
((And we're back with some trauma and... a Rhinedottir!? I hope you're all enjoying this story so far. We shall continue in a couple of weeks.
-Wisterian Cheshire))