lawly

by footfungus

lawly

29. Chapter 29

He stares up at the ivory white moon, its dusty glow illuminating the night sky. He watched as it grew further and further from himself. He flailed his arms, the cold water making every motion feel achingly slow as he struggled to be released from the monster that latched onto him.

He couldn't hold his breath for much long, movements slowing down as he attempts to hold it in for just a little longer. It wouldn't matter what he did, he wasn't getting out of this, he knew that now.

So, the pyroslinger lets go. His last breath bubbling to the surface as water filled his lungs. As his body hitched and jerked in response, he could almost feel the creature hold him closer. It wasn't intended to immobilize like it did initially, it felt more like an embrace. He leans into the creature's hold as his vision starts to blur.

Within a few minutes, his corpse would be found floating down the ice ridden waters near the campsite he was assigned to. The rest of his company were strewn around the camp, blood splattered here and there as their bodies laid lifeless in the snow.

A figure emerges from the watery depths, it shakes off some of the cold water. Its wings and fur quivered as the droplets fell to the ground. Sauntering over the snow, the being visits each of the bodies scattered around. Talons would ghost over their necks as it inspects each one.

Satisfied, it makes its way upon a nearby tree. Quivering its tails, creating a rattling, rustling sound, it lets out a long shrill call. Those who heard its call trembled, knowing full well what it meant.

The Blizzard had swept through yet another camp.

Jean was no stranger to rumors. Being in a city of freedom also included freedom of speech, which itself includes the gossip among citizens. There's always a whisper about something, someone, an event or things that never actually happened. Some more outrageous than others.

" That's what makes it all the more fun!"

She recalls Kaeya's words. The man had always kept an ear out for any sort of info he could gather, one of his many ominous sources for investigations. Word of mouth can travel far, sometimes as fast as the very wind. She scoffs to herself, perhaps this was what Venti meant when his people and the wind are one and the same.

A knock on the door brings her back to the present. " Come in."

" Hiya!" Venti greeted her, closing the door behind him.

" I hope you're here for good reason." She says with a warning tone.

" Ah, still burning midnight oil? Careful, one shouldn't be burning the candle on both ends. I came not to toil." He says, taking his seat in the office right across her desk. " The winds have whispered its tales, one should pay close attention to the gales."

The Acting Grandmaster was close to kicking him out when she put her pen down and realized, Lord Barbatos had rhymed. It isn't a secret that he does so frequently when he speaks, keeping the barest airs of an ancient being that clings to him like the shadows of his cape. He'd stopped recently, it'd been three weeks since he's spoken without a single rhyme outside of the songs he performed.

Three weeks since Kaeya had gone missing without so much as a single note or trace.

Herself, Diluc and Venti were at her private office where they were discussing the Traveller's recent activities in Sumeru when it happened. When the knight came in, looking panicked with Klee crying in his arms, they weren't sure what they were expecting to hear. They got there as fast as they could but by then the hilichurl camp he had last reported to have fought was covered in ice, enemies frozen in offensive positions and Kaeya was nowhere to be found. They searched his home where he was supposed to meet up with Klee and let her spend the night as he did every weekend but the entire place was completely trashed.

They found claw marks, long and jagged, cutting deep into the walls and floorboards. Broken glass that was once a vase full of flowers he collected with the youths of Mondstadt just the other day. There wasn't a speck of blood but the whole room was covered in a thin layer of delicate frost that kept the building cool. Jean still remembers how the frost crumbles with every step they took, as though they were breaking the room itself. Venti stood just outside the building as they worked, the wind howling around him. There was this haunted look in his eyes, an expression of anguish appearing ever so briefly before he reapplies his mask of a bard.

" I think we should rest for the day." He told them, causing Diluc to grow enraged. " Master Diluc," The bard said, tone much more firm than usual. " I really do think we should take a break. You're free to continue afterwards. Please." There was not a single rhyme in his sentence and he hasn't rhymed since.

Until today.

" Venti -" Another set of knocks on the door cuts her off.

" Right on time." The bard grinned.

" Come in." Huffman opened the door cautiously, looking into the office with a serious expression.

" Ma'am, those diplomats from Snezhnaya are demanding to see you." He informs her.

" What for? Hadn't we already discussed our trades already?" Jean sighed, glancing to where Venti had been sitting to find that the bard had vanished.

" They're very adamant on seeing you ma'am. Apparently it's urgent." She narrows her eyes at the request but reluctantly agrees to meet with them anyways.

Standing in the middle of the bloody scene, Jean didn't expect those diplomats to have been telling the truth. She honestly thought the carnage they described would be a mere exaggeration but it was clearly not the case. With her was one of the Fatui agents that had sworn against attacking her and the knights. " I swear I'm retiring after this." The skirmisher said.

" Not a bad thing to consider." Diluc says with an irritated scowl. He uses any opportunity he can to explore Dragonspine, even though he's supposed to be on bed rest due to collapsing fron exhaustion the week prior. " Do you have anything on this monster of yours?" He asked mockingly.

" Nothing concrete." The agent sighed. " Anyone who's seen it never made it out alive." Diluc looked like he wanted to thank the monster. " We call it The Blizzard. Because wherever it went, it sweeps through the place in one drove and the corpses would be covered in snow by the time we found them." He says.

" And you're certain it isn't just the Abyss Order? Cryo abyss mages?" Jean asked, small hints of sarcasm in her voice.

" The abyss aren't the brightest monsters, I'm sure you know. This is something else. It knows exactly where to hit us and we aren't some run of the mill goons, you know." Diluc leans down to where the cryogunner was laid out, the cables that connected the cryo canon to its tanks were cut. The jagged line seemed to indicate it wasn't exactly cut with a weapon. Most of the wounds the body suffered were aimed at weak points, the joints and organs. The killing blow on this one had been a ripped artery.

The electrohammer vanguard suffered the worst wounds, neck nearly completely torn out and the deep wounds on his side must've weakened him. The last body was the most intact out of all of them, the pyroslinger had a broken arm and was drowned.

" The lucky ones end up like that." The agent said. " I can only guess that the worse the injury inflicted, the harder they'd fought."

" And this only happens to your troops?" Jean asked.

" As far as I've heard." He nods. " Though I wouldn't discount any of your men out of danger just yet. These attacks began around two and a half weeks ago and they haven't stopped. It's only a matter of time before it becomes your problem too."

" You do realise that if we agree to take this case, your Fatui will no longer be allowed to set foot anywhere in Mondstadt under any circumstances." The grandmaster reminded him.

" We're aware and we've consulted our motherland. We've already gotten the gnosis anyways, so it's not really a loss for us." The agent admitted, leaning down to close the dead man's eyes. " It would make this sound every night, it's loud, haunting. I'm sure some of your locals at least heard it faintly enough. Every time it does, we know someone's died. We've tried getting to them as fast as we could but we never make it quick enough. It's like it's announcing the deaths. It wants us to find the bodies." He notes with a somber hiss before standing up. " So?"

" We'll take the case." Diluc says. " Only because it'll get rid of your kind from our borders."

" Whatever." The agent scoffs. " The Blizzard is your problem now."

Chapter 2

Chapter Text

The camps were being evacuated in stages. Some of the Fatui agents were relieved to finally be able to leave the forsaken snowy barrens, others were a touch bitter that they have to leave because of one monster. It wasn't a mere monster, considering how it completely decapitated a few higher agents stationed on the mountain but it still felt rather embarrassing. Not even the cicin mages could properly figure out what it was.

As promised, the Fatui shared whatever information they could with the city of Mondstadt. There were theories that perhaps it was some new monster from the Abyss. Something worse than rift wolves and abyss mages.

Diluc patrolled the outskirts of Dragonspine, noting how much emptier it felt now that the Fatui have finally left. The other knights never travelled alone, reports had stated that monster preferred to pick off its prey one by one. They were still a few camps that had been marked out as inhabited by those of the Abyss order, most of which had been scouted out by Kaeya before he abruptly went missing.

Jean said she'd be looking for Venti for the night, believing that he's withholding important information. Eula was guarding Mondstat's exterior while Rosaria took over his vigilante escapades for the night. Over in the distance, he hears the wolves howling from their territory in Wolvendom. He sighs, it most likely meant that Razor was awake on a late night hunt. He should really have a word with him on getting some proper sleep.

He doesn't notice when the howls faded away, neither was he close enough to hear them growl threateningly at an intruder in their words.

Razor stayed silent, his pack gathered behind him growling and whimpering. Claymore in hand, he stayed in a defensive position to protect his lupical. His eyes never left the creature that stood before him. The being's tall form casted a shadow in the moonlight's glow, tufts of fluffy fur could be seen lacing around its neck and back, a long curved cape-like appendage seemed to hang behind it like a pair of wings and the long flat tails seemed to spread out on the ground. What seemed to be long blue hair reached its hips, mixed with plumes of long feathers that seem to stick out at the ends.

Like all creatures of the abyss, it wore a mask. One that was decorated in blue paint instead of red and the white looked more pristine like polished porcelain, with a crack that forms a crooked line over its right eye. Its eyes seemed to glow differently, the left gleamed blue while the other glittered like gold. Its arms and legs seemed to wrapped in silver vine like armour, the talons it had were laces with ice. It stared back at Razor but doesn't seem to be looking into his eyes, which meant it probably wasn't looking for a fight. It didn't smell...evil, so to speak.

A whimper alerted its attention to cryo abyss mage it knocked down. Trapped underneath the creature's talons, the injured abyss mage struggled under its grasp. The tufts around the being's neck were raised, its tail rattles together and making a loud rustling sound. Behind it, the cape it seemed to wear expanded into wide and strong wings. It's hungry gaze bore into prey and a shrill cry, the creature drags its prey into the sky, causing the abyss mage to shriek in pain.

Razor watched in baited breath as the creature disappeared into the night, relaxing once he knew it was gone. He lets his claymore return to its holding space and decides to investigate the grounds where the creature stood. The smell it gave off was definitely close to the abyss but very different. Amidst the darkness, he sees something gleaming against the moonlight and finds a very peculiar feather. It was long and soft, the very tip had a white teardrop shape among the deep blue. He guesses it probably belonged to the feathers in its hair.

" Weird." He mutters, his lupical sitting around him and waiting patiently for him to finish. He sniffs the feather, trying to really figure out if the being was from the terrible abyss when another scent caught him off guard. " No..." He mutters, sniffing again and shaking his head.

It'd been weeks since he last caught the scent but it's unmistakable. One of the wolves nudged him, whining in concern. He shook his head before nuzzling his lupical to assure them that he was alright. He wasn't sure about it but he knew that he should at least take the feather to Andrius, surely the spirit would know for certain wether the monster has seen Kaeya or if the monster itself was Kaeya.

He hoped it wasn't either.

Diluc looked to where the shrill cry had come from, a shadow flashed over the night sky before disappearing from view. " Good evening, Master Diluc!" He nearly swung his claymore at the bard at the sudden intrusion.

" Damnit, Venti. Don't do that." He sighed, putting his claymore away. " You do know that Jean is looking for you?"

" Perhaps." He replies simply, eyes now fixed on the sky. " The wind whispers of hope. Tomorrow, head to Andrius' abode."

" What?" He could only gape as Venti disappeared once again. " Did the fucker just rhyme?" A playful laugh echoed through the howling wind, one filled relief and grief at the same time. What an odd sound, he thought.

Somewhere not too far, a masked being thinks the same as its prey struggled weakly in its clutches. Somehow, the wind blowing in its direction felt warmer than usual. Like a phantom limb cupping its face gently. Its feathers rustled lightly at the foreign feeling, fur fluffed up as it leans back from the wind's touch.

It gave a displeased rattle, curious but bothered. Not sure whatever the 'gesture' was but shows that it didn't like it. For now at least.

It didn't take long for its prey to stop moving. The Blizzard watched as its form melted away into dust, crumbling as if whatever held it together could no longer do so. Abyss mages don't bleed, none of those that belong to the abyss do. They were but scattered remains of a charred tree, blackened to ash and barely surviving as burning kindling that would soon die out either way.

Trees cannot grow in ashes. Especially not ones that still had burning embers, pieces still hot to the touch and ready to reignite it's already dying flame. Uncaring if it burned the whole forest with it.

Perhaps it wouldn't have cared much before, but its tree, Mondstadt, was part of the forest. Its beloved dwelling would've been ruined, tainted, sick, only if the corruption continued.

Perhaps, that is why it prefers to hunt those of the Abyss. It thinks.

The Fatui? Ah, that was...personal. So to speak. It didn't like its territory being encroached upon by invaders, like aphids to crops. The monster picks up the dead ley branch which was left behind by the mages, licking its lips smiling beneath its mask. Now this, was one of the few things it truly enjoyed after hunting.

Ley branches were sweet, dead or not, they made it feel warm with every savouring bite. Like a treat.

Or a sip of wine.

It looks down from its perch, looking around carefully before it climbed down swiftly. Having had its meal and feeling restless, the being decides to makes its usual rounds through its territory. It has been a while since it last checked on the Fatui camps.

As an intelligent being, when recognizing multiple invasions to one's territory, the best course of action was to pick off the smaller camps first. Those that strayed further from other camps and took more time for reinforcements to get to. It wandered the snowy mountains carefully, sticking to the shadows and clinging to the trees and mountain sides.

Changes were expected when living in such a desolate environment, but this? Every camp he scouted on before had been deserted, leaving nothing more but tarps and utensils left behind hastily as though they were in a hurry.

Did he scare them off already? Not even the ever stubborn cicin mages are around. It was odd and upsetting.

How's it going to entertain himself now?

It spots movement ahead of him and immediately scrambled up the nearest wall in quick succession. " I hate this." One of the two men grumbled as they walked closer to the camp. " Why did we have to take night shift?"

" Because Master Diluc found you passed out at Angel's Share instead of attending the meeting? Because you insisted that nothing's gonna happen? That it'd be just one drink?" His partner clued in, clearly irritated. " Because we're being punished?!"

" Alright, alright, I get it. Don't need to be so harsh, Huffman." The other guard whined. The being cocked its head to one side, watching the duo who now stood directly below him.

" Sorry." The man muttered. " It's just that...I've been worried, you know?"

" About the Captain?" The being drew in, growing more interested in their conversation. " Buddy, don't think too hard about it. Everyone's worried."

" Still, with Captain Kaeya gone, who's going to lead the cavalry knights now?" Huffman asked, mostly to himself. It froze at the mention of the name, eyes blinking rapidly behind the mask as it leaned lower.

" Hey, hey, don't be so negative about it. Look, wherever he is, he wouldn't want us moping around like this. Lighten up. At least the Fatui are gone." Truly? It let out a curious thrill by accident, alerting the two knights. " Who's there? - Oh Gods..." The knight quivered at the sight of the creature hanging directly above his head.

" It's The Blizzard!" Huffman yelled with all his might, unsheathing his sword and waking the other guard from his stupor. " Go get backup!" He ordered and the other knight hesitantly obeyed.

The two were locked in a staring contest, as the creature seemed to recoil into the mountain like a snake ready to strike. He glances it over trying to take in its features for later identification if he made it out of this alive. He finally takes note of the patterns displayed on its long tail coat(?), it rustled together as if it were alive and from there he saw the many eyes, watching his every move. He steps back nervously and this causes the being to narrow the eyes on its mask.

It raised itself high, wings spreading open and at that moment he thought he was as good as dead. Its tail rustled together like a rattle and it lets out a shrill cry. He watched in bewilderment as the being leapt off the mountain side and flew off into the dark night.

Sinking to his knees, he could hear the reinforcements approaching as his stayed fixated on the sky.

He survived.

Chapter 3

Summary:

Diluc meets the wolf, has a breakdown.

Diluc meets a peacock and has yet another breakdown!

Chapter Text

Diluc sighed deeply as he leaned back against his office seat. Last night had been dangerously close with that sighting. Huffman could've been killed by that thing but surprisingly, nothing happened. At the very least they have a rough description of what it looks like. If the white mask was anything to go by, it's most likely to be something straight out of the abyss.

A monster with a hundred eyes and climbs on walls sound like an exaggerated description of a spider. Which doesn't exactly do wonders for the imagination. It's supposedly a terrifying beast of the abyss but Huffman also mentioned it to be weirdly pretty. They sent him to the cathedral immediately in case of head trauma. Maybe it was PTSD? He isn't too sure, the knights were never very efficient. Even less so with the loss of its Cavalry Captain, which reminds him of his plans for the day.

Getting up, he grabs his coat from the stand and heads out for the day. He revises the clues he's gathered thus far on Kaeya's disappearance, as limited as they were and recounts the dead ends he bitterly encountered throughout his investigation. The damn Fatui goaded him and jeered at how useless the knights were that they even lost their own captain. The Knights of Favonius were inefficient, never useless. He's glad he's got them off of Mondstadt for now but with the recent sighting of The Blizzard, he feels he's traded one problem with another.

Not that he wasn't aware of such consequences but it's a necessary step. In addition, it seems the statement that no witnesses ever survived have been debunked by their very own knight. It might be a fluke, sure but it didn't seem to really fit the bill.

As he approached the wolves' domain, he's reminded why he's wandered this far into the woods. A small breeze brushed past his hair, he narrows his gaze at the mark of Barbatos' presence, a sign that he was watching or nearby.

Within the domain stood the wolf spirit in all his glory, Razor, Jean and Venti. The latter waved at him with a small smile as he made his way down. " So, what do you have?"

" This." Razor presented the long bluish feather. It reminded the man of that of a peacock's, flashy but this one seemed to gleam like silver in a river. " From blue bird." The boy informed them.

" Blue bird?" Jean echoed.

" The one they call The Blizzard." Andrius informed them, gaining the attention of the mortals present.

" Alright, so it's a bird. Good note." Diluc muttered. " What does this have to do with Kaeya?" He asked, ever impatient.

" It has Sir Kaeya's scent." Diluc turns sharply to the boy. " I remember his scent. Know it well."

" Why does it have Kaeya's scent? Did it..." Jean trailed off, not daring to finish her thought.

" What?" Diluc's voice is but a whisper as the three of them stared at the wolf with wide eyes. " No...no no no no." He shakes his head, stumbling back.

" Diluc!" Jean catches him, holding his shoulders. " Diluc, I need you to breathe."

" Can't - I can't." He keeps shaking his head, tears filling his eyes. " Not like this. I can't - I can't lose him like this. Jean, not him. Anyone but him." He hasn't even had the chance to invite him over again, to spend time with him no matter how awkward or how much they bicker. " Please," Jean hushed him, urging him to breathe. " Not him, I can't -" He struggled to breathe, Jean helping to sit him down carefully as she walks him through the breathing exercises.

Beside Andrius, Razor leans closer to the spirit's leg, whining sadly as he clutches the feather close. A glance at the Anemo archon, whoo looked upon them with a sad smile and pained look seemed to urge the wolf to speak. " That is one possibility." The wolf continued as Diluc finally got a hold of his own breathing. " Another possibility being that he is somewhere near where The Blizzard has nested and if the winds whispers are true, you will find him."

" I'll find him." Diluc muttered, catching his breath.

" We'll both find him." Jean reminded him, taking his hand in hers.

" We'll both find him." He repeated, leaning his head against her shoulder. Soon enough, Jean thanks them for their help and together with Diluc, they leave the premises to continue their investigation. Razor decides to tag along, eager to help in any way possible.

Alone in the domain, Andrius glares down at the Anemo archon who stayed ever so still with the same smile on his face. " Why couldn't we simply tell them about the Albreich's curse?"

" There's too many factors we don't know of yet. While the fact he's spent weeks mostly attacking the Fatui and Abyss Order in my name (even as a joke) is sweet, it doesn't diminish the fact he's killed and hunted human beings." Barbatos stated. " This is a very delicate situation, especially since his development is much more different than any of the others. With the Traveller preoccupied in Sumeru's problems, this is one we have to get by on our own. I refuse to allow anymore of my children to fall to darkness."

The being once again scouts out its territory, mentally noting the abandoned camps and the new arrivals which seem to be smaller in number and patrolled on longer hours per squad. Perhaps their forces were stretched thin but he didn't mind. It liked watching them as they passed him without noticing, not once was he inclined to slaughter them as it did the Fatui.

They weren't half bad at handling themselves either but it couldn't help itself to ensure their shift ended safely, especially when the being made sure no monsters would get in the way of their patrols. Nights would pass with its new routine consisting of such, find some knights, follow them and keep them safe. Sometimes it'd tease them, rustling its feathers to give them a little fright, calling from nearby distances before hiding again. It'd laugh later on when it returned to its nest, feeling giddy.

It'd be doing it all again that night as it waited for the next scheduled patrol. Then, it spotted something red. The being wasn't afraid of red, it finds himself rather fascinated by it actually. Because red was important to him Be it the red on a pyroslinger's attire or the flames of torches, he finds himself keeping eyes on anything red that comes across him.

He observes the Red, eyes locked on where he stepped and which path he'd take. Red was familiar, it urged him to follow to keep close, to watch and protect. He knew who Red was to him, even if he couldn't remember his name. He wonders, as he follows him closely, if he could tease him.

He rustles his tail lightly, quickly taking cover in the shadows to see how Red would react. Sure enough, the man is on guard, looking around all warily with that stupid frown on his face. Another rustle and the man summons his claymore. The being pauses, he knows that great sword. It'd been hiding behind a rocky hill when he realized they've made eye contact and the being was standing quite visibly on a tall rock.

It cocked its head at Red and oh, what a nasty look. Did he rile him up that badly? He thinks not, he's barely even done anything but Red looks like he's ready to lop his head off. Keen on keeping his head in place, the being first rustles its tail and lifts up its wings as a peaceful warning. It musters up a casual call in greeting, but it seemed to only make the man narrow his eyes at the being. Goodness, the being thought, is his sight so bad he needs to fucking squint? He isn't that hard to miss with the wings and all. Was it the dark? Is it hard to see?

It mattered not. The being left with a swift beat of its wings, Red watched it go into the night.

" Was it...mocking me?" Diluc muttered under his breath as he relaxed and put away his claymore. A loud shrill cry was his answer and he swears he's going to catch that bird.

The following nights followed a new routine, Diluc would patrol an area and hear some rustling despite the lack of leaves, try to look for the source and The Blizzard just dips out the moment it's seen. It's like it was enjoying itself by messing with him, much to his displeasure.

There were even a few times when he heard a strange vibrating shout, hitching like a laugh. " Looks like it's having fun with us." Amber says, her bow steady in hand. She's been patrolling Dragonspine as well and had a few close encounters with The Blizzard herself. So far none of the Favonian Knights have been harmed despite the numerous sightings of this oversized bird.

" Oh really? I'm having so much fun." Diluc says, voice dripping with irritation. " Do I look like I'm having fun?"

" No..." Amber says quietly. " You really don't."

" Are you having fun?" He asks, turning to her. " I would very much prefer to leave but I can't because I have a patrol to finish." Amber already tuned him out, noticing some movement in the background. The Blizzard is on the ground, creeping up to them silently as Diluc has his back turned. She contemplates shooting, since this was a monster after all and it was wearing a mask. The Blizzard cocks its head curiously and it took one look at the man ranting before the glow of its mask moved, Amber nearly laughed when she figured it was rolling its eyes. It proceeds to mimic Diluc's rant by moving his hand mockingly. Amber held back a grin. " And that stupid cryptic bard!"

The Blizzard proceeds to mess around behind him, exaggerating his gestures and making whiney motions. Amber has to tap deep into her Knights training to suppress a laugh.

" It knows something about Kaeya." The being pauses from its gestures, head perking up at the name and dropping its arms to its sides. With how close it was, Amber could see why it was also described as weirdly pretty. " I'm sorry for taking this out on you but it's just been nearly two months now and I'm worried." Acting Grandmaster Jean had her hands full with the city itself, restricting time to meet with Diluc as she happens to be among the few people he actually talks to. " I don't know how he's doing or if he's alive and it's been eating me up." The Blizzard seemed surprised and leaned back. Amber thought there was something familiar about it now that she was really looking at it more properly. " Amber?"

Her eyes widen, hand over her mouth as the pieces start to click together. Diluc glances back, seeing the monster and grabbed his claymore. " No, wait!"

" Burn!" A wave of flames flew straight into the monster. Amber gasped as the flames hit, creating a cloud of mist upon collision. As the mist clears, Diluc prepared for another attack but the sight makes him falter. The monster covered its face behind raised arms with its head ducked lower and cowering behind the icy wings that protected it from the blast. Where has he seen this? The man thought as the monster carefully peaked from its cover.

" Stop!" Amber rushed forward, surprising them both.

" Amber, what are you doing?" Diluc asked, snapping out his daze.

" Master Diluc, I need you take a good look at him and I mean it." She doesn't have the words to actually say it, it'd sound ridiculous out loud. The monster is staring at him, long blue hair blew in the wind as it leaned further back, it's mask cracked on the right side. Diluc's eyes spot the ornament hanging off of the corners of its mask, recognizing it immediately. " Master Diluc..." He lowers his claymore, red eyes widening in shock and fear.

" Kaeya...?"

Chapter 4

Summary:

They spook the bird.

Twice.

Notes:

I'll be posting up to the fifth chapter then you guys gotta wait till next week for more.

Chapter Text

" Kaeya!" Amber called after him as he ran, a frightened thrill escaping his lips as he disappeared into the snowy landscape, not a tail feather in sight. " Damnit..." She muttered, knowing full well that she couldn't go after him. " Master Diluc, should we go after him or report it?" She turned to ask him before hearing a loud thud. " Master Diluc!" She rushed to help him as he sat in the snow, kneeling.

" Kaeya, that was - That was Kaeya." His eyes were trained on the spot the monster had stood. " Amber, it couldn't be... My brother isn't a monster."

" He's not!" Amber reassures him. " Not to us. We need to report this to headquarters. Can you stand?"

" You can report this to headquarters." He says as Amber helped him up. " I'm going after him."

" Not alone." Amber replies stubbornly, glaring back at Diluc. " The report can wait, I think. We'll go together."

" Fine." He says.

Kaeya landed a bit further from his usual territory in Dragonspine. Red - no, Diluc - had attacked him, not too surprising there but it brought out a memory he was actually glad to have buried by his new instincts. He takes note of his surroundings, he must've landed somewhere in Springvale. To which, can be good or bad depending on the circumstances.

" Sir Kaeya." The voice of the wind calls out to him and he turns cautiously to the bard who'd appeared out of thin air. Venti smiles at him, winds circle The Blizzard in greeting. " Your wings look a little ruff." He glances at the wings on his back, a few feathers are out of place, one of two probably ruined.

Kaeya's tail rustled, warning him to keep back but the bard simply smiled at him and stepped forward. He lets out a quick buzzing sound and raised his tail feathers over his head. Distress.

" I know, I know." Venti continued onward and while Kaeya considered flying off, he finds himself unwilling to even break from the bard's gaze. " Do you recall when I first found you like this?" The Blizzard seemed to falter, the bard could feel him trying to remember it. " You were so lost. You didn't remember who you were or where and you were hungry. Do you remember how you started attacking Fatui camps?"

Something was missing in the way he spoke, The Blizzard thought. Ah, Kaeya remembers, the bard wasn't rhyming. Admittedly, his first few weeks in this state were hazy at best. The small moment of lucidity returned while he'd been tearing through camps and by then he was already moving in a routine. He remembers peering into the nearby river to check on one of his kills and saw his own face. He reaches up, his claws tapping against smooth exterior of the mask. He whines, pressing the mask closer to his face with a small whimper.

He remembers screaming at his own reflection, running from the site before anyone could see him and hiding himself deep within the cavern. That was the first moment he was truly lucid. He avoided looking at the ice, clawed at reflective surfaces in frustration and curled up on the floor crying. The winds had found him then, smoothed his hair and comforted him until he felt better.

He sunk to the ground, covering himself with his arms and wings to hide. Venti sighed sadly at the sight. So the poor captain was more lucid now. Of course by the time he'd deemed so, The Blizzard had already been playfully making contact with the knights, teasing them and giving them a little fright. His hunts now narrowed only to the Abyss Order, where he targeted the mages and samachurls first. Having picked up an acquired taste for ley branches and scrolls. He approached the monster huddled on the forest floor and sat next to him.

" I was worried about you, y'know. Afraid I'd lost you to the curse." Venti - Barbatos, told him. " Then, you woke up and well, here you are." The Blizzard gave no reaction. " It doesn't look like your wings were damaged. I could preen them for you." At the mention of preening, the peacock seemed to perk up. " Come on, sit properly. Like that time in the cavern?"

Right, Venti had found him then too. In the middle of a breakdown no less with arms full of berries and dead ley branches. He sits cross-legged, back straight as he carefully spread his wings. Barbatos smiled and like that day in the cavern, cards his hands gently through his wings. The archon knew exactly the calming effects preening does for feathered or flying creatures, humming a tune as he worked. Having practiced plenty with birds and Dvalin, the dragon was much more difficult to convince to allow a good preen. He used to preen his own wings even, using the wind as skillfully as his own two hands. Plucking ruined and singed feathers. The damage isn't extensive and most feathers were already being replaced by newly regenarated ones.

It isn't long until Kaeya starts nodding off, melting at the touch on his wings. " Sir Kaeya," He lazily responds with a hum. " Your hair has gotten longer, shall I help you make it neater?" He offered and Kaeya nods, tucking his wings back into capes. Venti takes extra care going through Kaeya's hair, with the long crest like feathers mixed in he has to be careful not to pull the plumage at the ends. Kaeya relaxes as Venti sorts through his hair, gathering the messy strands behind him and untangling others. It was nice. " Do you mind if I tied it up?" Venti offered and Kaeya thinks for a moment before shaking his head. " Alright then, I'm finished."

The Blizzard stands, stretching his arms and legs. It unfolds its wings, inspecting it lazily before running a hand through his hair. He felt neat, much better than before. He gave a happy thrill finding that even his tail feathers had been combed out. Which itself is unnecessary since his tail feathers were actually extensions of his coat. But it was apart of him nonetheless and it's nice to feel neat.

" Better?" Kaeya scoffed, the answer was obvious as he thrilled appreciatively and bowed. Venti laughed, glad that the Captain was still able to behave like his usual self. " I have something to ask of dear Captain, not an order but a favour. Would you kindly grant me the audience?" Kaeya tilted his head curiously and waited. " You understand now that you cannot continue to hide like this forever, don't you?" The Blizzard gave no answer aside from rustling his feathers. " I can't stand sad endings. So, if you are able to reconnect with the people of Mondstadt, I will give you a gift."

Kaeya raised a brow beneath his mask. He isn't someone so easily swayed by gifts like some child - ooh, shiny. The excited coo that left his throat was uncontrollable as he eyes the pretty little pin the bard held up. He tries to reign his mind away from his stupid bird instincts but the it was so pretty!

" For every person you befriend, I will give you a treasure for you to keep. For every relation you mend, an addition to your liking." Venti offered, smiling knowingly as Kaeya eyed the shiny pin. He steps forward, pinning the artifact to the Blizzard's coat. Kaeya would later regret his bird brain decision when he returns to his hideout later, determined more than ever to get ahold of his instincts than it has a hold on him.

As he flew back to Dragonspine, his bird brain happily wonders about his latest little trinket, a powerful artifact part of a set known as Blizzard Strayer. Unbeknownst to him, he already owns two of such already. The first being the mask Venti gifted him to hide his face, the Broken Rime's Echo was fashioned in a way to compliment the Blizzard's form.

It is then he is drawn to a fight happening not far from himself. His eyes were immediately trained on a head full of red hair. The man was fighting against two mitachurls, one with an ice shield another with an axe. He catches a familiar head of brown hair, raining arrows on an abyss mage whilst dodging its attacks. The hilichurl camp was a fairly good size and by the looks of it, they've taken care of the rest of the hilichurls there.

Diluc releases his burst, destroying the ice shield the mitachurl was using. He prepared for another attack when a cryo slime knocked into him at full speed, exploding in a cloud of icy fragments and knocking the man back. Diluc groans, recovering from his fall and using his claymore to get back up. He looks up in time to see the mitachurl looming over him, axe coming down swiftly and he doesn't have time to react.

A shrill cry pierced the air, the next moment he finds the mitachurl laid on the ground, the axe knocked out of its hand. Standing over it with icy talons digging straight through its mane, was Kaeya. With his talons gripping the main, he lifts the mitachurl's head up and slams it back down with a loud thud.

Crack.

Crack.

Crack.

He doesn't stop until the body crumbled away, leaving nothing but a broken horn. The other mitachurl roared, snapping itself out of its shock and charged forward. The Blizzard sprinted away leaving the mitachurl vulnerable to Diluc's attack as the man stood ready to intercept with brute force.

The abyss mage's shield shattered under the impact of Amber's charged arrow landing a precise hit through one of its crack. It barely had a second to see the Blizzard charging into it. It shrieked as clawed hands dig into its skin. The Blizzard gave out a long call as dragged the screaming abyss mage into the sky and straight into the mountain's stoney walls. It perched against the stone, tail rustling as shadowy corners between its face and mask split open, revealing a wide raptor like maw full of razor sharp teeth. It tore through the abyss mage, tearing out the pieces of ley line branches hidden inside it. The abyss mage crumbled in its hold as its teeth chewed the branch idly.

As it finished, it became aware of the eyes watching him and looked downwards to where Diluc and Amber were staring up at him. He takes in their faces shock, sealing his maw back in place as he carefully descends the mountain. As he reached the ground, his eyes kept focused on the two pyro users in silence. He catches the way Diluc's gloved fingers were shaking. Was it too cold? He turned to fully face them and Amber immediately draws her bow.

Kaeya was taken aback, his tail rustling behind him and a small sad coo vibrated in his throat. Amber snaps out of her shock, gasping as she quickly puts her bow down. " I'm sorry, I didn't mean -" He takes a step back as she reaches forward. " No wait! Kaeya, I -" He turns away from them and runs with his a sharp rattle following him as his tail rustles together.

" Kaeya, wait!" Diluc called out but once again, he was too late.

" I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" Amber called out after him. " Kaeya!"

" Kaeya!" He tries to move forward but stumbles, hissing as weight is put on his injured leg. " Kaeya!"

Chapter 5

Summary:

See you next week

Chapter Text

Returning to Mondstadt that night was a journey on its own. Neither pyro users spoke to each other of what happened. Amber helped Diluc to the cathedral despite some of his silent protests to just leave him on his own. Barbara immediately administered treatment for his injured leg and another healer looked over Amber for any injuries.

It was rather late, most of the city was asleep by this hour and even the cathedral was silent. Jean appeared shortly after hearing word of their return.

" You two are hours late from the scheduled patrol." The Acting Grandmaster began, arms crossed. " I knew Master Diluc would've stayed out longer regardless of anything I say but Amber..." She trailed off.

" We met the Blizzard." Amber says in a quiet voice.

" You did?" Rosaria asked, appearing from behind one of the many columns. " Did you get any clues out of it? I'd imagine it must've difficult to hunt."

" We didn't hunt him!" Diluc snapped sharply, finally speaking.

" Him?" Jean pressed on despite his outburst. " What is it?" She asked again, fatigue not doing many favours for her own patience. " If you two know something about the Blizzard or Kaeya, we need to know." Diluc exchanged a look with Amber before sighing and leaning back against the chair.

" The Blizzard is around eight feet, he has bird like talons on his feet, long tail coat, a fur mane encompassing his neck, a white mask with blue paint," Amber listed off, doing her best to keep her voice even. " There's a crack on the mask, over his right eye," Her voice starts to crack. " Long blue hair, his earring - I saw it and I knew," Her breath hitched. " I almost shot him." She started to cry. " I tried to shoot Kaeya."

" You saw Kaeya?" Rosaria grabbed her shoulders. " Amber, where did you see Kaeya? Why is he with the Blizzard?" She further questioned impatiently.

" Kaeya is the Blizzard." Diluc continued on her behalf. " He's..." His mind went back to the moving tail coat that rustled like a bundle of feathers, the sharp silvery talons encased in cold ice, that maw and the way he shielded himself from Diluc's attack. The images of a younger Kaeya overlapping with the Blizzard, both holding identical position of fear from his attacks, from his blade, from him.

" Sir Kaeya's a monster...?" Barbara muttered.

" My brother is not a monster." Diluc hissed under his breath. " He's never attacked anyone in the Knights or Mondstadt." That much had been quite a mystery before, they couldn't quite understand why the monster didn't attack anyone else. Not that they weren't grateful for the lack of incidents, but it made pinning down what kind of monster it was difficult.

" Regardless, I don't know if we could call him human based off your description." Rosaria says calmly. " He's something else now." They each hated the fact, unable to refute. " Question is, what could've triggered this change and how do we change him back?"

" He went missing after Klee couldn't find him at home, his house was trashed and there were claw marks everywhere." Jean muttered. " Oh Archons."

" He turned in his own home." Barbara gathered her breath. " Lord Barbatos have mercy." Amber looked even more horrified than before, tears welling up again.

" Shit." Rosaria hissed.

Diluc sat in stunned silence. He wondered how painful the transformation must've been, how much his brother suffered and the how terrified he must've been through the whole ordeal. " Fuck!" He slammed his fist against the nearest wall. " Fuck!" He gasped, voice cracking.

Kaeya makes his way back to his abode, a cavern located high above the ground where the only way in is to either fly or climb. He passes the scratched walls and makes a beeline for his carpet. He has taken the privilege to loot the empty Fatui camps in order to make his cavern more comfortable. A carpet with bundles of tarps and blankets gathered together made for a rather comfortable bed.

Laying on his stomach, his tail feathers moved to wrap himself as he leaned into the blanket pile more comfortable. He tries not to think of what happened prior. He doesn't think about Diluc attacking him, or Amber aiming at arrow at him. Nor does he think of the expressions they made upon seeing him properly, the horrified looks in their eyes as they gazed up at him and that's with his mask on.

He loathes to imagine how they'd react to his the face beneath his well crafted mask. He stretches, the ice encasing his claws and talons long been removed since he returned. Maybe he really should just stay here in Dragonspine. It was foolish to believe even for a moment that things would work out. His bird brain whined, he wouldn't even get any treasures at this rate. He curses himself for succumbing to his instincts again, promising to wrangle better control over it or at least direct it more properly.

A warm breeze blows into cavern. He turns his head away from the entrance, not wanting to look at the Anemo Archon. The bard says nothing and instead pulls a blanket over him, tucking him in gently. " Goodnight." The wind whispers. Kaeya hadn't even needed to look to know that bard had already left. He clutches the blanket closer to himself and waits for sleep to claim him.

He awakens as the sun rises, stretching out his back and wings as he sits up with a yawn through his maw. It'd been a habit he developed while he was young, mostly to counter Diluc's night owl tendencies. He spends a bit of time sorting through his feathers and grooming his tangled mane. Last night had been very exhausting, emotionally. That and the fact his bird brain is nagging him to find a way to get more treasures. He hangs his feet off the ledge, looking out at the immense view of the landscape.

A cool morning mist could be seen hanging over the forests, he idly wonders how Razor was doing in Wolvendom or if Bennett somehow lost his way again. Perhaps Jean slept on her desk today, that would be bad for her back. Would there be any new wine in Angel's Share or maybe a new cocktail in Cat's Tail?

God, he was lonely.

He's never thought much of it before, especially with how he usually presents himself, but his bird brain is having none of it. He's a peacock, they're social animals too. Of all things, he became a peacock.

A lot of his memories have returned but he still didn't feel anymore different from when he first turned lucid. He stretches his wings again and runs his hands through his hair. Perhaps somewhere inside him knew that such a day would be coming. That the curse of his people would come for him as well and he'd be consumed. Yet, he didn't feel like what's happened to him was the same as those of the Abyss. He still holds a vision and can use elemental energy just fine without any sort of drawbacks.

He wonders, what was he? Who was he now? He looks down at the ley branch he'd been chewing. He gets that he likes them but why is he so inclined to consume these above all other things. Don't get him wrong, he knew exactly what he could eat. Peacocks aren't exactly herbivores. So why ley branches? Is it because the taste reminds him of wine? Or perhaps it's connected to the weak pulse of energy it contained.

Thinking he's spent enough time contemplating his own existence, he stands up again. Fine mornings like these still need to be spent well of course. He's not frozen in place after all.

The tunnel system carved within the mountain had scores of hilichurls here and there. He goes through them day by day until there are none left and none dare to re-establish the emptied camps. He was fine with that but it made the tunnels feel far more hollow than they ever were.

Warming seelie would circle him as he passed them, chiming in a way that mimicked his call. A warm feeling would bloom deep inside his chest whenever he hums at them and they chime in return. It is a familiar yet foreign feeling.

He continues to hum even as the seelie leave him to wander the tunnels. Humming was one of the few sounds he could still make with his human voice. Most verbal attempts almost always ended up with a cry or buzz his bird brain insistently uses. He can't quite speak, not normally at the very least. He sure as hell can still whistle, so he does.

" Hello?" He stops on his tracks. What was that? Had he misheard? When he doesn't hear anything, he decides to brush it off and continue on his stroll. " Can you hear me?" He freezes again, the voice sounds as young as Klee, small and uncertain.

' That's creepy.' He thought.

" Oh, I didn't realize. Sorry." The little voice apologized and Kaeya has to do a double take. What was he hearing? Is it a ghost? Someone pulling a prank on him?

' Am I high?'

" I don't think so." The little voice answered. " Are you okay?" Kaeya couldn't help but picture Klee's big eyes looking up at him in curious concern.

' I'm alright.' He answers after a while. ' What about you?'

" I'm fine." She says meekly. " I heard you whistling, through the ley lines."

' The ley lines?' He repeated, tilting his head to one side.

" Yes. All creatures of Teyvat are connected through the ley lines, the branches of Irminsul." She explained. " I wanted to ask you about the song you were whistling."

' It's just a melody I heard from somewhere.' He tells her, unsure if he should mention he heard it from seelies.

" Can I listen to it again?" The little voice asked in a soft tone. It reminds him of the way Klee used to look at him so full of awe and wonder. He whistles the tune again, continuing his walk down the tunnels. " I've never heard of a song like this before." The voice says as he reaches the lowest floor of the tunnels. A ruin guard had just awoken and was roaming around the area.

' I haven't either.' He calls upon his Favonian Sword in one arm and laces his talons in ice. ' I'm Kaeya.' The ruin guard catches his movement as he approached it.

" Oh, I'm Nahida." He smiles beneath his mask.

' It's nice to meet you.'

Chapter 6

Summary:

Here's Albedo!

And some new magic shit Kaeya can do.

Notes:

Song used for the special scene :
Aurora - Exhale Inhale

Chapter Text

It isn't often that Albedo willingly leaves his research, especially ones conducted on Dragonspine. But an urgent summons was rare and the fact whatever they needed to discuss with him was connected to Kaeya was a good enough reason to go. He's on his way through the rocky path when he hears someone whistling. He notes the melody getting louder and instinctually reaches for cover before it could get closer.

The specimen was bipedal, roughly 8 ft in height and looked humanoid. The coat it wore was mainly white to blue gradient with a long tail made up of multiple layers of long feather shaped segments and from the way it moved indicated it could be more than decorative. The silvery armour on its chest and abdomen seemed to be crafted to fit every curve of its body with vines of the same material wrapped from the elbow to wrist as connecting vambrace and gauntlets. Its greaves wrapped its legs in a similar fashion from its calves to its ankles. A fluffy white mane framed around its shoulders and neck with two capes at the length of its hips flowing behind it.

The tune it was whistling through its white and blue mask was one Albedo didn't recognise but it sounded oddly familiar. A warming seelie floats over to the specimen, this causes it to halt its tune as the little spirit started chiming at it. The specimen observes it for a moment, reaching up to touch it but its form phased through its fingers like smoke. After a while it continued to whistle but melody had changed and now the seelie starts to chime even more. The alchemist then realized quickly that they were singing a tune together.

How fascinating! Albedo thought. He'd never seen anything like it before. Was this the infamous Blizzard the Fatui were so afraid of? He patted his pockets for his little notebook, he needs to record this. He's too hasty and his notebook slips out of his grasp with a very soft thud.

The whistling ceased. The alchemist stared at his notebook, noting the eerie silence filling the air. He keeps his hands steady, ready to call upon his sword the moment the specimen attacks. Only that it doesn't. He watched nervously as clawed hands picked up his notebook and as he slowly looks up to face the being, finds it passively leaning over him and handing back his book. Its long blue hair had feathers mixed in its strands, gathered behind it neatly.

He shifts glances between his book and the monster in disbelief. This was certainly new. " Uh, thank you." He finally says, taking the book into his hands. He looks up again and was barely able to catch the tails of the Blizzard disappear around a corner.

What a strange encounter.

The alchemist left the mountains hastily, eyes hidden among the snow watched him leave. Kaeya huffed, admittedly a little disappointed rather than glad that Sulfur didn't recognise him. His real name would register itself in due time.

" Kaeya?" He smiles at the sound of Nahida's voice.

' Hello, Nahida.' He greets her. ' Sorry I had to cut the song short. I ran into something.'

" That's okay." She says. " I'm just glad that you're still there." He ponders briefly on the way she delivered the sentence.

' Do you want me to continue?' He offered instead, knowing full well when a child feels upset or, dare he say, scared.

" Yes, please." What a sweet little thing, he thought. The seelie next to him seemed to agree. Skeptical, he tests a verbal garble, trying to say hello. The seelie imitates the sound cheerfully. He lets out a warble, shoulders shaking. " Why are you laughing?"

' Oh, sorry Nahida. It's just this little seelie, it's being funny.' His fingers make contact with the little spirit and he hears a laugh. The voice is older, wispy as the wind and very soft. He knew then, watching the ghostly tendrils of the seelie wrapping his fingers, that this was the voice of the seelie.

" Who was that?" Nahida asked. Brushing aside the fact she could also hear the seelie's voice, Kaeya answered.

' The seelie.' The spirit hummed, voice clear as day once it noticed how Kaeya could hear them now. Both he and Nahida listened to its voice as it hummed, the melody is a continuation of the ones he heard before. The longer he listened, the clearer it was. Humming was soon replaced with little incoherent mumbles in between and soon the words became clear, Kaeya could hear it singing. ' Are you hearing this, Nahida? The seelie, it's singing.'

" What?" Could she not hear it singing, he wondered. " I can't hear them." She says. " Can you tell me what it's singing? Please." How could anyone say no to that. He hums along, getting a feel for the melody. He tries to immerse himself in the song, hoping to forget his vocal cords did nothing but squawk and screech. However, his fears were for naught as the voice singing the seelie's song was but his own, as clear as day.

Not having heard his own voice for so long, he continued to sing to his heart's content to the low and wispy melody, the words coming to him so naturally as though he'd known it for ages, it was as if the seelie's song was his own, that they were singing through him. He lets it echo, never having sung like this before, pouring out the voice of his soul into every word. Endorsed in his own melody, he gives no notice to the audience behind him. To the gathering of hilichurls at the bottom of the rocky hill he stood upon.

How they looked up at him in grand wonder, how each seemed to be beckoned by his voice. When he does take notice, they dared not move as his singing refused to cease. One such brave hilichurl leaned on its toes, reaching up to him like a someone reaching for a height. To Kaeya, as he watched the hilichurl, it was more like watching someone who's been drowning reach for the air. Without thinking, he climbs down until he's just an arm's length away from them and moves his hand forward.

As their fingers made contact, the hilichurl's dark form crumbled away like a hollow shell. In its place the white faded silhouette of a woman in a long dress. The silhouette bows to him in both gratitude and honour before her form condensed into a single unmistakable flower, the Inteyvat. The other hilichurls too soon began to crumble, the silhouettes of their former selves each bowing to him before the flowers take their places.

The song comes to an end, the seelie had long stopped singing since the hilichurls appeared and Kaeya knew that the moment the last note is sung, the flowers too would disappear.

And they did. Dusting before his eyes like ashes of a long dead flame, only to be carried off by the far winds. Instead, in his hands grew a bloom he recognizes from when the traveller finishes a trial of a ley line outcrop. But, this bloom was smaller and it came from his own hands. The wind blew over his cape, almost in a reassuring manner. A liquid drips onto the blossom, only then did he notice the tears dripping down his chin and slipping through the mask he wore. With every drop, the Blossom of Requiem as he soon comes to call it, started to bloom.

He barely had much time to register how his tears were more like liquid crystals. It was denser too, adding a collective weight to his mask that makes him lean forward. The blossom disappears, leaving its treasures behind for him to claim. " Kaeya?" Nahida's little voice calls at the same time as another calls him.

" Sir Kaeya?"

He turns to face the bard, the Anemo Archon himself who gives him a look like he'd just split the ocean in two. He attempts a hello but it comes out as a garbled buzz. Barbatos smiled, sighing softly.

" Hello, Sir Kaeya." He replied easily. " So," He drawls, a bright gaze directed his way. " Made any new friends?"

Albedo arrived at Mondstadt a little more energetic than usual. What an incredible encounter! He'd never seen anything like it. It didn't seem as hunched over or threatening as any other creature of the Abyss. It's quite possible that this was the notorious Blizzard the Fatui had so much trouble with. Though, there was something about it that was rather familiar.

" Albedo, you're here." Rosaria appeared in front of him.

" Ah, Sister Rosaria, I was just on my way to -" She takes him by the collar and immediately drags him away from the Knights Headquarters. " Sister Rosaria, if you please -"

" Meeting place's been switched." She says swiftly, dragging him to the cathedral. He sighs, knowing there was no swaying her now.

She takes him deep down, in the underbellies of the cathedral even deeper than where they'd kept the Holy Lyre. There he finds a gathering of those of the highest ranks among the Knights of Favonius. Acting Grandmaster Jean, Head Librarian Lisa, Outrider Amber, Captain Eula, Deaconess Barbara as well Master Diluc and Razor. He wonders why the last one was present but he decides to roll with.

" I'm glad you could make it, Albedo." Diluc began, opening the meeting. " Today we'll be discussing a case of utmost importance, do take a seat." The Chief Alchemist takes a vacant seat next to Lisa. " We'll get straight to the point, we have reason to believe that the entity known as The Blizzard located in Dragonspine is Kaeya Albreich." Judging from their expressions, aside from Albedo, Eula and Lisa, the others had already known of this.

" What?" The Alchemist gaped.

" How did you find this out?" Lisa asked this time, dropping any teasing or silkiness in her voice. Razor placed a long blue feather on the table and an eye patch.

" Teacher, Blizzard's feather and Kaeya's eye patch have same scent." Razor informs her with his head hung low. " Saw him." Albedo's eyes widened at the sight of the feather, his mind drifting to the curious encounter just a few moments prior to the meeting. Looking back, the similarities were right there, the hair, the stance. Knowing Kaeya had quite literally turned into the very monsters he'd been avoiding made something snap in the alchemist's head, and he laughed.

It's loud, exuding pain and anguish with each horrid gasp as his eyes stayed pinned on the feather. He collapses in his chair, laughter fading into anguished cries. Kaeya turning meant that no one was safe from the curse, if not even an Albreich could fight such a horrid fate then what chances would his master, Gold, have. There was nowhere they could run, no one to preserve their legacy.

" Albedo." Someone called him, hand rubbing comforting circles on his back.

" He was the only one!" Albedo cried out. " He was the last child that made it out alive. He shouldn't have - He couldn't -" They've checked him before, celebrated when he'd shown no mark of the curse on him. He would live, without the agony of the curse coursing through his veins, without fear of the curse consuming him. Albedo had even given him check ups when he'd met him again in Mondstadt. He was fine. Even his golden eye, the mark of his heritage, remained unstained. They waited for him to calm down, even offering to postpone the meeting but he refused. Taking deep breaths, he recalls the promises he'd made to Kaeya before returning his focus to the others. " How much do you know about Kha'enriah?"

Chapter 7

Summary:

Razor : bird?

Rosaria : bird.

Notes:

Song used :
Kila - Howl's the wolf

Chapter Text

Kaeya hummed happily, his latest trinket now placed among the treasures clipped to the belt on his hip was a wonderful addition to himself. Venti even helped him preen again so he looks extra neat. Telling the bard about Nahida wasn't bad at all, he was actually afraid the other wouldn't believe him when he told him about her. He's spent a couple nights in his cavern rearranging his things and preening, a good treat for both his human and bird instincts. The Royal Plume was a beautiful addition, the colours matching his coat perfectly and the Anemo Archon's compliments affirmed it so.

He shared sessions with the bard now, the seelie's melodies and songs now being practiced on Venti's lyre. Of course, only he knew the words best and yet find it difficult to translate some of it. Even Nahida tried singing along to a couple of them, which he must say she has very good vocal cords. They still don't know why exactly he can't speak normally but Nahida thinks that it has something to do with 'singing from the soul'. Which itself is an embarrassing notion.

Venti seemed happy for him, advising him to spend more time outside of Dragonspine. He supposed the land has gotten a bit more barren since his coming. That is to say that the number of foes living off the snowy mountains had drastically decreased. He's almost concerned if he hadn't just spotted another agent roaming around the area. So not only were they intruders, they were liers.

He hides his latest kill, burying the corpse deep beneath dirt and snow. He finishes the burial, placing a mint flower over the grave and sends off the dead with a little prayer. The agent must've been sent to survey the situation, his absence would be enough to signify his death and keep the Fatui away from his home. He looks at his attire in distaste, cursing the agent under his breath for getting his coat dirty.

He flies a little further out of Dragonspine than he'd planned. Landing in a pond in Wolvendom, he hissed at the slimes to stay away as he cleaned himself. He's used to a quick dive through the cold water in Dragonspine to get rid of blood after attacking the Fatui camps but there are days where he'd prefer warmer waters. Preferably, he'd have gone to Springvale since the water there looked nice but there were far too many people. Dadaupa Gorge was an option but the water there didn't feel right. Like he could feel the history laid beneath the lake bed, marked by the tens of swords that filled it. Windrise was too salty and Dawn Winery was always off the list even before he became The Blizzard.

He washed off the dirt off his tail coat first, looking for any cuts or holes in it just in case. Despite how it looks and moves, his coat wasn't apart of his body at all. It is indeed still just a coat he'd gotten somehow when he'd woken up. Whatever magic brought it to being was unknown to him but wearing it felt like it was an extension of himself. His mane was next, this and his capes were also merely articles of clothing attached to him. He supposed any reasoning of them acting alive or how his cape turned into wings was simply magic. He's still not sure to what extent his powers were in this form but he hasn't bothered to explore much of it either. Not that he could give much thought into caring.

The past few months have been difficult for him. Transforming, awakening and becoming lucid. He hasn't seen any of his old friends either. He coos sadly, reminded of them as he finished cleaning his mane. Now moving on to his hair, he carefully leaned his head into the water. His mask reflecting back to him as he washed. He hummed, moving more automatically as he's caught in his own gaze. As vain as that sounds, he's actually upset. Lamenting over his fate and what others would think of him in this state.

He supposed he already got the answer, he thought. The memory of Diluc and Amber looking up at him in horror. Diluc's flames against his wings and Amber's arrow pointed at him. He shakes himself out of the thought, literally. Fluttering his tail and wings to get the water off before stepping out and repeating the little shakes until he was no longer dripping.

Snap.

He turned sharply to the sound, mane fluffing up instinctively in agitation. He didn't like to be interrupted, especially while grooming. Preening is already a sacred time for him, preening after a good bath is even more so. He looks up, directly into a pair of ruby red eyes.

Startled, Razor flinched back and losses his footing on the tree he climbed. He yelps as he tumbles down, falling into a bush of wolfhooks. He quickly pulls himself up, scampering out of the thorny bush and straight into the Blizzard.

He freezes, the sting from the thorns and berries sticking to him already forgotten as the being stood over him. The man who he'd once recognised as Kaeya, the grown up with the fake smile, stared him up and down. The mane around his neck smoothes out as he sighs, shoulders relaxing a little.

" Sir Kaeya?" He calls carefully. The Blizzard seemed to recognize his original name and immediately stepped back from the wolf boy. " Wait!" He pulls up the feather he kept with him, lifting it up to show the grown up. " Please don't leave." He takes a careful step forward, trying to gauge his reaction. The Blizzard seems to keep an eye on him even as he steps closer than before. He barely catches the clawed hand moving towards him and gingerly plucks out a wolfhook berry from his hair.

The Blizzard tosses it aside and soon Razor finds himself sitting on the ground with the being looming over him and plucking away the thorns and berries from his form carefully. He sits quietly as the Blizzard grooms his hair even as the thorns had all been removed. He hears a familiar chime, a wandering seelie had come over. The Blizzard cooed, beckoning the wisp closer with one hand still in Razor's hair. He starts to whistle, following the seelie's chime and what happened next was probably not something anyone expects.

Kaeya began to sing. Razor suppressed a gasp as the being was now moving purely on instinct. His voice is gentle, the lyrics were simple and short like a children's nursery rhyme but he could hear the fast breaths of his pack, the thundering beat of their paws threading over the earth with vigor. The beckoning howl of his lupical ever present in the wind, guiding them through the forest. The warm feeling of being huddled together in a pile when they rested, the exhilaration of hunting as a pack, as one. He didn't know such memories could evoked with a simple yet powerful melody. Once the preening was done, Kaeya helped him up, still humming under his breath.

" Preening, are we?" They look to where Venti stood over a nearby rock, smiling at them. Kaeya's tail rattled as it moved quickly, spreading behind him wide and imposing. " You do know it's still soggy, right?" The wind whirled around them and The Blizzard let out an undignified squawk as the wind ruffled through his feathers and drying him instantly at the cost of his coat, hair and mane were now a frayed mess.

A buzzing noise erupted from his vocal cords turning into a distressed call at finding his hard work all undone. He glances over at Razor and nearly screeches at his messed up hair due to the wind earlier. He hastily pats it down, removing a stick that somehow lodged itself into the white strands. Venti laughs from where he stood, causing the Blizzard to buzz at him angrily and raising his wings.

" It's okay." Razor says, pulling his coat. " We can fix it." He carefully pats down the fluffed up mane. The Blizzard pats his head playfully and cooes at his sweet gesture before promptly buzzing at Venti again.

" Oh, come on, Sir Kaeya!" The bard says, his laughter dying down. " Now don't be too mad, we can fix it. Just like Razor said." He offered, coming down with a soft landing from his stand. Kaeya huffs, giving Razor's hair a quick once over and turning around. He then proceeds to sit down with his wings spread. " Watch." The bard whispered to Razor and placed his hands over the wings. Kaeya relaxes as he masterfully preens his wings, a coo escaping his lips. Razor watches curiously as he worked. " He gets super sleepy too." Razor dares a peak at the Blizzard and sure enough his head was lolled against his chest.

" How long have you known?" The young wolf asks him quietly. Venti simply smiles, now running his hands through Kaeya's hair.

" I know everything I need to know on all of my children." He says as he tidies up the bluenette's hair, mindful of the long feathers in between. " Sleep, Razor. The Wolf of the North Winds will come to pick you up. You will forget what I said earlier." The wolf boy's eyes shut and he falls back the snout of the Wolf of the North.

" I did not expect them to meet again." Andrius admitted as he carried Razor carefully by the hood.

" Well, there's not much we can do to stop the inevitable. Kaeya isn't a monster, after all. I didn't think I could ever think any better of Celestia...but just this once, then." Just for one of his children, would he allow the action Celestia had taken to pass. He doesn't favour many things the Heavens have done, against humanity, against him and his children. Andrius snorts at his declaration and returned to his domain with Razor. " I won't let anything happen to you." He promises as he finishes the preening session, Kaeya sound asleep in his arms.

Rosaria observed the exchange from afar. The winds had whispered in her ears, hissing in fact, for her to keep silent, to not interfere. She's never truly believed in the Archons but even she knew better than to anger one, even someone as playful as Venti.

After all, legends has it that he shaped Mondstadt the way it is using the winds itself. Venti didn't look her way even once and she contemplated between following or leaving them be. She catches a glimpse of blue hair, Kaeya's slumped figure and knew damn well she couldn't just leave him like that. Not her drinking buddy.

Though, try as she might, as soon as she gets to ground level the two were gone. She could've sworn they were sitting there just a minute ago. The wind blows gently over her veil and she looks towards the direction it cane from. Dragonspine.

Undaunted by the snowy mountains, she decides to risk the trek there. Plenty of torches would've been lit up by now and she's been there before when the Fatui were still camped on its landscape. It's no cake walk but this is a case of utmost importance. She needs her drinking buddy, men deterrent for when she needs time alone in the tavern without getting hit on. Kaeya always filled that role, leading away guys that want to talk to her when she's taking a drag from her cigar, filling the awkward silence with idle chatter and messing with Diluc.

She wants her drinking buddy back, monster or not. She thinks as she marches through the snow with her spear in hand. The wind seemed to guide her through the mountain, taking her to a cave high above the ground and sheltered from sight with ice and snow. It took a while climbing the damn thing to even peer into the cavern.

That's exactly where she finds him. Flat on his stomach with his wings spread out was Kaeya Albreich, The Blizzard of Dragonspine. He seemed to be sleeping soundly in his dwelling and she contemplates once more if she should leave of stay.

Kaeya whined, shifting his position and stretching before coiling himself in his own coat and wings. Like a bird tucking itself in its nest, adorable.

Yup, she could stay.

Chapter 8

Summary:

Rosaria time

Chapter Text

Kaeya wakes with a yawn, stretching out his whole body and especially his wings before letting them fold back into his cape. " So that's how it works." He freezes, turning around to see Rosaria sitting by the entryway with a mug of what smelled like coffee. He bobs his head up and down, trying to gauge if she's actually there or a figment of his imagination. " I'm here." She reaffirmed, earning a surprised squawk. " You do the same thing when you're drunk."

She wonders if perhaps he's always been a bird. He looks down at the coffee mug in her hands, the confusion practically emitting from his form.

" Venti came over earlier." She says without further explanation. It still doesn't explain how she got here. However, it does bring back memories whenever she breaks into his apartment to check on him after getting treated for an injury or a hangover. Why was he passed out last night anyways? " Do you need help getting ready? I heard peacocks spend half more time preening."

Kaeya looks down at himself and immediately folds his wings over his body. His bird brain was screeching at how unkept he looked, how unbecoming of a young peacock. He catches movement in the corner of his eye and immediately scampers to furthest corner of the cavern. Rosaria gave him a dumbfounded look as she slowly continued to place down the coffee mug.

Kaeya seemed to relax but didn't move from the corner. Still trying to keep himself hidden, the peacock starts to preen his feathers.

Did he think she was going to attack him?

She pursed her lips, thinking about what could've gauged such a reaction from him. Maybe it's the Blizzard side of him that's especially wary of people. He's still as flighty as she remembers at least, there's not a lot of opportunities to keep him cornered for questioning.

" Kaeya." He turns to her nervously and she finally stands. She walks over to him, making sure her hands are free so he'd be aware that she has no intentions to hurt him. She stops when he starts to tense and sits down again. The bard, or rather Barbestos- Barbabos? Bar...batos. Barbatos had given her something to help approach him.

He needs to come back, she knows this. Kaeya would know this too but he's afraid. The Blizzard is afraid and his first confrontation with Diluc and Amber didn't help in the slightest. At the very least, he's not afraid to approach Albedo or Razor to help them.

Excuses, she thought. He misses being around people so he's making excuses for himself to see them while still avoiding others. Peacocks are social birds after all.

' Nahida, I'm afraid.' He calls internally to the connecting ley line.

" What happened?" She asks in concern.

' Rosaria is here.'

" Your friend?" He ponders that briefly, taking another peak at her.

' I don't know.' Despite what he assumes is her young age, Nahida was rather knowledgeable and always open for conversation. She's rather wise and he's grown to value her opinion on delicate matters as of late. Aside from her spending time singing seelie songs with him, she's also a bit of a storyteller and he could tell that like Barbatos, she's been trying to get him to interact more with people.

" Maybe you should bond?" She suggested and if there's one other thing he's sure about her is that this child is lonely and awkward.

Bonding? He wondered, glancing at his quiet friend who continues to stare at him awkwardly. It isn't like he's never spent time with her and most importantly, he can't exactly communicate verbally.

" Do you even still remember me?" He stops preening and stared before nodding. " Good. I was almost afraid you forgot." Kaeya lets his wings down, brow raised beneath his mask.

Forget her? Kaeya huffs, taking a seat directly in front of her and holding out his hand. He waits patiently for her to process the gesture before putting her hand in his. He turns over her palm and taps over it gently with his finger, mindful of his claws.

I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E.

She decoded from the rhythmical tapping. Smiling, she then took his palm and taps it.

A-F-R-A-I-D-?

He cocks his head to one side as Rosaria offers her palm.

N-O.

At the very least not of her. Though the look she sends him seem to indicate that she isn't convinced. So he continues.

M-E

There isn't a lot of people he could list to be able to convey anything about how he truly feels. Rosaria was one of the treasured few he kept closer than what most would know. The nun presses her lips together as he now offers his palm.

W-H-Y-?

She taps and gives her palm.

M-E.

M-O-N-S-T-E-R.

She scowls at his answer and he moves to retreat his hands but she grabs him by the wrist. She makes sure he keeps his eyes on her, a steelie gaze that gave no room for argument.

N-O-T.

M-O-N-S-T-E-R.

He stills himself as she continued.

C-A-P-T-A-I-N.

F-R-I-E-N-D.

A-L-L-Y

B-R-O-T-H-E-

He snatched his hand back with a hiss, drawing it close to his chest. His tail rattled behind before he curls back into his corner and covers himself with his tail and wings.

" Kaeya." Both Rosaria and Nahida call him. " You're not a monster." The nun tells him with a firm gaze.

" I don't think you're a monster." The little voice tells him.

' You wouldn't understand, Nahida. Neither of you could.' He regrets thinking aloud when using morse code. ' You don't see how I look right now. What I've become.' He shrinks further as Rosaria tries to approach him, only to have him hiss and hit the wall next to him. ' No good captain would've ever let this happen. No such ally would endanger their own. No friend would lie about who he is. No brother would be such a monster.' His tail rustles behind him, throat letting out a garbled buzz. He grabs his own throat, suppressing a call he dares to argue with himself that he didn't need.

" Kaeya!" Rosaria wrenches his wrist away from his throat roughly, forcing him to face her. " You are not a monster." Without waiting for a reply, she wraps her arms around him. A traitorous thought had him think she was going to strangle him herself.

" Nonsense." Nahida said. Her voice calm but he could hear the way it trembles halfway. " I may not be able to see you, Kaeya Albreich but I can hear you. Your very soul, connected so purely with the ley lines. No such monster could ever have achieved this. No such monster would worry over his friends. No such monster could ever sing with their soul, especially when the songs you've sung come from the seelies no less." Nahida sniffs and he could almost hear the tears dripping down her cheeks. " So please, believe us. You're not a monster. You're our friend."

He slowly melts into the embrace, wishing that he could somehow reach Nahida and give her a hug too. She shouldn't be crying, much less over him. He soon returns Rosaria's hug, his tears staining her dress and she held him tighter. " You're not a monster, Kaeya." She whispered softly as she runs her fingers through his hair. " Never." The gentle winds blew through her veil and hair. " Never." She repeated in a firm voice.

" So, you ever plan on coming back?" The sat together at the entrance, swinging their feet from the great height.

M-A-Y-B-E.

He answered quietly as she takes a long sip from her mug. The coffee was cold by now but she could really care less.

" Pretty sure your house is cozier than this." She teased.

D-O-O-R.

S-M-A-L-L.

" Oh yeah, especially since you're like eight feet now. Damn." He whistles at that, not having much time to truly assess his height. " I would actually like it if you came back. I could use my drinking buddy back." He gestures to himself and she shrugs. " It's not that bad." He lifts up his bird feet, to which she shrugs. " You're still very pretty, I'll have you know." His tail rustles behind him.

' Pretty sure nothing about me is even relatively close to normal.' Kaeya thought.

" I think you're great." Nahida adds and he thanks her, promising another song for her later.

" Take your time adjusting, no one's in any real hurry." She tells him as she finishes her drink. " Just to recap, I tell the others that you're fine, lucid and just need time to readjust?" She waits for him to add anything. He taps against the cavern floor.

V-I-S-I-T.

" You want me to visit you?" He nods, bird brain immediately agreeing to the company. " Okay, then." She stands up, ready to head out again.

T-H-A-N-K-S.

" It's no problem, Kaeya. Drop by the church if you ever need anything." She tells him but he continues to tap.

T-O-M-O-R-R-O-W.

S-H-O-W.

F-O-U-N-D.

" You have something new to show me?" He nods. " Is it good or bad?" He shrugs, not really sure how to feel about it. " Well, if so," She drawls, looking around for a path to trek but finding the snow had covered them. " I'll come over if you help me get out of here. I can't see shit." Kaeya unleashes a vibrating call, one she notes is most likely a laugh.

Kaeya stretches his wings wide and offers his hand. Rosaria gasped dramatically as soon as she realised where this was going. Hitching a ride on an air current was normal but getting to actually fly with a being possessing working wings was something else. She's heard of that one island incident with some of Mondstat's citizens and Dvalin. As stone faced as she usually is, she had absolutely wished she'd come along and rode on a dragon too.

Not eager to look like some damsel in distress, Kaeya held her waist as the glider she used supported her shoulders. It wasn't much of a flight considering the close distance but Rosaria looked happy enough when they landed on the nearest path.

" That felt, huh, not bad." She tells him and narrowly avoids getting smacked in the face with his wings before he folds it back into his cape. " So salty." He buzzed at her before darting into the snow. " See you tomorrow, Blizzard!" A loud call could be heard as Rosaria laughed.

Chapter 9

Chapter Text

" He's lucid." Albedo repeats, sighs could be heard around the room as the news came to them.

" Is he okay?" Diluc immediately asked. " Any injuries? Oh, does he have anything to eat? I could get him a meal prepared in a few minutes if he needs to."

" Slow down, Master Diluc. He's alright, for the most part. He just needs time." Rosaria informs them.

" I would imagine undergoing such a transformation would be rather... overwhelming." Lisa hummed. " It's good that he's lucid, puts a few things at ease."

" At ease? He's up there living like a hermit. I should go to help him." Diluc rises from his seat, only to be pushed back down by a strong force. Hand on his shoulder and standing over his side with a smile was Venti.

" I'm afraid I cannot allow that, Master Diluc. Sir Kaeya cannot see you, nor Miss Amber." He tells them. " Birds are flighty, as is their nature."

" And why is that?" Amber dared to ask. Jean and Diluc threw her a look that seemed to confuse the others more than the fact that the bard literally appeared out of nowhere.

" His instincts." Venti answered. " The Pavo Ocullus within is a strong part of him now, and his nature attuned to its behaviour." He smiles gently at the gathering and sighs. " It isn't just for his sake but yours as well. Animals instinctively avoid things that will cause them harm." Diluc grit his teeth to protest but couldn't say anything. Amber herself clenched her first, having also reacted with hostility to her friend.

" Kaeya is not an animal." Jean says.

" He was like lupical when Razor met him." Razor spoke up. " Not human but not wolf. Bird. Instincts similar." He said, reaffirming Venti's words.

" I'm not asking you to abandon him." The bard explains. " I'm asking you to give him the time he's asking for. It's been very difficult for him and he's been struggling with himself for weeks."

" So, you've been seeing him." Eula states. " And it never occured for you to report to the Knights of anything?"

" Nope." The bard shrugged. " Give it time, he'll come to you on his own terms."

Rosaria makes her way to Kaeya's cavern, having slipped from sight the moment she could. She could imagine Diluc immediately looking around to try and tail her but she had an ace up her sleeve.

Barsibato. Wait...Bartobeso? Bartobas?

" Barbatos." Venti corrected her with an amused chuckle. " I can see you misspelling my name in your head. No, I don't read minds." He holds out his hand to her. " Let's go before Master Diluc finishes climbing up here." Rosaria sneaks a glance where said man was struggling to keep pace climbing the church.

By the time he reaches the top, the two were long gone. " Damnit, Venti!" He groaned in dismay. A strong breeze caused a stray flier to smack him right in the face. He wretches the thing from his face, finding it to be an old cathedral flyer with the words 'Barbatos loves you.' in big cursive writing. " Barbatos-!"

They teleported near a domain where Kaeya was standing a little ways from and facing the border. Technically he's already stepped into Liyue but it's not like it matters at the moment.

" Sir Kaeya!" Venti calls him cheerfully. His mane perks up, as do some of the feathers in his hair. He waves to them before beckoning them closer. " You don't mind me tagging along, do you?" Kaeya shakes his head, a quiet thrill in his throat.

" So, what are you going to show me?" She could feel his grin as his tail rustles excitedly. It was nice seeing him looking less nervous. Venti says he'd already told the poor man that a few others found out about his secret from Albedo which may explain the breakdown he had when Rosaria found him.

He takes her hand and leads to a nearby hilichurl camp. Kaeya places them behind a ruin structure and taps on the nun's hand to observe before letting out a harsh screech at Venti. " Very elegant." The bard says without missing a beat.

Kaeya ignores him and rustles his tail, he lowers his body and crept towards the camp in utter silence. The sky grows darker, not a trace of wind in the air as the rain poured lightly. The being is quick on his feet, quickly reaching the camp completely unnoticed. They could just about see him from the angle they were hiding, though that seems to be his intention. His clawed hand tap against the tree he's taking cover from, Venti could see the different finger placements with each tap.

The bard takes up his lyre and leans back under the shade. Rosaria glanced at him briefly, brows knitted together with a glare. Surely, he wouldn't simply play that thing so dangerously close to the camp.

Surely, Barbatos would know this.

He does, but he goes by Venti now. And Venti, is a lil' shit.

He plucks the strings of the lyre and before Rosaria could snatch it out of his hands, archon or not, but she hears a voice humming to the gentle melody. Stunned, she watched as the hilichurls turned their attention to the humming more than the lyre. Kaeya gathered his breath, letting the melody wash over him like a wave.

The notes are quick and gentle in nature, plucked as carefully as the fallen rain which drops into a certain rhythm. When Kaeya started to sing, Rosaria's jaw dropped. His voice is clear, echoing a sadness that runs deep. He walks into the camp without a hitch in his step, his steps are careful, almost cautious.

It calls, not in a way one would call a friend nor an enemy. But in a way of longing and wonder. She could see the two mitachurls and a samachurl watching him with awe and caution. His voice echoes through the rain, as low as the gentle breeze as he reaches for the closest hilichurl by the hand and pulled them forward.

The former shell of the hilichurl withered away in the instant it made contact with his hand. The silhouette of a man shone through with plain attire and sagged shoulders, the silhouette shuddered in his hold and he gently swayed. Kaeya leads the silhouette to a small turn like a dance and it reached out to another. It pulled out another silhouette from the aching form it once beheld and together they danced.

Their abyssal forms melted away, their silhouettes threaded over the ground in a relieved but melancholic dance. The mitachurls began to move, watching as the once smaller hilichurls now danced around them. Kaeya dances alongside the silhouettes, a sad undertone in the lyrics he sang.

She tenses as the two made their way to him, he doesn't stop singing nor does Venti stop playing. They laid their weapons down and knelt before him, shedding their abyssal shells as they did so. Two young warriors in what looked like leather armour stayed knelt on the ground before him as they slowly raised their heads to meet his gaze. She could barely make out their lips moving but couldn't figure out what they were saying.

They looked back to where the samachurl stood silently. It's grip on its staff was so tight she could practically see the wood start to splint, body trembling horribly. The two warriors held out their hands to the samachurl, the gesture seemed so gentle and nurturing.

The samachurl shrieks, running straight into Kaeya and tossing its staff aside. Upon contact, the silhouette of a young child no older than Razor had wrapped themselves around the cavalry captain. Not even seconds had passed before they all started to fade away, leaving behind a flower the likes of which Rosaria has never seen aside from the ones nestled in the Traveller's hair.

The once samachurl remained, looking up at Kaeya with an unmistakable smile. She watched them speak, the words catching Kaeya off guard and rendering him mute for a good second as the flower bloomed at his feet. Gathering himself, he finishes the song with gusto. A longing she felt familiar with in his voice, laced securely with the faintest optimism amidst a looming shadow of darkness. The flowers casted a field around himself, reaching only a small radius that only doubled the number of hilichurls that were in the camp. The melody ends as Kaeya elongates its last note almost desperately.

With the absence of his voice entirely, the flowers faded away like ashes of burnt leaves taken to the winds. It was like seeing a painting get wiped clean off a canvas, erased to the point as though they'd never even existed.

The rain ceased its downpour and Kaeya stands alone in the empty camp as a small ley line blossom grew in his palms. His tears, a glittering liquid silver, dripped onto it from the bare openings of his mask.

The nun approaches him carefully with Venti following closely behind. Kaeya regards them with a small glance and leaned his head back a little as they crowded each side. " A ley line blossom." Rosaria breathed, looking down at the small bloom in his hands. Kaeya cooed, letting his tears collect upon the bloom.

" The Blossom of Reminiscence." Venti hummed, translating his avian chatter. " A token of remembrance. That's quite the fitting name, Sir Kaeya."

His tears dripped to a halt, the blossom then started to bloom. Its petals unfolded carefully, unveiling the treasure within. Kaeya held up the artifacts he'd received, the kind one would usually obtain through a difficult domain or at least a formidable foe. Wordlessly, he tucks it away with a smile beneath his mask.

" That was...something." Rosaria finally says after a bout of silence. " Lord Regent?" Kaeya squawks at the name, shaking his head. " What? That's what they called you, right?" Of course, she could read lips. How could he forget?

" That is quite the title, Sir Kaeya." Venti says with a teasing smile. " Oops, I mean Lord Regent." The Blizzard shrieked at his face, but this only caused the bard to laugh.

" I didn't realise you were a noble, Kaeya." Rosaria says, tone dripping with sarcasm. " I mean with the way you walk, your sword form and let's not forget the corset." Kaeya made a buzzing noise, upset. If he could talk he'd be defending his corset by now. " Oh, Lord Regent."

Displeased, the Blizzard did what all annoyed birds do, leave. " Lord Regent, wait!" He unfolds his wings. " Lord Regent, do not forsake us!" Kaeya snaps his wings sharply at them, leveling them with a stare. " Okay, too much. Too much. Please don't fly off yet." Venti says, placating.

" Don't leave." Rosaria says, looking at him with a soft smile. And this time, he stayed.

Chapter 10

Summary:

The reconciliation episode.

Chapter Text

Getting Kaeya into Mondstadt was an ordeal by itself. It took a lot of coaxing, a few more visits and bribing his bird brain with shiny artifacts did he finally agree to return with Rosaria. In the dead of night, a group waited anxiously in Kaeya's office. Klee swung her feet in her chair, sitting next to Razor patiently as they waited. How she found out is still a mystery to them but they suspect it might have something to do with Razor. Perhaps she pestered him somehow into telling.

It was blackmail but Razor knew no one would believe him.

Out of everyone present, Diluc seemed to be the most restless. He paced, tapped his feet as he sat and would walk around the room repeatedly. " Come to think of it, should I even be here?" He asked the room.

" What do you mean?" Jean asked him in turn.

" I hurt him." More than once, remained unsaid.

" You aren't the only one that scared him off, Master Diluc." Amber says, raising her head from where it rested on the table. " But, I don't think Kaeya would appreciate either of us being absent. He finally agreed to come visit us, we should all be here to support him."

" Nicely said." Albedo complimented her.

The wide window clicked open and in stepped Rosaria. " Oh good, you're all here." She unlocks the other window and opens it wide. " Come on." They hear something rustling outside. " Kaeya, come on in. It's okay." Comfort has never really been the nun's strongest suite but it was the best she could do in the situation. There's a small whirling whine, a quiet little buzz.

' Nahida, I'm scared.' He thinks to her.

" It's going to be okay, Kaeya." The little voice encourages him. " I'll be with you the whole way. Okay?" Rosaria takes a step over the window sill, her eyes looking right at him and she offers her hand to him.

' Okay.' Kaeya takes a deep breath. ' Okay.' He takes her hand and she carefully pulls him into the room.

A clawed hand grabbed at the window sill as sharp talons take a careful step down onto the smooth floor. The Blizzard leaned his head through the window, and if they've never seen him before, they would now. He was much taller than before, with silvery claws and bird feet but he was still Kaeya. His long blue hair spilling over his shoulders with feathers woven between the strands, the fluffy mane around his neck and shoulders had the same shade as the pelt he once wore. Behind him were a set of wings that were pressed close to his body and what remained of his old uniform was but his corset and belt with his vision hanging from it.

He glances around the room, leaning back a bit in uncertainty. Rosaria gives his hand a squeeze to encourage him as the wind whispers behind him in gentle tones to keep going. He steps inside, minding the height of the window so he wouldn't bump his head and fully stood up.

" Big brother Kaeya!" Klee darted up to him, the Blizzard freezes as she wraps her arms around his legs. Kaeya stared down at her, startled. She looks back up at him with the biggest smile and the widest most loving eyes. " I've missed you so much!" Kaeya's head glanced between Klee and the others repeatedly, confused. He looks to Rosaria for an explanation but she simply shrugged. " I found out by myself." She gestures him to come closer and whispers. " I blackmailed Razor." She whispered with a giggle.

Kaeya let out a proud thrill before immediately covering his mouth, or rather where his mouth would be under the mask. Klee held him in place as he attempted to back away. Hesitantly, he kneels down and returns her hug. Diluc scowled, watching him flinch just from hugging Klee.

" I remember everything you taught me." Klee says proudly before pulling away gently.

" Which I'm going to need a word with you for." Jean says, catching on quickly. " Not exactly the best influence I was hoping for when I asked you to babysit her." She walks to the Blizzard and pulls him into a hug of her own. " Welcome back."

" Oh, Sir Kaeya." Barbara called as she came over. " Do you mind if I check you out for injuries? Just in case."

" It wouldn't be very becoming of you as cavalry captain if you skipped check ups, Sir Kaeya." Albedo adds smoothly. " Do you mind if I also examine you?" Eula smacks the alchemist's shoulder. " Ow."

" Could you not phrase everything as an experiment?" The other captain scolds him.

" Sir Kaeya is not experiment." Razor growled defensively.

" He isn't, sweet." Lisa chuckled. " Albedo simply needs to work on his wording." There's a vibrating buzz from somewhere and they see Kaeya's shoulders shaking as he laughed, his wings have folded back into capes. Careful not to swarm him, they welcomed him back with warm smiles and laughter.

After a while Amber musters up the courage to approach him. She opens her mouth, trying to smile but falters. Kaeya opens his arms, a gentle coo beckoning her into his hold. She breaks into tears, accepting the gentle embrace he holds her in. " I'm, so sorry." Her voice cracks. Kaeya gives another soft coo, placing his chin over her shoulder and humming softly.

Diluc could feel the moment the Blizzard's gaze focuses on him. Noticing the change, Amber pulls back and retreats to the others as they each made space for the two brothers to face each other. Kaeya's wings return, raised slightly as he glances around and reaches for Rosaria's hand.

The action disheartens Diluc, who grips his own sleeve. His lips pressed into a thin line as he turns away. He should've known not to come, not with their history. How could he? When he'd attacked his brother who had approached him first. Who came to see him after scaring him off the first (second?) time. Who reached for another's hand for comfort against him.

Stewed in his thoughts, he hadn't registered talons stepping over the floor getting closer. Or how a tail coat seemed to rattle in his presence. Or how the room was now left with only the two of them. Before he knew it, the Blizzard's shadow loomed over him and he has to crane his neck to look up at his brother. The Blizzard has his tail spread out behind him, its many eyes feel as if they're watching Diluc's every move. His wings were wide, nearly engulfing him in its shade and obscuring every thing else in the room.

" You know, it's hard for me to look at you like this." His tone is rough, a scowl on his face. " It's hard to say anything when you can't even say something back." Because no matter what, Kaeya would always respond to Klee. As evident by the bird noises he made. It's clear that he's not choosing to be silent but rather he doesn't have a choice to. " You know, even hilichurls can talk but you..." He grits his teeth. " Why? Why does it have to be you?" His voice breaks, tears stinging his eyes. " It's always you, and I-" He sucks in a deep breath, trying so hard to keep it together. " I couldn't protect you."

The air shifts and he's deep in Kaeya's arms. His wings wrapped around him almost protectively as he rests his head over his shoulders with a soft coo. He returns it fiercely, for all the times he couldn't hold him. All the times he couldn't shield him from pain and caused it himself. All the things he wanted to say but coming out as a strangled scream.

N-O.

B-L-A-M-E.

He feels Kaeya tap against his back.

F-A-U-L-T.

M-I-N-E.

Gritting his teeth, Diluc taps back.

N-O-T.

Y-O-U-R.

F-A-U-L-T.

N-E-V-E-R.

Kaeya is silent. He hears the tail coat rattling behind him. So, Diluc taps again.

M-I-S-S.

Y-O-U.

B-R-O-T-H-E-R.

He hears Kaeya inhale sharply near his ear. He knows that his brother wouldn't believe him, so he tapped the message again. And again. And again.

M-I-S-S.

Y-O-U.

T-O-O.

Kaeya pauses briefly, contemplating before tapping again.

L-O-V-E.

Y-O-U.

" I love you too, Kae."

Chapter 11: Kaeya, the Blizzard test image

Chapter Text

Let's see how this goes.

Starting with no glow.

And glow.

Much love for my beloved Kaeya. Him as the Blizzard in all his weirdly pretty glory.

Forgot his maw.

Chapter 12

Summary:

Enter Dainsleif

Chapter Text

It started at the Dawn Winery, in the middle of the night when most workers were fast asleep. It was a rare day in which Diluc has chosen to stay in to finish some paperwork, hunched over his desk with a pen in hand. Despite his usual nightly escapades, he's still the head of the wine industry of literally all of Mondstadt. Things like export, commerce and overall trade with other nations is a must.

A tap at his window thankfully steals his attention. " Kaeya?" The cryptid sat expectantly outside his window and tapped again. Diluc sighed and got up to unlock the window. " Yes?" Kaeya stepped inside and stared at his brother. " Do you need anything?" He asked cautiously. It's been a few nights since the cavalry captain finally agreed to see them again and has been visiting the Dawn Winery every night since. There are times when Kaeya comes by with an injured person, Rosaria or Razor. Other times he's dragging Diluc himself through the window after catching him as the Darknight Hero. " Okay, is your bird brain in control here?"

A genuine question. Kaeya has a whole set of impulsive instincts that he can't hold back at times. There are days when he's very quiet, according to Rosaria, and are more likely to be influenced by his bird brain to act instinctively.

" Do you need to preen or -" Kaeya deposits an artifact on his desk. " Ah, okay." He puts down another. And another. " If you're giving me a whole set, I don't want it." Kaeya pauses, taking back the artifact he's about to set down. " I don't need all these artifacts, you know."

K-N-O-W.

G-I-F-T.

Diluc sighs at that and simply nods. The Blizzard rattled its tail happily before making his exit, no doubt to pester someone else.

The overall image of the Blizzard has been growing more positive by the day. With how more frequently he's been showing up in the night visiting his friends, he has a tendency to run into people. And Kaeya being Kaeya, would always lend them a hand. He's saved a few people from hilichurls, the treasure hoarders who started pouring in thinking he was gone for good.

The expression of pure horror on Vile's face when he finds out his sneaky boss is back and worse than ever. Tales of the Blizzard's carnage were still the kind of horror stories people gossip about at night, mostly the Fatui's attempt at causing more panic. Clearly they don't realise what kind of people Mondstat's citizens were.

By cryptid standards, he's still the prettiest bluenette to ever walk on Mondstat's grounds. Since much of his demeanor hasn't changed, the citizens have started putting two and two together but quietly never spoken it out loud. Mondstadt was full of gossip but they also loved their cavalry captain to the extent that they'd leave snacks outside labelled for both him and Diluc's Darknight Hero persona.

The children were especially fond of him. If they were lucky enough, he'd come by and play with them a little. The Blizzard made waves in ways they hadn't quite expected that there was even a bird watching club among the knights to keep track on him as subtly as possible. You could thank Lisa for arranging such a thing.

Diluc has of course taken a peak at the reports just in case and the way it was worded out, no the nature of the report itself was most definitely a wildlife observation. The Blizzard would preen itself during the early mornings and evenings, thread around the roads, sitting in trees, picking fruits, the people he helped in the night and even the kind of little gifts he gives people.

He apparently enjoyed sharing his fruits and flowers, loved accepting any kind of gift offered and would accept escort requests if required. There are reports of people saying how much safer they feel now that the Blizzard was watching over them as he always had as captain.

With it came theories. How he ended up the way he did, who or what could have done this to him and why. Why? Some theories suggested that the ghost of their cavalry captain returned as a brilliant peacock to protect their people

Diluc has been asking that question ever since they figured out who the Blizzard was. It eats him up, gnawing at his heart with all the things he might've been able to do.

" Don't blame yourself."

He scoffs at the words repeated to him by his companions and even through morse code by his brother. He didn't know why his brother was made into what he is today but he's determined to find out. There had to be a clue somewhere, someone should know. Watching his brother leave the grounds, he feels uneasy. As though he should beckon him to return and stay the night.

Kaeya gave a small wave to Adelinde from where she watched him near the window. He'd been meaning to meet her more properly but haven't exactly found the courage. He makes his leave, spreading out his wings and displaying his tail to her to show that he was in good health.

He makes his way to back Dragonspine, avoiding most of the patrol routes as he did. Most of the abyss camps have been cleared out as well but he needed to remain alert. He doesn't know if any of them knew exactly what he's done with their people.

" Kaeya?" A little voice called him.

' Nahida.' He greets her internally. ' Is everything alright?'

" No. It isn't. There has been a situation where I am." She says carefully and he stops on his tracks.

' What sort of situation?' Kaeya asks her. ' Do you need help?'

" I already have someone assisting me in this endeavour but there's something you need to know." Nahida added. " I did some research and have come up with a possible theory to your current state. Hypothetically, abyssal energy deteriorates the ley lines upon continuous contact. With information of your recent abilities and interaction with the Abyss Order, I believe it is highly likely that you aren't a being of the Abyss."

Kaeya felt uneasy, his bird instincts causing him to immediately get into defensive positions. ' If I'm not a being of the Abyss, then what am I really?'

" I'm not sure." Nahida tells him, her voice seems to grow weary and he's inclined to ask her exactly where she is. " Records of beings such as yourself do not exist. Rather, they no longer exist." She continues regardless.

" It's like your existence has disconnected itself from the main records, a hidden history of things long buried. The records should be hidden somewhere in the ley lines." She lets out a small sharp gasp. " Oh no." Nahida's voice is unbearably small.

' Nahida? Is everything alright?' Somewhere, he hears the snow shifting. His shifts his eyes ever so slightly to his right and sees the gleaming blade coming towards him.

The blade was like silver, gleaming in the moonlight with a star like glow. Kaeya would've admired it if it hadn't been stuck against his arm. He'd barely stopped it in time, using both arms to keep it from his neck. His instincts were screaming with danger.

The wielder is dressed in black, blonde with a mask covering half his face and blue eyes with the same star pupils as his own. The Blizzard's vision gleams at his call as he hisses at the man. The man retreats before the ice could pierce him. Kaeya calls upon his Favonian Sword in one hand and an ice sword in the other.

" It's regrettable on my part to have to meet you this way, Lord Albreich." The man began, voice deep as he adjusts his grip on the sword. " I believe we are in need of a conversation."

Kaeya lurched forward with a burst of cryo at his opponent. He cuts through it, his blade meeting with Kaeya's and breaking the ice blade.

" You haven't even allowed me to introduce myself." The Blizzard hisses at him and they share a few strikes. " My name is Dainsleif, a bough keeper. Do you remember who you are, Kaeya Albreich?"

' Shut up!' Kaeya wanted to scream but ended up with another hiss and rattles his tail loudly. He continues onward, unrelenting in his attack as the other held his ground.

" Kaeya?" He nearly stumbles back at the push of Dainsleif's sword. " I'm going to sleep now." His eyes widen and he feels his maw split open, biting down hard on the blade.

' Nahida, do not go to sleep!' Her voice was so, so small. It trembled in his ears and he swore he could hear tears.

" I'm scared." She whispers as the sword is ripped out of his maw, causing him to gasp. Dainsleif kicks him back into a tree and plunges his sword towards him. Kaeya dodges quickly and breaks for it. The bough keeper launches into him at an incredible speed and tackles him over a cliff. " Goodbye, Kaeya."

Dainsleif lifts his body up with a groan. The impact from the snow not as soft as he hoped. A loud cry could be heard and he looks over where the Blizzard laid trapped under debris. The call is wavy, breathless and distressing. The Blizzard catches his gaze and tries to move but bough keeper catches him in binds of shadows.

The Blizzard falls to the white snow but continued his call, louder and more desperate. " I don't know if you're still in there, Lord Regent. But, I'm hoping dearly that you are. I heard talk of the Abyss Order, of you becoming one of them and I had to see it for myself." He says in between breaths. " Child, I know you were the last one to make it out. I want answers to this as much as you do." Kaeya buzzes at him and screeched. " I apologize for attacking first but your mask isn't exactly very helpful." The Blizzard looked back at him with a hiss, breathing heavily in what he'd suspect was fear.

A familiar bloom catches his eye and he's treated to the sight of an Inteyvat blooming. Shocked, he releases the Blizzard, who hisses at him loudly with its maw. Dainsleif's eyes followed the trail of blooming Inteyvats, watching as they bloomed and disappear. Its trail ends at the hands and feet of the Blizzard, who's blood drips down to the snow of a small patch of Inteyvats. " What are you?"

" Kaeya!" A wave of flames came flying straight into the bough keeper, like a falcon diving in for the kill. Dainsleif was blown back but quickly recovered. He barely looked up as a claymore came crashing down at him. Metal rang throughout the open field of snow. " I'll kill you." The wine tycoon growled darkly.

" I doubt that." Dainsleif grunts before kicking him back. Diluc stands his ground, eyeing his opponent with a glare before hearing something growling behind him. The bough keeper falters as a shadow grows over the red haired man. The wine tycoon knew full well what was behind him but didn't turn to look. " Ragnvindr, step towards me carefully."

" What? Are you so scared of my little brother?" He taunted, scoffing at the idea of the attacker actually being concerned for his safety.

" Your little brother isn't even human." The bough keeper says, keeping his eyes on the being standing over them.

" He's still a person and Kaeya would never hurt me." The creature behind him rumbled, a low hiss coming from its bleeding maw. " Leave." Dainsleif watches them and seeing as he refused to move, the Blizzard unleashed a loud screeching call. Even then, Diluc didn't falter nor flinch. " We don't like repeating ourselves." He warns as ice creeps around them, spikes growing steadily pointing towards their attacker. The wind whistles around them, particularly at Dainsleif. Like an ominous warning.

" Fine." Dainsleif sighed. " I do mean to have that conversation, Lord Regent." He's gone before Diluc could even blink. He grits his teeth, anger building at his throat from the worry that steeled his heart. Seeing the danger passed, he dares to look up and is treated to a scene one would believe to have popped straight out of a story book.

Kaeya was leaning forward, claws steadily around Diluc in a protective bubble. His wings are raised but the true spectacle had been his tail which hand fully fanned out to display its many beautiful segments like open feathers. The eyes of each segment gleamed a brilliant bright blue and from the way the rising sun's light shone behind him made the entire thing look divine. The Blizzard leans forward and slumps into the fallen snow.

" Kaeya?"

Chapter 13

Notes:

Song used : Underground - Cody Fry

Chapter Text

Diluc watched the slow rise and fall of the being's chest, a little voice in the back of his mind worried it would stop at any moment. Kaeya's old room was mostly the same, save for the furniture which they had to move to make more space for his...nest. Venti appeared at the Winery with Barbara and immediately sought to create the circular blanket pile before him where the bard had insisted was essential for his recovery.

He didn't heal as one normally would with a healer. It stopped the bleeding but his wounds refused to close. They didn't know what to do until Venti returned with what looked like an armful of sticks, more specifically dead ley line branches. Kaeya had gotten up groggily, his maw hanging open and consumed every single branch the bard had to offer before sealing his maw shut.

It's been four days since Diluc had brought him back to the Winery and Kaeya hasn't stirred once. He tried hunting a few abyss mages to get the ley line branches but the Blizzard doesn't even so much as flinch when he brought them.

Rosaria comes by on the first night, through the window. She'd used her cryo skill to recreate a portion of the atmosphere from the cavern in Dragonspine. Razor dropped by on the second, with a few ley line leaves instead. The third night was the bard, who spent hours playing soft melodies to the Blizzard.

The fourth night comes to a close by sunrise and just as Diluc decided to leave the room, the Blizzard stretches and turns over onto his stomach. His wings unfolded and he proceeds to sit up and yawned wide with his maw. The wine tycoon is briefly entertained with the giant peacock doing cat stretches before finally registering his surroundings.

" Morning." Diluc held back a snort as Kaeya let out a surprised squawk. His wings fluttered, knocking down some of things around his room. " Calm down." Kaeya simply buzzed at him and gestured around. " You were injured and passed out so I took you home."

Kaeya freezes, his mane puffing up slightly. He leans over his nest and taps on the floorboards.

H-O-M-E-?

" Yes." He says simply.

B-R-O-T-H-E-R-S-?

" Always." It seems childish perhaps to the eyes of others. To ask obvious questions but the truth being there were no indicators of straight answers. They have somewhat reconciled throughout the years, as unspoken as it ever was before but knowing that uncertainty still exists in the mind to pose such questions meant Kaeya needed answers straight away.

With his rhetorical mask, Kaeya Albreich was always rather eccentric and liked to play with his words. But here, in the light of what's become of him, his physical mask seemed to show more expressions than Diluc had ever seen on a man. Perhaps it's because of how his younger brother naturally couldn't sit still.

" I heard you like to preen a lot." The mention of it already has his attention, the bird brain certainly doesn't lie. " I'm not very good with wings," Kaeya scoffs. " I can do your hair, you know."

The peacock seems to think this over, his tail coat twitching. He huffs, turning his back to Diluc before taking his wing and started preening it. Diluc watched, unsure of what he should do until he heard Kaeya's call. The Blizzard looked at him rather expectantly and as he finally moved towards him, went back to preening his wings.

Diluc hesitantly reaches for his blue hair and starts brushing through the strands with his fingers. He dares not to tell Kaeya how the others have indeed showed him to clean his hair. He's especially careful around the feathers nestled in between the strands. He finds a pace to work with. He tries his best to ignore the little twitches of Kaeya's tail coat when he touches the feathers in his hair.

" Kaeya, are you still afraid of me?" The cryptid stops preening, thinking carefully. " You keep flinching and I know your instincts never lie." He gives a heavy sigh. Kaeya pinches his fingers together and left a small gap between them. " So a little." His brother huffs, continuing to preen his wings. " I won't tell anyone." They worked silence but neither of them made any move to leave. Eventually, Kaeya falls asleep.

Which leads to their current predicament.

" Get that kamera out of my face." Diluc hissed at them.

" No." Albedo says bluntly, snapping another picture. " And don't move, you'll wake him up." Diluc pursed his lips, arms crossed as he's stuck in the nest with his brother wrapped around him. " Besides, I would need this for research."

" Birds do like to nest." Venti supplied unhelpfully. " And knowing peacocks, they can be very anxious and territorial."

" Do send me some copies, dear." Lisa purred.

" Pay me." The alchemist scoffed.

" Deal." Jean responded surprisingly fast.

" I hate you all." Diluc scowled from his position. Beside him with his hair tied loosely behind him, Kaeya shifts. Diluc suppresses a growl as his younger brother rested his chin over his head affectionately.

He feels like he's floating, as weightless as can be. There is nothing but peace, all he could hear is his own heartbeat. He feels warm too, comfortable like being wrapped up in a blanket. "

Kaeya Albreich." His eyes snap open and he's faced with a strange and beautiful creature. With its feathers panned wide, its form littered in stars and its eyes stared deep into his. Somewhere inside him knew exactly who this was, what it meant to him. " I am Pavo Ocellus."

The name made shivers run down his spine as his gaze trailed from its head to its long extending feathers, each end adorned with the brightest stars he'd ever seen. He's awestruck at the idea of something so beautiful could ever be his. " My constellation..." He muttered quietly.

" Banisher of the evil eye, watcher of shadows." Its voice echoed. " You, one of my carnations, of my many eyes. Pitiful child of the fallen land. Seed of hope, sapling borne of the ashes of the forsaken." The constellation flies through him in a single swift gust and he now finds himself laying on a patch of Inteyvats. He sits up, his eyes scanning through a vast and empty field that stretches as far as the eye can see. " May you fill this garden, lest it remain barren forevermore."

He opens his eyes once more, greeted by the comforting weight of his mask. He blinks into focus, trying to sit up from his nest. He looks around his old room, noting the furniture that was moved to make space for the nest. Unfolding his wings, he gives them a good stretch and something slips off his back.

He picks up the black coat, recognising the cut anywhere. He hangs it over the nearest coat rack. He pries the window open carefully, thankful for it being night time so less people were about. Standing upon the window sill, he hesitates briefly and glances back to the nest in his room.

Should he leave a note?

His bird brain is eager to just take off but Diluc would kill him if that happens. Things just got better too. He'd been building up confidence for his instincts to trust Diluc again, especially when his older brother trusted and defended him so fiercely when that bough keeper attacked him. He leaves a note on the window sill, promising to return after he patrols his territory.

He climbs down to the side of the building, carefully creeping past any maids or staff still up. As always, Adelinde catches him from the window but he pushes on. Disappearing into trees and travelling above the road to avoid running into people. He hasn't cleansed any camps lately and decides to do just that.

He's mindful of his selection of camps, trying to pick out the ones with the least chances of getting caught. He supposed he could clear up the ones at Brightcrown Mountains. He finds a good number of them near a domain. He thinks back to the seelie songs he's already heard or sung and wondered if any song of his own was allowed. It simply has to come from the soul, doesn't it? Though, nothing really speaks for the soul like a seelie song. He hasn't heard from Nahida yet either and it's making him concerned.

He takes a deep breath and lets it out. She always hears when he sings, maybe if he does then she'll come back. He's not sure but it's worth a try. He wracks his brain for a song he could sing.

" No need to think so hard, it's not everyday you travel this far." He turns around and there stands Venti. " You're thinking of something new to sing, aren't you? There's no need to fuss or huff over a tune. Sing, be it a melody new or old. Sing, let them join your fold." The archon encouraged him with a soft smile. " You can do it." With a coo, he hugs Venti and gives his hair a little nuzzle. " Don't thank me yet. Go on, give it a go."

He makes his way down, carefully approaching the nearest hilichurl resting underneath a tree. He starts to sing, the lyrics of a song he heard from an adventurer from Liyue came easily. It's a simple song, the rhythm is rather catchy but something about it always stirs up a rather weird feeling from Kaeya.

The uncertainty at the start, as he coaxes the half awake hilichurl to accept his call. He succeeds, now walking through the camp entrance with the silhouette of a teenager with him. His initial fears starting to ease as he sings the next verses, the teen grabbing the hand of another and soon formed a chain of silhouettes. He then motions to the nearest hilichurl with his open left hand and they take to it eagerly, unveiling a lady in uniform. From there the chain continued as they walked close to the domain's entrance.

They formed a circle, looking at one another in relief and joy. They glanced upwards, Kaeya follows their eyes and standing above the domain was a cryo abyss mage. Beneath his mask he smiled, turning to the abyss mage and opened his arms. Together with the silhouettes, he calls them down and sings the final verse. The melody had picked up abruptly like a speeding carriage. It made his heart race as he calls louder and louder. Unable to resist, the abyss mage teleports before him with its arms reaching forward desperately.

The silhouette of a man wore robes befitting of a court mage, mouth opening in a gasp as Kaeya spins him around and lets the others grab him into a hug, laughing. He sings his exhilaration, his happiness and the Inteyvats fill the area with their bloom. Other silhouettes now emerged from them and were happily welcoming the newer ones. They fade as his melody comes to a close, bowing to him once more before leaving but the magnificent blooms. As usual he takes a couple more seconds just admire the growing field of flowers he had and let them fade away.

Unbeknownst to himself, three pairs of eyes watched his performance with interest. A bard, who never tires from the display, a bartender, who initially wanted to drag his brother home and a bough keeper, who still finds it difficult to believe what he'd just seen.

Chapter 14

Chapter Text

The Blossom of Reminiscence grows in his palms and he lets his tears drip unto the bloom. The petals peeled back to reveal its contents but instead of an artifact or two, he hears a small yawn. Surprised, he looks down at the little creature sitting in his palm. It had a very small humanoid body, fox like ears and legs with long white hair tied loosely at its very end. The pretty little thing looked at him with the widest smile and floated to his mask.

Startled, Kaeya lets out a cautious thrill to which the little thing ignored and nuzzled his face. " Hello, my liege!" The little thing greets him happily.

" Kaltel." The name rolls off his tongue easily. The little thing yips happily at the sound.

" Yes, that's me!" It sang. " I am Kaltel, an ice faerie and you are my liege." It zipped around him excitedly. He has so many questions for this but couldn't find the words. " My liege, what are your commands?" It sang again, still zipping around.

" What are you?" He garbled. " Where did you come from?"

" I am Kaltel." It repeated, smiling still. " I was born from your dreams." It gazed up to the Blizzard as though he hung the moon. " Ask me anything and I will answer. Command me and I will follow." At the very least, he knows it understands him. He's not entirely sure what to do in this state but figures the little faerie probably won't leave him alone until he gives it something to do.

" I have a dwelling in Dragonspine. Do you know where that is?" It shakes its head. " There." He points to where the snowy mountains laid. " Explore it, look for me when you're finished and only when I'm alone." It salutes him dutifully and flies off. He sighs, thinking what in the hell just happened.

" Kaeya?" Nahida called him cautiously.

' Nahida!' Came the reply, much more enthusiastic than usual. ' Where have you been? Are you alright?' He quickly asks.

" I'm alright. The situation at my end has been dealt with." She informs him, kicking her feet as she dangled above the akademiya on her swing. " I feel, liberated."

' That's good to hear.' Kaeya tells her.

" I'm sorry I haven't been in contact. How are you?" She asks him. " Oh, and I liked the new song."

' I'm okay.' He answered. ' Might've bumped into some trouble but it's all good. Also it's a song I heard from this adventurer from Liyue.'

" It's very nice." She complimented. " I'm sorry I scared you the other day." She says as she grips the sides of her swing

' That's okay.' He answered. ' I'm glad you're back.'

" Nahida!" She looks down to where the Traveller was looking up at her from the closest balcony and waved.

" As always, you're welcome to talk to me about anything."

Kaeya pauses mid step, already on his way back to the winery. ' Nahida, what do you know about faeries?' He finally asked.

" Faeries?" There's a moment of silence and he thinks perhaps she's looking up something. " I'm assuming you don't mean seelies, oceanids, yokai or aranaras?" He doesn't know whatever the hell the last one was but agrees. " I'll see what I can find here at the akademiya. I have access to all the books." She says almost proudly and there's excitement in her tone.

' That's quite a lot of material to got through.'

" I can't wait to do so!" He chuckles at her enthusiasm and smiles to himself.

' As long as you're well rested and you don't overdo it then I'd appreciate your help.' He could see what looks like Razor and Bennett catching crystalflies in the distance.

" I also made a lot of new friends." Nahida cheered. " We're going to have a dinner party together to celebrate our victory." Bennett is trying very hard to catch them and is dangerously close to the cliffs. Kaeya is already running for it.

' That sounds like fun. I hope you have a great time.' He tells her and as predicted the boy stumbled over the cliff while reaching for one of them. Kaeya is quick to leap after him, wings ready to unfurl the moment he commands it. Bennett lets out a surprised yelp as he's scooped up from the air by clawed hands.

The Blizzard flew up, spreading its wings far and wide until they've returned to the cliffs where Razor was watching them with baited breaths. " Bennett!" He exclaimed as the Blizzard landed nearby. " Feather Lupical!" The boy's arms were wrapped around the being's neck and he was shaking. He looks to his friend with wide eyes. Wordlessly, the Blizzard picks up the little wolf with his other arm. " Bennett."

" Razor." They held hands, carefully trying not to disrupt the Blizzard as he carried them away from the cliffs. " That really scared me." The boy chuckled nervously. " Thanks for saving me, Mr Blizzard." The peacock cooed, giving him a little nudge with his mask.

" Feather Lupical, thank you." He couldn't help another coo as his tail rattled and spread behind him. The boys looked up in awe, nestling further into his arms.

Within a few minutes of walking the boys had fallen asleep. The gentle swaying motions of being carried around and the fact that the Blizzard had been humming the whole time must've put them to sleep. He doesn't mind, he thinks as he walks through the woods and the winery was soon within his sights. He hums again, wondering if Diluc would mind him bringing the boys in.

" Kaeya." He whirled around to find said man walking up to him. " Come on, let's get them inside." He follows his brother home without so much as a little garble. He sets them in the spare bedrooms, tucking them in gently with his tail rattling softly. " So." Diluc clicks the doors shut once they've tucked the boys in. " About the thing that you did with the hilichurls." The furs on Kaeya's mane rose. " Relax, I'm not mad at you for leaving the house. I'm just curious is all." Kaeya shrugs, not really sure how he could even begin to explain things. " Then, how about a game of yes or no. I'll make a few guesses and you just nod or shake. Okay?"

Kaeya nods along, a part of him actually thrilled to see what sort of theories could his beloved brother come up with.

" You're not a monster of the Abyss, are you?" He shakes his head, certain of it now. " Did you get hurt often before you came back?" He shakes his head again. " Did you eat enough before this?" He thinks it over, from the berries to the branches and does a so-so gesture. " Did it hurt when you became this?" The Blizzard blinks.

He thinks back to that day at his home. He'd just made some cookies the way Barbara taught him as a surprise for Klee. Granted they weren't evenly shaped, he at least got the taste right. He was heading back to the living room room when it happened. He remembers freezing up, all his muscles tensing and his heart hammered in his chest. His eyes were burning, he staggers forward as he rips away the eye patch and sucked in a deep breath to counter the headaches that came with it. He felt something was changing.

Terrified, he'd called upon his sword. He needed to end it before the curse takes him. Before he could ever hurt anyone. His arm twisted, vines growing from the inside out and wrapped around his arms. He drops to the ground, scratching the floorboards for any kind of purchase as feathers grew from his skull. He gasps and grunted as his other arm turned and was met with silvery claws.

His legs were next, kicking beneath him as bone bended and broke, realigning and mending into the talons they would be known for. He screamed, arching his back as a pair of wings sprouted behind him, his tail fanned out for the first time and his mane encompasses his neck, standing on end. After what felt like hours of agony, he was then 'asleep'. His instincts awoke, tails shifting and rattling as the Blizzard staggered trying to stand on its new legs. It scrambled out of the room quickly and left the entire place completely covered in a layer of frost.

So he nods, as slow as it was. Diluc scowled, cursing under his breath as he runs his hand through his face. " Does anything hurt now?" He shakes his head but paused momentarily.

M-A-W.

" Maw?" Diluc raised a brow and Kaeya hesitates to show him. " Ah," Diluc nodded, understanding. " Don't worry, I'm not scared of you or your crazy maw-thing. Let me see." Kaeya lets the maw, the space between his mask and face, split open. Diluc takes his head, moving it around to see where the damage was. There were scars in the corners that kept the maw together and he figures that's where the weird bough keeper guy cut him. " It looks like it's healing." The Blizzard seals his maw as his brother speaks. " Does it hurt a lot?"

A-C-H-E.

L-I-T-T-L-E.

Diluc hums curiously, hand on his chin." Is the mask part of your face?" Well, he can understand the confusion. Not even he knew how his maw worked. He reaches up, claws barely hovering over it. He shakes his head. " Oh, I see." His brother says. " Then, why?" Kaeya stills momentarily, remembering his own screams just looking at his own face.

M-O-N-S-T-E-R.

He tapped against the wall before pressing the mask closer to his face with a whimper. " Kae, you're not a monster." Diluc moved carefully, pulling him into a warm hug. " Never. Not to me." He hugs him back, a small whimper as he presses his head against his brother's shoulder. " You're not a monster."

Diluc wakes up in the nest again. His brother isn't there but flanking either side of him was Razor and Bennett. He's not even sure if he can move with how the two were practically buried in his sides.

Razor is the first to stir, sitting up with a yawn and doing a big stretch. He stares at Diluc for a good moment, confusion clear on his face before he starts shaking Bennett awake. " I'm up!" The poor boy mumbled, a bit of drool on his face. " Oh, hi Master Diluc." There's a good long pause as Diluc sits up. " Master Diluc?!" Bennett scrambled. " I am so sorry. When did I get here?"

" Kaeya carried you both here." He answered, gathering up his hair to tie it up again.

" Sir Kaeya did?" He looked confused and that was when Diluc figured no one told him yet.

" The Blizzard." The wine tycoon helpfully supplied.

" The Blizzard..." His eyes start to widen. " Sir Kaeya's the Blizzard?"

Chapter 15

Chapter Text

Much of Mondstat's hilichurl camps were either already being dealt with by the knights or by the Blizzard. Kaeya knows that he simply couldn't just stick to Mondstadt alone. Should all the camps disappear then the Abyss Order would get suspicious and he already has enough problems from it in the form of a blonde bough keeper. He'd caught the man spying on him after purifying a camp near Windrise and immediately booked it. What the man wanted with him specifically he had no clue.

He finds himself standing over the borders of his nation and that of Liyue. Before him is a cliff, Sal Terrae's waters reflecting back at him. He observes the lawachurl from afar, uncertain if he should really approach it.

" Not everyone will be willing to listen to the call." He shudders, looking around for the source of the voice but finds nothing.

Still, that is one of his people. He knows its soul is there, laid bare in the confines of its abyssal cocoon. He climbs down the rocky edge, the ground seemed to buzz at his touch with a different energy compared to Mondstadt. It was heavier, richer in a way, denser more suitably. He coats his talons in ice, the cryo energy freezing the waters at the first step.

He thrills curiously at the expedience of his abilities. He walks over the water with a hum, making his way over to the lawachurl stationed on the island ahead of him. He was in no rush and just as he gets closer, he hears the strange voice again.

" Show them your strength." His hand itches for his sword but holds back. He tests a few notes, whistling loud enough to garner its attention. While it was surprised and did gaze at him as curiously as the other hilichurls did before, there was something else in its eye.

It grunted, hurling a rock at Kaeya to which the Blizzard evades quickly. It roars at him a challenge, his tail rattled and mane fluffed up, he returns it with his own cry. He resists calling upon his sword, flexing his claws as he sheaths them in ice. Fine, he thought. " You have my full attention." Kaeya says, but it comes out as nothing but nonsensical garbles to common ears.

Light amber eyes watched the battle with keen interest. The smaller being was faster with a wide skillset clearly in its wake as it runs over the water. Each step turning the water into ice upon contact. It was clearly smarter and stronger than it seemed, playing along with the lawachurl's movements. However, it seems to be observing something as it counters the lawachurl.

" Yield." It said to the larger beast but it refused and the smaller one catches its arm, flipping over their shoulder till it landed on its back with a loud thud. " Yield!" It demanded. Though its voice would be nothing more than nonsensical garbles to mortal ears, the adeptus could hear the conviction in its voice.

The lawachurl roars, trying to throw it aside but it holds on to the arm and lands on its feet with a hiss. There's a sharp rattling sound and it raises it tail, spreading it out threateningly as it snapped its maw.

" Yield!" It ordered and the lawachurl finally relents, kneeling down. The being sealed back its maw and what comes next was nothing short of incredible. A wordless melody takes to the air, the sound waved and rising like smoke from a dying flame. It was a call of sorts, one that beckons the separation of the smoke from its embers, of the end of an agonizing moment. Like the very last breaths of a mortal before fading away to the skies. Xiao's eyes widened, a sharp gasp breathed through his lips as he watched the lawachurl's form crumble away like shedded skin. Holding onto the smaller being's wrist was the silhouette of a woman.

The being kneels with her, its melody continues with its call. The silhouette hugs it closely and soon disappear with nothing more but a flower where they once stood. It repeats its melody elongating the notes as though to savour the moment. The song ends and the flower vanishes.

" Incredible." The being raises its head in alarm and only then did the adeptus take notice just how much closer he's gotten to observe it. Xiao kept his steeled expression, giving the being a look of vague interest but still watchful. He watches as its tail seemed to rustle uncomfortably, making that rattling noise he's been hearing throughout the battle. The mane around its neck puffed up a little and somehow it reminded Xiao of a cautious bird. " I'm not going to attack you."

" Considering your vantage point, that's not very comforting." The being garbled and buzzed.

" Would you prefer if I came down?" The yaksha asked him mockingly and received a surprised squawk.

" You can understand me?" It says, taking a step back.

" Do not think so lowly of me, beast." The adeptus warned. " Understanding you is the bare minimum of what I can truly do."

" Easy now, I'm not trying to pick a fight." It holds up its hands in a placating way, the gesture seemed so...human. " There aren't a lot of people I can name who can actually tell what I'm saying." Xiao glares at it, how its easy going manner seemed to come easily as putting on a mask.

" I am a being who deals with death. It is my duty to investigate all suspicious happenings that relate to spiritual situations in Liyue. You will answer me truthfully or face my wrath." The adeptus stood tall, mask adorned and spear ready in hand should the being before it step out of line. Its tail seemed to flicker, shoulders tensing as its wings unfolded but stayed pressed against its back.

It was nervous.

" If you run, I will catch you." Xiao warned with a thump of his staff against the tree trunk for emphasis.

" Now, now, no need to be so offensive, good sir. We could at least get a little more acquainted, shouldn't we?" With practiced ease, it settles its tail and folds back its wings into capes. " My name is Kaeya, from Mondstadt." He introduced himself with a short bow. " To whom do I owe the pleasure?"

" Adeptus Xiao." The adeptus growled and Kaeya felt like he's about to be skewed. " If not for my own curiosity, I would have you killed by my own hand for merely stepping into Liyue's borders."

" Harsh." Kaeya coughed, hand reaching up where his mouth should be. " Sorry, that was rude."

" Tell me, beast." Xiao says, voice low. " What did you do with that lawachurl?"

" I would explain it to you if I could but my words fail me." He chuckled nervously. " I think the best way I can describe it is giving them peace." Xiao jumped down, his spear hitting the ground with such force that it causes it to crack.

" Peace?" The adeptus echoed darkly. Kaeya steps back, his bird brain warning him of the danger. " You dare speak of peace? A monster like you?" He flinches harder than intended.

" I am not a monster." His voice shook as he spoke, heart racing. His wings fluttering a little to cover his face. " I am not a monster." He repeated a little more firmly now but his eyes don't leave the adeptus. Xiao stares at him for a good long while before sighing.

" That song earlier. I've never heard it before. Was it a spell?" He asks in a more patient tone, something in his gaze had soften.

" No, not really." He answered. " Like I said, I'm not very good at putting it to terms." The adeptus gives him a good stare.

" Fine. Meet me here again tomorrow, Kaeya. If you feel that you are in any danger then call out my name. Adeptus Xiao." The adeptus looked to him expectantly as he cocks his head curiously at it.

" Adeptus Xiao." Kaeya repeats. The adeptus spares him one last glance before disappearing. After a few seconds, Kaeya allowed himself to shiver. His mane fuffed up, wings raised and tail rattling as he spreads it open. That was scary, his bird brain is going nuts.

He scrambles back to his territory, rushing straight through Dragonspine. He ignores any knights or anyone that he passes by, startling a few of them. He even walks past Albedo who tried to greet him but seemed just as surprised. He climbs back up his abode, finding a certain little faerie there fixing up the scratched walls.

" My liege?" Kaeya gave it a startled hiss before immediately flopping into his nest. Kaltel was not dismayed, a soft expression on his face as he quietly approached the distressed being. " My liege, are you alright?" He asks quietly. " You're all fluffy." Kaeya growls something under his breath, hastily grabbing at his mane and trying to soothe it. Frowning, the little fairy zipped off and straight out of the cave.

Within a few minutes, he feels the wind over his back and dares to glance at the entrance where not only has his faerie returned but brought along a couple guests. " Big brother Kaeya?" He freezes again at the sight of Klee, the little girl bounding up to him immediately. " Woah, you're super fluffy!" She marveled and he affords a little nervous chuckle. " You're shaking." She noted but he shakes his head. Had he been able to speak more, he would've assured that he was fine. That it was just a little chilly even though the cave was rather comfortably warm.

" Maybe he's cold, little knight." Venti says. " Give him a hug."

" It's okay, Big brother Kaeya. Klee's here to help!" She wasted no time climbing into the nest despite his startled chirps and buzzes. " Wrap your arms around me! We gotta get you all warmed up."

" Be careful, little elf. His Majesty is still a little frazzled." The faerie tells her.

" Okay!" She sat herself comfortably close to Kaeya as he awkwardly picks her up into a hug.

" I have to say, it surprised me when this little faerie of yours found me." Venti chuckled and a smile formed on his lips. " Klee, why don't you tell him how we met the faerie."

" Kaltel!" The faerie added.

" Right. So, um," Klee began. " I was with Razor and we were going to see the big wolfie at the domain and then Master Tone-deaf Bard was there too! We had a berry picnic after that and Razor said he needed to go hunting." Venti carefully crept up behind the Blizzard and lightly touched his wings. Kaeya bristled but only for a moment before letting them spread, letting Venti preen him. " I wanted to go too but Razor said 'Klee make fire too big and scare prey.' then Master Tone-deaf Bard said he actually needed my help to go fishing and we went fish blasting."

Kaeya seemed to garble a little in concern to that. " Most of the fish swam away before we even got there." Venti chuckled, putting the being at ease.

" Yeah! Then, Kaltel flew up to us and said 'His Majesty Kaeya Albreich needs our help!' so, Master Tone-deaf Bard took my hand and woosh!" She makes an arrow like motion with her hand, emphasizing the swiftness of it all. " We ended up all the way in Dragonspine. I got really dizzy." He gives a concerned tail rattle and garble, looking Klee over. " I'm okay, nothing's spinning anymore." She continues to talk about her day, where she went with Razor before that, the letters she was writing to Alice and the Traveller. Within a few minutes, she was fast asleep in his arms, tucked close against his chest as his tail wrapped around them both protectively.

" You still up?" Kaeya nodded lazily as Venti moved on to his hair. " If I may ask. What's gotten you all riled up like this? Your instincts cannot be dismissed."

The Blizzard groaned but knew there was no way to keep it all in. He felt oddly secure with Venti, so he told him of his purification of the lawachurl. Then, of the adeptus known as Xiao. Venti sighed, recognising the adeptus already.

" Xiao's true form is that of an illuminated beast. In some ways, he would be similar to a falcon or something similar. It's no wonder your instincts went haywire." Venti explained. " Will you be okay meeting him tomorrow? He's a stickler for being on time."

" It's better if I get this over with. Better than him chasing me down." He didn't like the image of being hunted. It made it sound so...inhuman.

" Alright." The bard says softly. " If you ever need me, just ask."

Chapter 16

Chapter Text

" What is that?" Xiao glared at the little thing floating next to Kaeya.

" Name's Kaltel." The faerie spoke with a gruffness that Kaeya has never heard before. " I'm keeping watch over my liege." It said boldly.

" Please don't mind him too much." Kaeya began with a nervous chuckle. " He wouldn't leave me be."

" I'm just making sure you're safe, my liege." The faerie says defiantly.

" I wasn't aware you were a person of position." Xiao scoffed.

" Trust me, this is new." Kaeya garbled as the faerie hissed at the adeptus. " Kaltel, please."

" It's fine." The adeptus waves off his spear, letting Kaeya's mane smooth out considerably. " I only want to ask a few things and it seems our first meeting was less than ideal."

" Understatement." Kaltel's tail swayed in irritation.

" Kaltel..." Kaeya sighed as the faerie huffed and floated back. " I can't guarantee you that I have all the answers. All of this is still new to me, if you would believe it." Xiao tilts his head, staring back at the eight foot masked being who was currently trying to make himself look smaller.

" No." The adeptus turned. " If you're still uncomfortable then we can meet another time. Whenever you're ready, call my name." With that, the adeptus vanished as quickly as he arrived. Kaeya sighed, letting his wings unfold and stretch.

He sits himself down and got to preening to calm himself down. Kaltel silently helped him, reaching spots he couldn't and humming a tune under his breath as he worked. Had he been human, he'd have the confidence to engage in a little foreplay. He'd probably poke and prod the adeptus with all he could to get a reaction, a read on him. But, as he is now, with his instincts sharper than ever, more animalistic and behaviourally inclined, he simply couldn't. His bird brain was practically taking breathing exercises to get over such fears. His tail rattles behind him, shifting uncomfortably.

He makes it back up the cliff borders, some parts of his tail and mane are still on edge but he could handle it. Kaltel helped smoothed them out with some of his own pyro energy. Having paid close attention to the night prior, he talks about the things he found on the mountain when Kaeya asked him to explore. He talks about his little promise with Klee to hang out at the condition she doesn't blow him up with a bomb. They were heading back to the nest at a casual pace, the walk helping to keep his thoughts in check.

" Kaeya Albreich." Once again, the fur on his mane stood on end. He dares to glance to his side where Dainsleif emerged from the shade of the trees. This must be what those Fatui felt when he hunted them. " Please, I don't mean you any harm." Over his shoulder Kaltel hissed, baring his fangs.

" Back off, tainted one." The little faerie growled but the man made no indication of hearing him.

" Lord Regent, I swear to you that I've come purely to converse." Kaltel growled at him but Kaeya hovers a clawed hand protectively over the faerie, a hiss building in his throat as he steps back.

" My liege?" Kaltel says, surprised at the protective display. His tail rattles a pure warning, the metallic tips clashing together sharply. While he had been heavily intimidated by Xiao, he was rightfully within the adeptus' territory. It was his blunder to name. This snake however, is in his territory, his Mondstadt. He will not abide.

" I understand your distaste for me." Dainsleif began. " I was...impulsive. I've brought you to harm and threatened your brother." Kaeya's maw splits open with a short shriek. " Lord Albreich, please. Hear me out."

" Leave." Kaltel says in a low voice. " You are stepping over our territory. Leave." The little faerie growled as Kaeya snapped his jaws. Dainsleif observes them for a good while before sighing, taking a few steps back himself.

" Alright, I understand." Kaeya's rattling lowers but doesn't cease. " You have my sincerest apologies for taking up your time, Lord Albreich. Until we meet again." With that, he was gone but Kaeya still didn't feel safe.

How did he not sense them? Both Dainsleif and Xiao were able to surprise him despite his new instincts. He could detect where the hilichurls were, whoever was close enough to him. That's why he didn't mind when Diluc was watching him. He knew Venti was an archon, so it was permissable. Had he gone soft? Was his guard so low? He can't exactly hold back the distress call this time.

Venti appears near instantly and takes his side. " Don't do that." He chided the peacock as he attempted to muffle its own chirps.

" My liege is stubborn." Kaltel huffs, trying to soothe his mane. " He thinks it's embarrassing." The little faerie yelped as one of Kaeya's tails swatted at it but missing.

" There's nothing wrong in asking for help." Venti says, rubbing circles on his back. Kaeya doesn't give in much, letting out an annoyed buzz instead. " Did Xiao scare you?" A small chirp could be heard. " A little but that's not why you're so shaken up." Venti hummed. " Do you want to go back to your nest?" He shakes his head. " Then?"

" We're closed." Diluc says as the door swings open. It's incredibly late at night and all the patrons have left. He's just about to close up as well.

" Aw, Master Diluc." Venti drawled. " Not even for our poor cavalry captain?" He turns to them sharply, finding Kaeya ducking under the door hastily to get in.

" Kaeya." Diluc quickly ushered him inside and locked the doors. " What are you doing in the middle of the city?" He hissed at them with a scowl. Kaeya whined, his tail shifted uncomfortably and he hid himself behind one of the timber supports. " Kaeya?" He looks to Venti as the bard quietly approaches the Blizzard.

" Something's startled him." The bard says, trying to soothe his mane. " His bird brain isn't letting him have any peace." Diluc pursed his lips and was immediately by his brother's side.

" Kae? Hey, it's me. Sorry for being mean earlier. What's wrong?" He asked him, Kaeya untangled himself and reaches for him hesitantly. Diluc lets him take his time, his own hesitance shining through as Kaeya rests his head over the former's shoulder.

D-A-I-N-S-L-E-I-F

" Dainsleif?" Diluc whispered, his mind supplies him with blue star like eyes and blonde hair. He grits his teeth, pulling Kaeya closer. " Did he hurt you?" The Blizzard shook his head, wings unfolding immediately and curling around them both. " It's okay, you're safe. I'm right here." He reassures him, carding his hair as Venti did his wings. He no longer flinches at the fingers touching his hair, instead leaning further into Diluc's hold. " You're okay. You'll be alright." He repeated, smoothing his hair down.

Rosaria is quick to break in through the back door, having spotted Kaeya scrambling about earlier. She helps Venti preen the other wing, sometimes holding Kaeya's hand when he reaches for it. The nun found no injuries on him but saw the way he was curling. Diluc shoots her a look she recognised as presenting a target. He'd fill her in the details later, especially now that she and a few others know more about Kaeya's secret.

They were able to sneak him out of Mondstadt with Venti's help and get him back to his nest at the winery instead. Kaeya would be skittish for a couple days but does continue wandering around Mondstadt to look for hilichurls to cleanse. They gave him plenty of ley branches of course, much to his pleasure. This time, he would be openly joined by someone.

Most days, it would be Venti, sometimes Diluc or Rosaria. Today however, he was accompanied by none other than Albedo. The alchemist was eager to follow him around, ready to take note of anything. " The chalk man is concerning me, my liege." Kaltel whispers.

As it seems, adults can't really see the faerie. Aside from adepti and archons, Kaltel would remain invisible to them. " He's just curious, Kaltel." He reassures the little faerie as it buries itself into Kaeya's mane.

" That's the sort of excuses I came up with when the sages used to interrogate me." Nahida spoke up. " If you are uncomfortable, then you should make it known." He sighs, Albedo catching hint of this as the being bristles his tail.

" Sorry, am I staring too much?" The alchemist asks. Kaeya's tail flicks about in mild agitation, answering for him. " Right. Sorry." The Blizzard hates it when his friends sound sad, it makes him feel sad in turn. While he'd usually play off a flirtatious joke or two as a human, he can't exactly do so as he is now. Or could he?

He circles Albedo in mock curiosity, his gaze focused on the homunculus with intent. He struts around, twirling here and there, basically showing off. He knows very well despite how he looks, he's still practically the prettiest bluenette to ever walk on Mondstat's grounds. He spreads out his tail feathers in full display, this time for show instead of intimidation.

He watched as Albedo's eyes widen, in absolute awe of his feathers and its many eyes. Not once did the homunculus cower under its brilliance. " Beautiful." Kaeya squawked, closing his tail shut and rattles them. " Clearly, I can't draw you in three simple strokes anymore." The Blizzard tilts his head, trying to configure if the homunculus had actually attempted a joke. " Can I see it again?"

Despite all the ways Kaeya flaunts himself, he finds it astonishing that someone was asking to see them aside from Klee or Venti. Diluc had shown some interest to it but never really said, Rosaria teases him about it more often then not and Kaltel admires it.

" I suppose this chalk man at least has good eyes." The little faerie thought. Kaeya scoffs at that, subtly tucking the faerie back into his mane by grooming it a little. He spreads his tail again, this time Albedo seems to take all his focus on every little detail etched upon it.

" Did you...wake up with all this?" He asked as Kaeya folds his tail back in place. The Blizzard nods to this after thinking for a good moment. It was really weird waking up with a mane, capes that turn into wings and a technically sentient tailcoat. " Do you mind?" He gestures to the tail and Kaeya lends him one. " Interesting." He hummed, looking it over carefully. " The fabric is rather thick, patterns seem to be imprinted somehow." It reminded him of delicate frost, really. The kind that blankets over trees during winter like a safety blanket. Light and feathery, cold but gentle. " Is this steel?" He inspects the edges now which were laced with some metallic material, possibly one of the causes of the metallic rustles Kaeya could do for intimidation. The tail swipes out of his hands and he's about to apologize when he notices the Blizzard's defensive position.

Ahead of them were at least three rifthounds. His tail rattled loudly, the metallic ends bristling and clanging together in warning. The rifthounds growled, Albedo could see faint essences of geo energy on them. Like all other creations of his master, he doesn't resent them. It is a pitiful existence, truly. To look and feel so incomplete, to know that they're missing components that would make them at least feel more like the wolves they were meant to be.

He could sympathise in a way but it is no excuse to allow them to cause harm in Mondstadt. Kaeya crouches down, maw split open and hissing loudly. Albedo glances behind them where another two rifthounds stood. Kaeya snapped his jaws at them as well, his tail fanned out and rustling.

" As a being that is no more beast than man, and no more man than beast. One would say such an existence could be a bridge between two different creatures." Kaeya twitches slightly at the unknown voice in his ears. Kaltel is peaking out of his mane in anticipation.

A long howl echoed through the sky and the rifthounds each stopped growling. Another rifthound, a little larger and chipped in some places moves forward. Kaeya hisses at it to step back and it growls, sending him a few snaps of its own jaw. Kaeya sits up straighter, head held high as he recognises the challenge. He uses his tail to push Albedo back as he laces his talons and claws in ice. The rifthounds separated them but none dared to attack the homunculus, instead forming a rather wide circle around the other two creatures.

Then it clicked for Albedo, this was a duel.

Chapter 17

Chapter Text

He's read plenty of reports of the attacks upon the Fatui camps. Jagged yet clean cuts from some unknown weapon, chunks of flesh missing, deep claw cuts and puncture wounds. The first few cases were the messiest. Absolute malice and bloodshed left in his wake, not a single trace could ever lead back to him. The cases following so grew gradually milder, the more extreme wounds resulted in quicker deaths and more victims died to drowning instead. As though the Blizzard grew more efficient but kind, still as merciless as ever.

Albedo isn't sure what to make of the absolute ferocity displayed before him in the duel. Diluc has mentioned Kaeya taking down a ruin guard with both a Favonian Sword and an ice one provided by his own vision. It was like he lets himself slip into a state of pure wild instinct. Yet, even here he could see the glimpses of his cunning mind.

He's getting a hold of his instincts, he thought. Fast and efficient, a deadly combination for any being in battle. Be it man or beast. For Kaeya, he's a little bit of both. There's hissing and growling, ice and geo thrown around.

The rifthound makes a decisive strike, just about grazing the Blizzard who hissed upon the cut. Blood drips to the ground and before their eyes grew an Inteyvat. This startles even the rifthounds who reel back with surprised yips and barks. Albedo catches a gasp from somewhere, or rather a sharp inhale and sees a blonde head of hair from afar, watching the fight with identical eyes. Kaeya doesn't waste anytime, calling out a wave of ice that traps the rifthound, rendering it immobile.

The rifthound growls, snapping its jaws and struggling in a futile attempt to break free. Kaeya lifts himself up, standing on his talons in full height with his wings and tail spread behind him. He lets out a haunting shriek, one that causes the other rifthounds to whine and step back. In pure fear, the trapped rifthound breaks itself out but couldn't so much as take a step back.

It whined, turning its head to the side as it no longer has the energy to even float. Kaeya rattles his tail and approaches it, with one swift motion, his maw is directly under the rifthound's neck. Like many living things, they too guard the weaknesses located in their necks. Kaeya could bite down, his jaw strength should be strong enough to go through the stone and metal. Instead he draws back, still hissing from his maw and rattling his tail.

The rifthound looked astonished, lowering its head with a whimper until its on the ground whining. His maw sealed shut and tail lowered as he regards the rifthound with a long stare. Both their gazes then turn to the Inteyvat blooming wherever his blood had fallen to the ground and Albedo swears he could see emotion swirling in its eyes. It raises its head with a small whine, daring to hope.

" I know your eyes." Kaeya said to it, his wings lowering. " I know who made you." He crouches down to face it at eye level. " And I understand. What you were made for." Though his blood had stopped, the Inteyvat stayed intact, blooming beautifully. " You were made, for us." Kaltel gasps, how gentle his liege sounded as he reaches forward to the rifthounds. " Our protectors, companions. You, are ours." It closes its eyes as Kaeya touched its snout, leaning into his clawed hands with a small whine. " And we, are yours."

The first notes of the wordless melody were long and drawn out. A four part vocal harmony that waved and echoed through the night, resembling the musical nature of a wolf's howl. At his feet, a wide patch of Inteyvats grew and with it came the previous silhouettes of the people of Kha'enriah. In his hold, the rifthound returned the melodic howl with its own, mimicking its tune.

It raised its head, the Inteyvats at its feet gleaming the golden hue of geo and continues to howl. Even as the abyssal energy at its core washes away and a soft wavy blue like liquid skies washed over it. The rifthound's body seemed to compress into a smaller sturdier form as it now stood tall, head pressed against the Blizzard's in a familial way. But, as it opened its eyes, they could see star shaped pupils gracing the geo infused stone.

It howled, long and wide. Albedo is entranced by how beautiful it was. The silhouettes approached the rifthound, petting it and looking at it with awe and adoration. The other rifthounds were beckoned near and the moment they stepped into the field of Inteyvats, their eyes were graced by the same star that once scorned their people. Kaeya sang for as long as he could but no song lasts forever. He lets the flowers and silhouettes disappear but the wolves remained as they were. They sat around him, brushing against him and leaning into as many pets as he could give them. He hadn't expected them to be so affectionate.

" What are you?" Both Albedo and Subject Two say at the same time. They exchanged a single glance to one another, hands mirrored and hovering over their swords. Kaeya makes a buzzing sound, looking between the two. The first wolf barks an order and the two were surrounded. " Kaeya, I'm still me." Albedo says firmly. The revelation that the being before them is Kaeya Albreich does surprise Subject Two, who reacted mildly in surprise.

" What have you done? You dare tamper around with these...mistakes." He sneers.

" Speak for yourself." Albedo spits back with a glare.

' Nahida, I'm stuck in a complicated situation.' He says internally. ' Insight, please.'

" Describe the situation." She asks him. He relays the two Albedos, the complicated and confusing case he read over from Eula's report and the currently bickering pair. " I'll call for the traveler to see what she thinks. Can you get them to stay in place?" Kaeya stands up and walks over to the pair. He picks them up wordlessly, Albedo in his arms while Subject Two ended up wrapped in his tail as he forces them both to sit, surrounded by the wolves.

' Done. So, what kind of name should I think of for the new wolves?' He asks her.

" They were once rifthounds, yes?" Nahida says. " Incomplete to their biological counterparts. So, why not name them after the wolves? Rift wolves." She suggested.

" What do you think?" He garbled as he sorts through Albedo's hair to the wolves. " Rift wolves." Two of them were flanked on either side of him, one each sat on the two homunculi. With the lack of shouting, he assumes they've both settled down.

" I have the traveller with me." Nahida announced. " Here's what she knows." She relays what she could to Kaeya as he kept a firm grasp of Subject Two trapped in the sturdy fabric of his tail coat.

" Release me, you enormous chicken!" He demanded, thrashing around uselessly as Albedo remained as still as possible in Kaeya's arms.

" I don't think Kaeya's with us right now." The alchemist says calmly. " They did mention his instincts may take over at times."

" Then why do I have to be wrapped up like this?" Albedo spares him a glance, he's upside down.

" You look like a fussy fox kit." Albedo scoffed.

" Shut up." The other growled.

" Have you figured out a new name for yourself yet?" Albedo asked him.

" I'll take yours!" The other continued to thrash around. " Your entire life. I'll take it all."

" Why not just have your own life?" Albedo wondered.

" Shut up." The other growled again. " You really think I could make something of myself when you're the perfect one? Mother threw me away. She put me inside a dragon."

" And we still call her Mother." Albedo scoffed.

" The city will burn and you with it." The other threatened but it falls on deaf ears.

" Kaeya probably won't let that happen." He replies calmly. " Speaking of, how is it that you haven't broken out yet? He's not holding you that tight, is he?" The other silent. " Are you choosing to stay here?"

" Of course not!" The other snapped.

" Then?"

" Just..." He trails off. " Nothing hurts when he's close."

" Right?" Albedo scoffed.

" Why do you sound like that?"

" Like what?"

" Human." They sat in silence as the words sink in. " I want to be human."

" Who says you couldn't be?" Albedo tells him. " Mother left us here." The alchemist says bitterly.

" Mother let us die." The other says as equally bitter. " What kind of name should I pick?" Albedo hums, thinking.

" Dorian?"

" Dorian." The other repeats. " As in, based off Durin."

" Too much?"

" No." The other sighed. " Dorian's fine." He hums again.

" Do you have any hobbies?" Albedo asks. " Things you like to do. Specifically ones that don't explicitly include my death, destroying Mondstadt and revenge." He explained. " For example, I like to draw and paint."

" I prefer music." The other replied.

" That's nice." Kaeya shifts, placing them both down as he stretches. The wolves rise with him and he looks down at the duo who were now awfully quiet. " Are you back with us, Kaeya?" The being tilts his head at them and they figured that perhaps his bird brain is still in the works.

" I don't think he's there." Dorian says. " Hey, chicken thing. Can you give us a response?" He snaps his fingers in front of the being. Kaeya leans forward, causing Dorian to freeze in place. He bumps his mask against his head and leans away, leaving the homunculus confused.

" Ah, a forehead kiss." Albedo remarks passively. " What? Why?" Dorian looks between his sort of brother and the tall thing in front of him. Kaeya pats his head next. " Stop that." He tries to swat the hand away but to no avail. He can't deny that it feels nice, the hand is cool but it makes him feel warm.

" You're hurting, aren't you?" Both homunculus snap their heads towards the voice. Nestled among the fluffy mane was a small creature, barely the size of a crystalfly looking at them with beady eyes. " We can smell it off you. The poison. It hurts, right?" The little thing flies up to him as Kaeya garbles something. " My liege says that he could help you if you want. Either him or the traveller."

" The traveller?" Albedo echoed.

" Yeah, she can purify this stuff too. But, we heard you don't like her so my liege was wondering if you'd be okay with him helping you." The little thing said. " Oh, and I'm Kaltel. A faerie." Kaeya garbles something and the faerie narrows his gaze at them. " And no, you're not allowed to examine or experiment on me."

" Is that what you did for them?" Dorian asked. " These rifthounds..."

" Rift wolves." Kaltel corrected him. " They're now called rift wolves."

" You do realise that Rhinedottir is the one who created them. For you to be tampering with her creations..." He warned.

" Were they not discarded?" Kaltel remarked and Kaeya buzzed at him in a chiding manner. " They are pitiful creatures but they chose to be saved. They asked for our help." The faerie floated closer. " What do you want?"

" I want..." Dorian breathed. " I want help."

Chapter 18

Chapter Text

Klee loved visiting her big brothers in Dragonspine. Albedo would always give her snacks, draw together and help her make new bombs to try out. He's the best!

Kaeya was fun as always. He could fly around, give her pretty trinkets, let her play with his hair and even use his ice to put out the fires Klee's bombs made so she wouldn't get in trouble. He still writes her survival rules too and she follows every single one to the letter. And Kaltel was always there. He's super nice and helps Klee reach the cookies on the top shelf. They're the best!

The little elf gasped as he looked up at not one, not two but three big brothers. When they introduced big brother Dorian, Klee was ecstatic and immediately dragged him off to go fish blasting. There was no stopping the little elf and Dorian learned this quickly. Nearby, he could hear the Blizzard following them through the cover of ice and snow.

It'd been about a week since he'd gotten himself a new name, a week living with Albedo and under the careful eye of the Blizzard and its little faerie. He didn't have a vision like the other two and because of his structural make up being rather different than them, he was also much more susceptible to the cold. Thus his attire had to be changed.

They've sent his measurements to the tailors and even materials the Blizzard provided. Where he got all those pelts were never asked. Lest they trigger his bird brain to react accordingly. Currently he was wearing one of Kaeya's old coats from he was younger, much to Diluc's dismay.

" Big brother Dorian, when do you think you'll get a vision?" Klee asked as they travelled to one of the nearby lakes. It was near spring, so most of the ice had melted away a bit.

" I don't know, Klee." He answers calmly.

" Well, I hope it's a pyro vision. Then, we can match!" She says happily.

" Maybe it will be." He chuckled, already growing fond of her. She was just, so small and energetic. " What if it's not a pyro, what then?"

" Then..." Klee trailed off, thinking hard. " I don't know. What do you like?" People really like asking him things like this. He's not accustomed to it, understandably.

" I don't know either." He repeats. A familiar rattle could be heard and Dorian spared a glance to where the Blizzard should be but finds none other than Kaltel flying up to them.

" Hello, you two!" Kaltel waved. " My liege has a bit of business to tend to so he's yours truly to watch over you."

" Really? You came to play with us?" Klee gasped.

" Of course, my little elf!" The faerie visibly gushed at how cute she was. " Come on! I know a good place to test out new bombs. Are you familiar with the king of board?" Klee shakes her little head and the faerie grinned. " The meat is super good, we could make all sorts of fun foods with them. Wanna help?"

" Yes, please!" The little elf jumped up in excitement.

" Isn't that a little dangerous?" Dorian whispered to the faerie.

" Hm? It's fine! Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to the little elf." At the pondering of the term, Dorian feels a few sets of eyes watching and dares to look up. Eyes gleaming with geo stared back as the rift wolves watched them dutifully.

" The seeds you've handed me are inert." Albedo tells the being as he returned the strange, gem like seeds to him. " You got them from the Blossom of Reminiscence?" He nods. " I don't know what it is but perhaps it comes from another world."

" Or possibly predating his existence." Nahida adds. " I've found some records regarding faeries and like the Aranaras, they have a strong connection to Irminsul and dreams. You're very similar to me. In a way."

' Unconventionally...' Kaeya thought. ' Though, I'm quite certain my existence is very closely tied to Kha'enriah.' He relays all this to Albedo as best he can without revealing who Nahida was.

" Maybe it is." Albedo says, looking thoughtful. " I heard about all the souls you've saved and what you did for Dorian and the rift wolves, it's like you were made for us." Kaeya bristled uncomfortably, shifting his bird feet.

' That's heavy...' He rattles his tail a little to show displeasure.

" It's okay, Kaeya. We'll figure it out together." Nahida says sweetly. " Maybe if we gave it to Miss Lisa? Electro does help plants grow."

' Albedo has tried that.' Kaeya sighed. ' It's alright.' He thanks both Nahida and Albedo, the latter by tapping out the word against his work bench.

He makes his way to the winery, feeling the urge to visit his brother. He knocks on the door, most workers had gotten used to him wandering around. Especially since he does ward off any unwanted creatures with his mere presence.

" Master Kaeya, welcome!" Adelinde greeted him as he ducked under the door with a cheerful thrill. " Master Diluc is attending a business meeting in the city. Do you need anything?" He tilts his head and shrugs. He gestures to the general space of the house with a little rustle of his tail. " Of course you can wander around. This is still your home." She says warmly. A happy coo vibrated in his throat as he nuzzles his head on her shoulder, his personal show of affection just for her. Adelinde was so happy the brothers reconciled and continue to support each other even in such conditions. It warms her heart. " Do you need anything for lunch? I'll even make you your favourite soup." She offered but as usual, he rejects it with a shake of his head.

She sighs internally, the poor boy hadn't eaten anything in front of her. Most times he'd run off elsewhere, decline or eat alone in his locked room. Kaeya was already going upstairs as Adelinde watched him wander around like a curious little bird. She wonders what he usually eats or if he can eat. It aches thinking about his condition, no matter how healthy he seemed. But, she cannot despair. Not when he's walking around before her, behaving no differently than he was before. She missed his pretty starry eyes.

Kaeya ventured into Diluc's room, humming to himself. He's always drawn to his brother, places he frequents and being around him in general. The guiding flame he's always known since he was young. But, it feels that there's more to it. He wonders what it is. He sniffs out something foul in the air. He ignores it for now, looking around his brother's room for anything to prank him with. He remembers leaving one seed to Diluc to check if there was anything he could figure out about it with his sources.

Speaking of plants, he had a dream last night. Usually his dreams are difficult to remember, the last thing he could recall was simply the name of his constellation. But not this time. Last night he dreamt of flowers, carved and hand crafted beautifully, resembling that of glass or crystals. He sees the flowers growing by themselves near the head of a sleeping girl. Really, those plants looked...tasty.

" I hope you're not snooping around for no reason." Diluc says as he enters the room. Unapologetically, Kaeya immediately knocks over one of the books on the lamp desk with his tail.

S-E-E-D.

" About that," He reaches into his pocket and in his hand was a beautiful, jewel like lamp grass. " I don't exactly know what happened but it bloomed." He hands the flower over to the being. " Not exactly sure what happened but I sort of woke up to it just being there after I fell asleep on my desk."

Kaeya inspects it carefully, looking around it. " That looks tasty." A voice says, another one of the 'Occelli'. He can't help but agree. He's about to open his maw when he glances at Diluc, the other seemed to be waiting for him to finish his analysis passively. He recalls the first time his brother saw his maw, the horror on his face was a sight he detests. He could remove his mask, possibly.

No. He finally decides. He'd rather do anything but remove his mask. He turns away, maw splitting open and consumes the flower in one bite.

" So, is it just supposed to be your food?" His brother looked concerned and Kaeya shrugs. " Then why'd you eat them?!"

T-A-S-T-Y.

" Seriously?" He looks exasperated, running a hand through his face. " What does it taste like?" He finally asked, curious.

C-I-D-E-R.

" And ley line branches taste like wine?" It was meant as a joke, clearly with the way he scoffed. But, Kaeya nods regardless. Diluc blinks slowly. " Holy shit, we've been enabling you." Materials are still left behind even after purifications, meaning he had plenty of ley branches stashed away somewhere. Not counting how many literally everyone else brings him.

N-O-T.

D-R-U-N-K.

" Still no. No more ley line branches." Kaeya huffs, turning to Diluc's bed with what he could feel was probably a glare. " Don't do it." He warned, Kaeya steps closer to the bed. " Don't you do it." He flexes his talons. " Kaeya, I had to replace that mattress the last time you did this." His brother scoffs, clearly the red head has the money anyways. " No. Don't you dare." He puts one bird foot on the mattress, talons easily tearing through the sheets and covers. " Kaeya!" Like a petty cat, he stands on the bed and tears up the rest of it. " It's literally sundown, I can't get a replacement at this hour." He groaned in dismay as Kaeya finally gets down but the damage was already done. " I hate you."

Kaeya lets out a little buzz, shrugging as he takes one untouched pillow and hands it over to Diluc. There wasn't anything the man could do to retaliate. Not at the moment at least. He grabs a vase of flowers, took out the flowers and threw the water inside at Kaeya. The Blizzard let out a screech, his feathers and mane getting wet. Diluc grinned and chased after him.

" Get back here, you overgrown pigeon!" Kaeya scrambled over and under furniture to avoid ruining anymore of his pretty coat. He tries not to break anything as he knocks over things to block Diluc's path. " Kaeya!" The big bird hissed and climbed out of the window. Halfway through, Diluc grabbed his tail and he unceremoniously falls to the floor with an audible squawk.

The worst part is, it was raining. There was mud everywhere. Kaeya sat up, shocked as mud caked his mane and hair, whining in dismay. A certain sound echoed through the air, one he hasn't heard in a long time. Diluc laughed.

Kaeya stared as the red head laughed his heart out, doubling over and wheezing. Smiling beneath the mask, he looms over his brother and shakes, the mud flew just about everywhere, some hitting the floor and walls.

" Hey!" Diluc yelled as mud splashed over his clothes and hair. Taking it the now messy look, Kaeya lets out a vibrating buzz, laughing at his brother. " You little -"

" You two!" The brothers froze as Adelinde strode into the room. " Look at this mess. I expected you two to at least leave the poor furniture alone with your little scuffle. Now look at this mess."

" He started it." Diluc grumbled childishly, pointing at Kaeya. The younger of the two garbles something, pointing back before faltering and crossing his arms.

N-O.

F-A-I-R.

He hides his neck in his mane with an annoyed buzz, rattling his tail. They couldn't help but soften their gaze, seeing him this way still hurt. Not hearing him talk, or joke as he normally does hurts. " Come on," Diluc offers his arm to help him back inside. " Let's get you cleaned up."

" The bathroom down the hall has a large tub that may work for you, Master Kaeya." The Blizzard looks between them, surprised and awfully touched. He looks down at himself, at his claws and feet. " I'll even run a warm bath for you, how does that sound?" She offered.

How could he say no to Adelinde? He sighs and climbs back inside with Diluc's help.

Chapter 19

Chapter Text

Kaeya looks around the bathroom, taking note of the enormous bath tub that he knows was probably new, the many choices of herbal soaps and the cloth that was draped over the large mirror. He remembers the reason why, it was because of him. During a visit at the winery, he stared too long at one of the mirrors in the house. The longer he looked at himself, the more he wondered if he should remove the mask. If it was alright to at least get it off when he's at home. Before he knew it, there were shards at his feet and then every mirror was covered up or removed.

He remembers breaking all the mirrors in his old house as well when he went to scope it out just in case. He couldn't take it then.

Yet, he knew he couldn't run from his reflection forever. He couldn't run from himself, from who he was. What he was. Things were easier to hide as a human. All he needed was an eye patch and a smile, no one would question him any further. But now,

With a clawed hand, he grips a corner of the cloth.

" Are you certain you're ready for this?" He hears Nahida ask. She's been his friend from the very start of this aside from Venti. The voice of reason before any of the 'Occelli' had even spoken to him.

' Nahida, can you please leave me alone for today? Just for today.' He asks her quietly.

Nahida falters from taking another bite of her favourite treat. She lowers it from her mouth and looks down. " Nahida?" She looks up and finds the others looking to her with concern.

" Is something wrong, Lord Kusanali?" Cyno asked her.

" I think I'm full." She says with a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. " I hope you don't mind me retiring for the night."

" Of course not." Alhaitham says. " Rest well, Kusanali."

" Do you need anything else?" Nilou asked her.

" No, I'm fine." With that, she was gone. Leaving the dinner table concerned and silent.

" I'll go check on her." The Wanderer announced.

" I'll go with." Lumine followed after.

Kaeya stands before the large mirror, kneeling down so he could see himself. His whole self. He's never bothered to look at his reflection in a long time. Despite the mud in his hair and coat, he could see why a number of people still described him as pretty. He was no fool. Even without a mirror, he knew that his attire was still strikingly grand as ever.

His mask is crafted to fit him perfectly, in both personality and general design. He was a beautiful creature if not terrifying. Even his claws and talons, seemed to glisten like frost on a leaf. He cracked the mask himself, should he recall correctly. It didn't feel right without it.

He takes in the general physical form he took. He's not sure how to describe it, truly. He's beautiful, he knows. He's eight feet tall, with capes that turn into wings and tail coats that move. He's strange, unexplainable and intimidating. Yet, it was still just him.

His form didn't feel all too different from his old attire. Even his mask was yet another familiar weight on his face, as though it has never left. He reaches up hesitantly and removes his mask.

The air ghosts over his skin like a gentle touch, cold. He breathes in deeply as he prepared to open his eyes, too look at himself properly. He doesn't hear anyone, not Nahida nor the 'Occelli'. Neither Diluc or Adelinde. Should he open his eyes, he would see his face through no one's views but his own. He knows everyone has reassured him that they'd love him regardless of anything. But, he needed to know if he can accept himself truly for this. He wanted to know if he can love himself the way others do.

He opens his eyes and the first thing that greets him in that reflection, were blue and gold. Heterochromia isn't unheard of, nor is it as rare as people make it out be. His blue eye stared back at him like an old friend. The gold one looked back with the same gentleness as the other, looking him over in recognition. The black sclera doesn't faze him anymore as his gaze is fixated to the marks around his eyes. The pattern was similar to the ones painted on his mask, only that they were in white and had dotted marks running along the bottom lines. His teeth had the slightest bit of fang there, barely much different from normal teeth if he keeps his mouth closed.

But he doesn't. He looks at his reflection earnestly, covered in mud and dirt. Looking back into his star shaped pupils, the marks, skin that reminded him of ironbark and his teeth. He focuses his gaze on his golden eye where a scar was visible, so far as to even put a mark on his eye.

Despite everything, it's still just him.

He reaches for his own reflection, hand meeting glass as he cries. His tears are clear, like rain drops and it causes him to cry even more. He lets himself sob before his reflection, silent cries shook his whole form as he comes to finally accept who he was.

As his tears dried, his sobs growing softer, he looks at himself once more.

And smiles.

He feels his body shift, changing. He looks back at himself again, at his clothes which were covered in mud, at his arms and legs that no longer seemed to wrapped in silvery vines.

" Despite everything," A voice says, soft and loving and he knows it's his own. " It's still me."

" I should check on him." Diluc says, his eyes never leaving the bathroom door.

" Master Diluc, please don't. Perhaps we should give him a little more time." Adelinde advised.

" He's been in there for hours." He grumbles, scowling with hidden concern. The door handle clicks and turns, opening with a low creak.

Kaeya ducks under the door to get out, his mane and coat still dripping wet but clean. His mask held tightly in his hands as he catches the gazes of the two cast on him. He swallows his nervousness and gave a small wave at his family.

" Master Kaeya, you're dripping everywhere." Adelinde chided fondly. " Here, dry yourself up." She hands him some towels and as closely as she could, cups his face. " I've missed you so much." He leans into the touch, a small coo vibrating in his throat.

As Adelinde left, Diluc and Kaeya stared at each other awkwardly. " I'm gonna have to crash in your room." He informs him, cursing internally when his voice cracks part way. " Dinner should be ready by now." He swallows hard and sniffs. " You joining us?" Kaeya nods and lets his body shift, black leather boots meet the floorboards, gloves graced his hands. His mane now looked like it were part of a long coat jacket that hung off his shoulders. From the way the sleeves were shaped and the segments of the tail coat, he figures that it also made up his wings and tail. Kaeya gave a sheepish smiled as he takes Diluc's hand and taps it.

N-E-W.

So this ability is relatively new. The marks on his face could pass off as make up and the black sclera on his eyes had returned to white. Even his skin returned to its usual tan. It felt more like a guise, his costume to walk among humans. Diluc wondered if it's fair to say he was still human to him. If he could ever express such a thing without breaking down.

" Okay then." The elder brother sighed, he sounded awfully relieved. " Let's go."

Sleep came to them relatively easy. Kaeya had returned to his Blizzard form, as he's taken to calling it, finding it more comfortable at times. Adelinde tucked them both in weighted blankets, hoping it would bring them the sweetest dreams.

Tonight, Kaeya dreams of a field of Inteyvats.

He watched as the silhouettes of his people admired the blooms, some were sleeping peacefully among them. The younger looking souls seem to be playing together. It was a kind of moment that usually never lasts, especially not under such a starry night.

" My liege." A man in robes walked up to him with a smile. This man had once been an abyss mage.

" Kaltel." He greets him in turn. " How was your day with Klee and Dorian?"

" It was tiring, to say the least." He sighs, lying down against the ground. " That little elf is as energetic as ever. Ah, and the lizard child now has a vision."

" A vision?" Kaeya echoed.

" Yup. Dendro. How envious." Kaltel chuckled. " So, shall we continue our discussion?" He offered.

" About that, I've been thinking." Kaeya began. " With how this celestial dream works, I don't know if I can keep up with how things are. My awaken self won't remember this and the 'Occelli' are as cryptic as ever." A lot can get down in a day. Much of his life has been an example of that.

" Well, there's that downside. Myself here and the one out there can be considered two separate entities at best. We share a knowledge but it isn't something I can give out consciously. A physical embodiment of my dream. I suppose it's like a living vision? Though, no one knows where visions come from." He looks up to the sky, where his constellation remained as still as ever since his first dream. His eyes trail to a line the others are blind to, one that connects far ahead into the horizon, beyond his field of Inteyvats. " My liege?"

" I'm going for a walk." He announced absently as he stood. He doesn't exactly count how many times he's walked towards that line, he always wakes up before he could even get there. Wherever there might be. However, the journey this time is much shorter and he finds himself walking over a pristine grey path carved with a pattern he recognised to be Sumeran. He follows it until he reaches a green pavilion. Decorated with all sorts of flowers and plants and filled with carpets and pillows. In the middle is what looked like a child, staring up at the pavilion's ceiling. " Hello?"

The child shot up from her pillows and looked towards him. She had long white hair with green streaks along the tips, the loveliest green eyes that were akin to the leaves of a lush tree and a little dress that reminded him of young shoots. Her hair had ornaments shaped like leaves. " Kaeya?" He stills, recognising the little voice anywhere.

" Nahida." He says with a smile. " Do you mind if I sit here?" She nods absently, allowing him to sit just about the corner of the pavilion. " It's nice to finally meet you in person. Sort of."

" You had me worried earlier." Nahida says, pouting.

" I'm very sorry, Nahida." He does little to hold back the chuckle at seeing her pout. " Looks like I have a lot of explaining to do." Nahida's gaze softens and she smiles.

" As always, you're welcome to tell me anything." She offered with a bright smile.

" Then, let's start with the name Albreich. Kaeya Albreich. My father called me 'the last hope', my people would know me as Lord Regent. I am also known as the Blizzard of Mondstadt." He began with a coy smirk.

" Very well." Nahida giggled. " My name's Nahida otherwise known as Buer. The other archons would know me as the Guardian of Irminsul. I am also known as Lesser Lord Kusanali, the Dendro Archon of Sumeru." She reintroduced herself. " I may have an appearance of a child but don't be fooled; I understand this world much better than any other adult."

" It is my highest honour to meet you, oh kind Goddess of Wisdom." He teased but she doesn't falter, giggling.

" And it is my greatest pleasure to finally meet you, Everlasting Dreamer of the Stars." The title felt right, rolling off her tongue with ease. " Shall we begin our discussion?"

Chapter 20

Chapter Text

Kaeya awakens with a yawn, he looks to his brother who was still fast asleep and is surprised to find his pillow covered in crystal lamp grass. He shakes his brother awake, squawking loudly and buzzing. " What?" Diluc groaned, raising his head. Kaeya plucks one of the flowers near his head and puts it into view. " Holy shit." Kaeya takes a bite out of them, humming pleasantly at the taste. " What the fuck?"

C-A-L-M.

" Flowers are growing out of the only pillow I have." He stated as his brother continues to pluck them out. " We don't even know where they from." Kaeya sneaked a hand into the pillow's casing and pulled out a couple seeds that haven't grew. " Please don't tell me you put those there." He nods and Diluc reminds himself that he can't attack his brother. They just got along again and things are okay. He scowls as Kaeya lets out a wavy buzz, laughing. Diluc's eyes soften, watching his brother's wide smile, eyes crinkled in mirth. " I still don't get what causes them to bloom."

Kaeya hums thoughtfully at this, inspecting the seeds and flowers in careful consideration. He points to Diluc.

" Me?"

D-R-E-A-M-S.

The peacock corrected him.

" Dreams..." Diluc pondered. " My dreams?" Kaeya nods as he collects the flowers into a pouch. Looking closely, he notices that the tips of the flowers were reddish. Not alarming, but rather warm. " Do you think this works for anyone?" There's a long pause there, Kaeya's tail rattled loudly. " Don't get too excited, we don't know if - and he's gone." Diluc sighed as he watched Kaeya jump out the window in excitement.

He visits just about as many of his friends as he could. He hands them each three seeds, instructing them to put them in their pillows at night and even showed off Diluc's dream flowers to demonstrate. " Don't these look enticing." Venti hummed as he looked it over. " Do you mind if I...?" He trailed off and Kaeya nodded. He's curious to see how the anemo archon would react. Despite its appearance, it can be as delicate as any other flower. The petals can be removed as well as the leaves on its stems. " Wow, it really melts in your mouth." Venti hummed. " Kinda like... cider?"

Kaeya thrills in agreement. It seems gods could also eat them but he has a feeling humans wouldn't be able to do so. He meets with Kaltel and lets him try it as well.

" This is really good, my liege." Kaltel says. " Oh, may I play with the chalk one and lizard child?" He asked, taking Kaeya by surprise. He didn't know the faerie had taken a liking to them but nods anyway. " Yes! I'm going to see if he needs help figuring out his vision." The faerie zips off, the remains of the dream flower in his arms.

Kaeya wondered who else he should hand them to and his mind drifted to the territory of another avian. He hopes Xiao doesn't mind him calling for something so small. That, and he hasn't exactly been in contact with the adeptus since their second meeting. He touches his mask absently and sighs. It shouldn't hurt.

" Good morning." Nahida greeted the scribe cheerfully, smiling sweetly.

" Good morning, Lord Kusanali." Alhaitham says. " Shall we go?" Nahida nods, wordlessly following him as they walked to the pavilion where she would be having breakfast. Following her rise as the dendro archon, the number of people attending to her had been changed in order to accommodate the young god's needs. Most of the rules implemented were suggested by the General Mahamatra and Acting Grand Sage, reviewed by the First Sage of Buer and then approved by Lord Kusanali herself.

Aside from himself and the general, the Wanderer is usually the one who would escort Lord Kusanali in the mornings. The people of Sumeru are still learning how to care and appreciate their archon, as new as they are to it as dreaming. The children however had taken to Lord Kusanali like fish to water, revering her and even often sharing sweets with the goddess. It's a nice change, in a way.

" Alhaitham," She called him. " Could you indulge my curious ramblings?"

" I wouldn't call your curiosities ramblings, Lord Kusanali." He responded easily.

" In the wake of volcanic eruption, would the forest it burns return?" She asked.

" In accordance to some of the studies and observations by students stationed in Natlan, yes." He answered. " Volcanic eruption has the ability to change an environment. I heard that volcanic soil is rich in minerals and nutrients. Should the ashes cool off, a new forest would grow." The goddess nods, having no doubt already aware of this. " What of it?" He asked, curious but not overstepping.

" Think of it as an analogy of sorts." She hummed. " Some things may change but somewhere, someone will remember these changes. No knowledge is ever truly lost."

" I am afraid I am not understanding." He states.

" Don't worry." She giggled. " I will explain someday. I haven't gotten his permission to speak much of it. Is the traveller available today?"

" She is currently doing a few commissions for the Adventurer's Guild." He informs her, silently taking note of the ominous words.

" Could you arrange someone to call for her after she's finished? There's something I want to discuss with my First Sage." Nahida asked politely.

" I will see to it." She hums happily at that, a tune he's never quite heard before. He ponders where Lord Kusanali is finding all these songs.

" Adeptus Xiao." Kaeya called into the night as he stood beneath the large tree of Sal Terrae. He wonders if simply calling out the name would summon the adeptus. If any being could do as such.

" You called?" He looks up, sitting among the large branches was indeed the adeptus in question.

" I didn't expect that to work." He says honestly.

" You really have no respect for the ways of the adepti." He scoffed. " And you really took your time as well. I would have liked to discuss things with you sooner." He would have liked to as well but he can't exactly say Xiao scared him.

" Apologies, I was caught up in my own duties." He says instead.

" Duties? I see." Xiao hummed. " I hadn't known the anemo archon had gotten himself another familiar." Kaeya squawked.

" I'm afraid you're misunderstanding. I am not his familiar." He began with a nervous chuckle. " I owe the Land of Freedom, so to speak. I wish to protect it." Xiao cocked his head at this and muttered something under his breath.

" Then," He jumps down, landing right in front of Kaeya. " Shall we begin?"

The discussion began with inquiries of his origins, who he was and what he is. But, Kaeya knows such information is invaluable. As per Liyuen tradition, he offered a sort of contract. " If I were to share things about myself then shouldn't you do the same?" He explained.

" Do you think me so lowly?"

" Do you think of me so lowly?" Kaeya retorts. " I'm a person too, you know." He could feel the adepti glaring at him but holds his ground.

" Fine." He relents. " But, you must also tell me about that snack you're hiding."

Snack? Kaeya pondered as he reached for his pouch. " So you sensed it too. Very well, I was meaning to share this with you but only after our discussion." Xiao huffed but agreed. They would ask three questions in turns and be honest to one another.

" Who are you?"

" I am Kaeya Albreich."

" What are you?"

" I am a Dreamer."

" That doesn't make any sense."

" Not yet." Xiao grumbled but continued.

" Where did you come from?"

" Kha'enriah." He answered without any hesitance. " My turn." He repeats the same questions as Xiao and received answers in the same curt manner. His name was Xiao, a yaksha and he was born here in Liyue.

" What did you do to that Lawachurl?" " I gave them peace. Those of the abyss exist in a constant state of suffering. They continuously erode over time, slow and agonising." Xiao is briefly taken aback by the further explanation.

" Why are you protecting Mondstadt if you are from Kha'enriah?" He asked.

" Mondstat's people took me in, welcomed me. Even when I became this." He says softly.

" Who were you before?" He followed up.

" I was a Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius. I became this one day and I'm not entirely sure what to call myself."

" Yet you said you were a Dreamer."

" It's the only thing I could gather from it." He admits with a shrug. " I have been consulting a friend regarding the matters, we've yet to figure out the whole truth behind all this."

" Hm, then it's your turn. Ask me your question." Xiao prompted.

" Have you had any family?" He asked suddenly.

" I did." Xiao answered.

" I see." It surprised the adeptus that Kaeya didn't press any further. " What do you usually do?"

" Excuse me?"

" Like a hobby." He elaborates.

" I usually just patrol the land and vanquish demons." Kaeya tilts his hand, waving his hand to elaborate. " What?"

" You don't do anything else?" He asked. " Sounds kinda...dull."

" Be quiet." Xiao hissed. " A being like yourself truly has no respect for the ways of the adepti. And that's already three questions."

" I suppose so." Kaeya slips into his usual demeanor easily. " Well, anything else?"

" I want those snacks. I don't usually like human food but it's...it smells good." He admits.

" Oh, right." He takes the pouch and pulls up one of Diluc's flowers. " My brother helped me grow these. They're really good." He hands one over to the yaksha, who inspects it suspiciously. Xiao glances at the being, watched as he tosses the flower into his maw.

Ever skeptical still, the yaksha cocks his head at the being before him. Catching his gaze, Kaeya moves his hand to his mask and takes it off. He consumes another flower, this time without using his maw and slowly puts the mask down. Xiao is stunned momentarily to be greeted by such a human face. Truly, his words were no lies. He places his mask on the ground as well. He peels off a petal and nibbles it lightly.

" So?" Kaeya pondered. Xiao eats another petal with ease.

" It's...passable." He admits, earning a scoff from the other.

" The way you're going through it doesn't make it seem just 'passable'." Kaeya teased. He offers another to the yaksha, smiling. The treat melts in his mouth, he doesn't think he's ever stomached anything other than sweet almond tofu. Kaeya told him the taste is that of cider. Which was strange, considering he didn't like cider before.

" I must leave soon." The yaksha announced. " By any chance, do you think I could bring a few with me?" He asked, sounding more meek than usual.

" Of course," He hands over a handful of flowers to the yaksha. " Just a heads up, humans probably can't eat this." He informs him.

" Of course I wouldn't hand such a thing to humans." Xiao scowled. " Thank you, this discussion was...nice."

" I take it that means we're friends now." Kaeya hums.

" Whatever." Xiao shrugs, putting the flowers away. " You're free to hunt in Liyue. Just try not to get spotted by any humans or the milelith." Xiao advises him. " Your appearance is easy to mistake for a monster."

" I've been told." With weapons pointed at him one too many times. " I'll see you again, Xiao."

" Sure." With that, the adeptus disappeared and left the peacock feeling satisfied. That wasn't so bad, he thought as he fixed his mask back in place.

Xiao watched from afar as Kaeya scaled up the cliff with ease and wandered back into the forest. " I see you've made a new friend." A deep voice says. He turns to meet with eyes as deep as cor lapis.

" I suppose I have." Xiao says in a quiet voice. Zhongli smiles to him gently and observes where the Blizzard had disappeared to. " Be sure to share your treat with the others."

" I know." Xiao flushed. " Would you like one?"

Chapter 21

Summary:

I will now be going on an indefinite hiatus for a bit. Probably a week or so.

See you guys then

Chapter Text

" This is quite the collection." The following night, all those who'd received the seeds all gathered at the winery to present their findings. " Though it seems it doesn't just grow for anyone." Lisa observed as only Diluc, Fischl, Venti and herself.

" Sorry, Big brother Kaeya. I couldn't make them grow." Klee apologized as she returned the seeds. Kaeya patted her head, ensuring her that it wasn't her fault. The others also returned the seeds to him, he plans on sneaking them in Diluc's pillow later.

" Of course, none other than I could have prevailed in this endeavour. But one dares to inquire, how one should feast upon the residue of one's ambitions." Fischl said.

" What mein fraulein means is, she wants to know how you can eat the flowers." Oz translated. " Especially when they're basically the embodiment of a 'dream'." The older ones in the room turned to Kaeya in surprise, just in time to see him remove his mask.

He sampled each flower, noting it's taste and tapping them out to let the others know. The lamp grass remained a taste of cider, the cecilia reminded him of an aged wine, the valberry was a fruity tea and the chrysanthemum actually tasted more like milky coffee.

" Oh, mine does taste like dandelion wine." Venti says happily as he samples the flowers as well. " Can I have some more of those seeds?"

" No." Jean says sternly, passing a glare to Kaeya but her gaze softens at his smile.

" There's that pretty face." Rosaria joked, pulling his face dows and pinching his cheeks. " The make up looks good on you."

" It's not make up." Diluc informs her.

" Oh."

" Anyways," Venti cuts in. " A deal's a deal." He deposits a sizable jewelry box onto the table. " I figured since you already get artifacts regularly, I took the liberty of getting you something else." Kaeya tilts his head curiously and garbles something. " Take a look."

" There better not be a flask in there." Diona warned. " I will throw it out." He chuckles at that and opens the box.

An assortment of jewelry greeted him. From rings to bracelets and more than a dozen hair ornaments. Most of the girls gasped, the little ones immediately asking to do his hair for once. Fischl excitedly drags them over to the couch, forcing Kaeya to sit down so they could get started. Razor and Bennett watched over them so they didn't pull his feathers. Kaeya resigned to his fate, earning a laugh among the adults there.

Some of them pondered exactly what the flowers were, others thought that it was fine as long as it didn't bring any harm. " Kaeya Albreich, your constellation of Pavo Ocellus. Fate has caught up to you." Mona says, staring wide eyed at him. " What did you choose?" Kaeya smiles, looking to her softly.

As an Albreich, he has a duty to his people. He holds those he has brought to his garden close to himself. He still doesn't understand what it means to be an 'Ocelli'. To carry dead legacies within his own dreams in order to give them the memorial they deserve. The send off to their peace. He will not allow his people bear anymore agony.

As a citizen of Mondstadt, he has a duty to his city, to the people of the land that took him in. He loved them all dearly, some might later say as much as Barbatos himself. The god had also stayed by his side, declared him a child of Mondstadt regardless of where he came from and what he'd become.

" Both." His voice is a soft echo. A gentle whisper of freshly fallen snow. Not all could hear him, those that do reacted the same as they did when they grew the flowers. His voice is layered, misplaced and they knew it would be something of a rare occasion should they ever hear it again.

Is that too selfish? To decide he couldn't forsake either one. Where one must choose to stick to a path, he trudges through the unnamed forests. Mona sees this now, as the many eyes of his tail watched her passively.

Kaeya spent his nights patrolling Mondstadt, every other day he would visit Liyue and hunt for the Abyss Order there. He would share his flowers with Xiao whenever they could meet. Sometimes he would join Xiao's patrol to hunt any wayward demons, other times Xiao would follow him on his cleansing. It was during a few of these trips he'd met a few more faeries from the Blossom of Reminiscence.

Pavel, a pyro faerie the same size as Kaltel with rabbit feet and flaming hair. Aisling, a dendro faerie the size of a child taller than Nahida and long white hair that touched the ground. Ariel was a little anemo faerie with bird wings for arms and feathers on her face, she was the same size as Pavel and Kaltel, as well as the fastest little thing he'd ever seen. Though not all his faeries wanted to live with him in Mondstadt.

Aisling wanted to see the Aranaras in Sumeru, promising to watch over the forests and protect them. Ariel had taken a liking to Xiao and pesters him wherever he goes in Liyue. Pavel had followed him home to Mondstadt and immediately took over watching over his nest at the winery while Kaltel stuck to the one on Dragonspine.

" Càrn." He lets the name roll off his tongue. The geo faerie walking with him looks up.

" Yes, my liege." His eyes are a bright ember, much of the geo that constructed his body was a pitch black. His voice is deep, tone clipped. He wore a long cloak over his shoulders and held a staff. He had taken to the rift wolves immediately and could always be found with them.

" You may go now. The sun is rising." Càrn gives him a single look, the kind Diluc would give him to stay out of trouble. The geo faerie leads away the rift wolves for another sweep throughout the nation, they would stop at a den near Dragonspine to rest later.

Kaeya walked forward, his tail spreading open with an ambiguous rattle, wings raised and mane fluffing up. He rounded a tree, one were he saw the familiar traces of a black boot. There, he finds Dainsleif. The man is leaning against the tree, arm holding his side and another hand to his mask. He had stilled the moment Kaeya came up to him.

" Lord Regent?" Kaeya hissed at the title. Dainsleif coughed, hissing through his teeth as he held his side. " My apologies, Lord Regent. It isn't my intention to meet you again like this." He swallows a groan as he attempted to straighten himself but falters. A hand leans him back against the tree.

Kaeya huffs, shaking his head as he guides Dainsleif to sit back down. His tail lowered, rattling in displeasure as he too sits down at the base of the tree at a distance away from the bough keeper. He makes an inquiring buzz, letting it hang in the air until Dainsleif could figure out what he meant.

" It will pass." The bough keeper says quietly. He leans back against the tree, letting out a long sigh. Neither of them said a word, even as Kaeya started to whistle and preen his wings a little. " I suppose I'll start with an apology." He began once he feels the burning sensation pass. " I'm sorry for attacking you that night." Kaeya buzzed, tail rattling. " And for attacking Ragnvindr as well."

He hears the being scoff and sees how he carefully unfolds his wings. He hums, intrigued by the being in general. Aside from his many abilities, he had the mark of something beyond the Abyss.

" What are you?" The Blizzard has heard this question one too many times already, either from himself or others. He was Kaeya, that's all there it to it. The man wouldn't understand any garbles he made and he didn't feel like indulging his attacker with any effort of communication. " When I first heard of you, I couldn't believe the fact that you were alive." He began. " It pains me to have never considered looking for you before or to at least check for any survivors of that dreaded day five hundred years ago. That is my own fault." " You were the last one, weren't you?" Kaeya stops preening for a good second before continuing. " The nature of this... phenomenon." He says, switching the topic now. Much to Kaeya's unspoken relief. " It is not Abyssal." He states. " I will not waste anymore of your time. I, have a request of you, Lord Regent."

The Blizzard stops preening, his tail rattling loudly.

" I have been careless. Perhaps it is selfish of me to ask but, please. This curse, it courses through my veins. In time, I too will fall to it. I don't -" He takes a shuddering. " I don't want to die that way." He's met with silence, the rattling had stopped abruptly and he could hear the being moving now. " For centuries, I've done whatever I could to counteract the Abyss Order and for a while I had believed that I could only do so alone. Then, you appeared one day. A sanctuary for all those lost souls who follow you. They yearn for you, your guiding voice and touch." He says carefully, not really knowing if the Blizzard was listening. " As once Captain of the Royal Guard, it is my duty to serve the citizens of Kha'enriah." He manages to turn to look at Kaeya, who now stood near his side. He takes a knee, head bowed before the Lord Regent. " I devote my loyalty to you, Kaeya Albreich. As your sword, your servant. I, Dainsleif, am yours to command. On my sword, on the ruins of our homeland. I give myself to you."

He hears the being sigh above him and Kaeya's hand reaches for his head. His hands carefully lifts the man's face and their eyes met. No longer wearing a mask, the expression the being wore is one of gentle concern with the barest hint of distrust. The marks that decorated his face looked almost painted, emphasizing his eyes which in itself was a remarkable beauty. Behind him with the light cascading against his spread tail feathers, he looked divine. There was something clouding his eyes, the kind of intrigue held in the eyes of curious animals. His lips parted and for the first time the bough keeper hears him speak.

" I welcome you, Twilight Sword." There's a flash of a sort of blue thread. The both of them reel back, shocked. He looked down, placing his hand over his chest where the thread connected. He feels something entangled around his beating heart, binded. He looks up to Kaeya, who stares back at his own hand where the thread had connected to his fingers.

The next second, he's on the ground. Everything ached, he gasps at the burning pain. His nerves were on fire, especially on his right side where the curse is most prominent.

" Dainsleif!" How odd, he thought as he writhed in agony. He must be hallucinating to think he's hearing the Lord Regent's voice. He could usually withstand anything, be it burns or lightning strikes. The curse would force him to regenerate anyways. It wouldn't leave him alone until he's fully turned.

He coughs, gasping for air as Kaeya reaches for him. He wanted to reassure the Lord Regent that he would be fine, that it would pass as all others did.

Yet, he feels himself starting to drift. There's a numbness spreading from his heart and he could barely keep his eyes open. He blacks out before he even knows it.

Chapter 22

Summary:

The Eyes of Summer's Oasis.

Chapter Text

Kaeya was prone to his instincts, though he does have a better handle of them now. Among them happened to be bringing back things to either of his nests. Diluc has a list of objects that Kaeya would bring home occasionally. A man that had given his brother a panic attack was not among them.

" I can't believe you." Diluc scowled, closing the door to the guest room they've deposited the man in. Kaeya shrugged, gesturing at the door and all around him.

" What did you expect me to do?" Seemed to be what he was saying through his garbles.

" Well, definitely not bringing back some abyss forsaken knight." Diluc hissed back. Kaeya relayed what happened as best he could through writing, Diluc felt like it looked more like a personal report. Old habits die hard he supposed. " What kind of knight passes out after swearing fealty?" He scoffed and Kaeya simply shrugged.

They wondered if they should call a healer to look him over but something in the peacock's instincts thought that they wouldn't be of much help either. He definitely has a high fever and from the way he seemed to be furrowing his brows, he seems to either be suffering nightmares or in pain.

" Maybe we should get Albedo over." Diluc suggested. " We could stop by your nest in Dragonspine while we're at it." The peacock nods along in agreement, eager to see his nest again and check on Kaltel. They left Adelinde and Elzer in charge of the estate and asked to notify them immediately if anything happened with Dainsleif.

Grabbing his brother under the arms, Kaeya unfolded his wings. Diluc saw what he was going to, trying to protest but anything he said fell on deaf ears and they took to the skies. His brother didn't struggle throughout their flight one would expect, then Kaeya remembers that they did get a ride on Dvalin before but even then, it seemed like he had experience. The thought of it seems to be upsetting somewhat. He spots the two homunculi near their camp and dove down.

He deposits his brother unto a pile of snow, the man landing face first into the cold pile. " Kaeya!" Diluc shouts angrily as he lands elegantly near the two alchemists with a cheerful wave.

" Oh, hello again." Dorian greeted him first before Albedo could even open his mouth. The former seemed to have chosen to change his hair, tying it into a low ponytail instead. Even his newly tailored coat was of a different colour, in deep shades of green and yellow. He wore his vision in an identical way to Albedo, right between his collar bone

" My liege!" Kaltel zipped around him happily.

" Might I ask what brings you both here?" Albedo finally asked.

" There's been a situation. A man from Kha'enriah appeared and we aren't sure if he's injured." Diluc informs them. " Do you think you could have a look?"

" Is it the same person that hurt Kaeya?" Dorian asked and is met with hesitant silence. " Lord Albreich, you're too soft." The homunculus ducks as a snowball is hurled his way.

" Lord?" Diluc repeated, the memory of Rosaria mentioning the position of regent offhandedly replayed in his mind. Kaeya waves his hands and shook his head, as though asking Diluc to think nothing of it. " I wasn't aware we were housing such nobility. A regent no less." He teased, causing Kaeya to squawk. " Oh save it, everyone's gonna know sooner or later. Lord Albreich."

His pyro vision melted the snowball upon contact, drenching his hair and face.

" Well then," Albedo said as he gathered his things. " Anything else I should know about your guest?"

" Not really. We're heading to Kaeya's nest to pick up some stuff." The alchemist twins were off, Kaltel following after them. " You were distracted." Diluc notes as they continued their trek upwards. Kaeya echoes an inquisitive coo, mimicking his question. " You were looking around somewhere, like you were talking to someone that isn't there."

The Blizzard clicks his tongue a few times, a cue he came up with something is difficult to explain. How does one explain to their brother that they've bringing faeries into the world without making it weird or overly complicated? Nahida had told him how it possibly works. He's yet to tell Venti or Xiao about it as well. None of his faeries are eager to reveal themselves to others as Kaltel had.

" Up for another round of guessing?" His brother asked. This time, Kaeya shook his head. There's surely a better way to communicate with him.

" Such a thing, has a price." He brushes off another whisper of the 'Occelli' with practiced ease. He doesn't pay it any obvious heed, nor does he ignore it completely. Of course, at the very least he wanted to show him his faeries without forcing them to unveil themselves so often. After all, most faeries don't like to be seen.

" Albreich." His eyes open to an empty sky of deep blue, deeper than seas and greater oceans. His body is laid against a lush field of Inteyvats. He carefully sits up, looking around to find that there were no signs of his people there. He could feel them, presently still but it's like he was being concealed by some sort of veil.

His gaze lands upon an abnormality to his valley of Inteyvats. A single stalk of lavender. He walks over to it, drawn to the strange dusty glow coming from its pollen.

A breeze blows through the flower before he could get any closer, causing the petals to all be carried along by the strange gale. It blows past him, his hair swayed along with it.

He smells salt, a heat in the breeze and and felt small grains of sand brush his fingers. He follows the direction of the gale, his surroundings immediately changing with it and he finds himself standing upon a single block of sandstone amidst the stretches of sand that reached the horizons. He nearly jumps as a hand took his.

" This way, young Ocellus." The man said. He wore robes of white and cream, scarves of blue wrapped his head and waist. They walked in silence, every step unveiled a sandstone hidden beneath the many grains. Kaeya dared to glance back, his steps leaving a clear print upon the sand but the other, his steps left petals of lavenders in its wake, only to be swept away by a gentle gale and buried within the sands.

He looks back at the man, who's eyes with a distinct light teal with touches of blue and purple mixed together around his pupils. He smiles, radiating simplicity and joy in his grin. He looks satisfied, at peace. They reach a temple half sunk in the sand, surrounded by bright purple lavenders growing all around it. Some appeared to be half buried in the sand like the temple itself.

The entryway is chipped but stable. They make their way inside, finding a pool of water decorated with colourful tiles. He wasn't sure when or how it happened but Kaeya soon finds themselves sitting by the pool's edge, feet sticking inside as his hands worked to weave stalks of twigs and lavenders together into little wreaths of sorts.

Kaeya clicks his tongue as he breaks another twig mid loop. " Careful. Try again." The man said to him as he weaves the tiny wreaths, or perhaps it's actually rings?, with a practiced ease. He tries again and again until his loops no longer break. " Well done!" The man applauds him. " Now, watch closely." He shows Kaeya in detail how to properly tuck away the leaves and petals from the centre without ruining them. It takes him a few tries before he successfully makes two handwoven rings. " That's well done." The man chuckles, his head turned to face Kaeya but his eyelids remained shut. " You may keep those of mine."

Kaeya wakes up in Dragonspine. His brother fast asleep next to him with lamp grass crystals growing from his pillow. His eyes are instead drawn to the flowers he held close to his chest. Two stalks of lavenders, though they were not crystal like the lamp grass, they still glowed a little on their own. It's soft, like a group of little fireflies gathered on a branch.

His memory of the dream is fleeting. Two minutes have passed and he'd forgotten much of it, but he sits up and his hands started to move.

Diluc wakes up with a groan, sitting up in the Blizzard's nest and rolls his shoulders. Right, they crashed at Dragonspine because it was so late. He finds his brother sitting by the edge of the nest, mask left on the ground as he stares blankly into his palms. " Kaeya?" He flicks his gaze to his brother, a small coo vibrating in his throat. He lifts up the objects in his palm, two rings, about an inch and a half in diameter. " Did you make this?"

Diluc takes one into his hand. The base seemed to be a flower with a long stalk, wrapped around a twig and woven together neatly with a clean strip of flexible bark. He inspects the ring further, bringing it up a little higher to get a better look. He doesn't quite understand what it was for as he looked through its center. As jest, he puts it in view of Kaeya and gasps.

Kaeya tilts his head curiously as Diluc drops the ring, blinking rapidly. His brother picks up the ring again, looking through it and sees...Kaeya. His brother before the transformation, settled before him with the same tilted head, the same curious smirk and raised brow. He could see the old Knights uniform his brother always wore.

He tests the other ring but finds no change. Until he spots the little fox thing nestled in his brother's mane, its beady eyes staring straight at him with fascination. It spoke to Kaeya, to which the Blizzard seemed to respond and notice.

He tries the first ring again, now seeing a man in loose robes next to his brother, with the same starry eyes looking back at him curiously as he grinned. " What the actual fuck?"

They returned to the winery, Kaeya promised he'd give his brother answers once they get back since Kaltel had already unveiled himself to Dorian and Albedo, he won't do so with others. But, there is a faerie at the winery who would help. " Are you telling me you sent a faerie to our house?" Kaeya nods absently as they make their way past the vineyards.

" My liege!" Diluc is surprised to hear the voice as a small faerie with feet like a rabbit's and a flaming ponytail arrived. " You're so reckless." She chided. " Ah, right. Hello, I'm Pavel." The faerie introduced herself to Diluc.

" You're so spicy." Kaeya teased.

" Am not." Pavel huffed. " Anyways, faeries don't like showing themselves. If we do, it's only either two things." The pyro faerie leaned forward, looking at Diluc in the eye. " We want to kill you." She says. " Or we just like you." She switches to a more cheerful tone. " Lord Albreich doesn't count. He's too soft." She dodges a swipe from Kaeya's tail and sticks out her tongue. The Blizzard garbles something, going ahead into the winery where he whined at Adelinde.

" Too soft?" Diluc questioned once Kaeya is out of earshot.

" I don't know what you all did but he loves this land." Pavel explained. " Anyways, what do you want to know?"

Chapter 23

Chapter Text

" It seems all vitals are relatively normal for the most part." Albedo reports as he packs his supplies. The bough keeper remains motionless on the guest bed, save for the rise and fall of his chest. Dorian sits on a chair adjacent to him, his hand in Kaeya's as the Blizzard whistles a soft tune. " However, in terms of his curse, it appears to be changing. Or rather trying to."

" Elaborate." Diluc insisted.

" As far as I've observed Kaeya's cleansing abilities, the Abyssal form of the creatures will be shed away, leaving but all the purified remnants free of the curse. Something similar is being performed for Dorian but at a smaller scale. Like, a sort of dialysis." The alchemist continued. " It clears out the corruptive waste from his systems and alleviates the effects with every session."

" We're suspecting that while the curse hasn't taken hold of the bough keeper's entire form, the cleansing spell couldn't take effect fully. He's still mostly human, so shedding parts of the curse would be more like asking him to cut off half of his own face and most of his right side." Dorian continued, his words slurring a little as he tries to shake off the sleepiness the melody brings him each time. " So, whatever is going on with him must have to do with the oath he's made to you."

" A promise to a fae, is like a contract." A voice from the 'Occelli' says.

" A contract." Kaeya hums. ' What do you think, Nahida?'

" Contracts may come in many forms, though I am no expert in such fields." Nahida tells him. " Maybe we should consult your Liyue friend?" He relays the idea to both Pavel and Kaltel, whom reluctantly relays this to the others.

" Wait, since when did you make friends in Liyue? You went Liyue?" Diluc asked. " When?"

" Oh relax, it was just a few times." Pavel reassures him. " That adeptus is rather helpful and one of our own enjoys following him." The pyro faerie tells them.

" You befriended an adeptus." Albedo repeats slowly.

" Why are you surprised?" Dorian scoffed. " Literally look at me."

Kaeya dons his human disguise. His fur trim coat hanging off his shoulders, corset brace having added a couple little pins the kids gave him and wore his eye patch again. It felt strange, to the human eye they could see his eye patch but even this was another illusion. Having gone so long without it, his bird brain had rejected the leather piece from a single glance. Deeming it unnecessary.

The official story is that Kaeya had gotten badly injured while on duty and was recovering in the Dawn Winery with Master Diluc's hospitality. He had sadly lost his voice due to the incident as well.

Kaeya fidgets with the tips of his gloves nervously, uncertain. Diluc gives him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. " Everything will be fine." He tells his brother.

They arrive at the city's gates not long after, the citizens at Springvale had gave them cheerful waves which does comfort the Cavalry Captain a little. The soldiers smile wide upon seeing him before recomposing themselves to stand straight.

" Good morning, sir!" The knights saluted him. He returns it, which itself was rare. " It's good to have you back."

" Sir Kaeya!" Not even a minute passed since they got through the gate and Flora comes running up to him. " Here, I got these for you. I heard they were your favourite." She hands him a bouquet of calla lillies, all wrapped up neatly with a blue ribbon. He signs his thanks, having learnt just a bit of it to communicate better.

" Sir Kaeya, welcome back!"

" Hello Captain Kaeya!"

" Welcome back, captain!" The citizens all greeted him warmly as he walked through the city, making his way to the Knights Headquarters. The knights saluted him as they passed and he's itching to let his tail unfurl so they could rattle. He's holding back as best he can so he doesn't show his Blizzard side.

The plan was to see Jean, announce their trip to Liyue to see Xiao for a few days under the pretext of getting Kaeya some medication and get back all within a week. They're planning on getting Kaeya back with the Knights now that he has a human form to use. And by how everyone complimented his new look, he'd say it was flawless.

" Kaeya." Jean pulls him into a hug, allowing a little coo to escape his lips. " It's good to see you again." Kaeya smiles to her, nodding along. She invites them to a cup of tea, neither having the heart to decline as they spotted the piling work on her desk.

The Blizzard feels a twinge of guilt from having to leave her to deal with all the work alone. His own disappearance clearly took a toll on the knights who were now not only understaffed but also overworked. Commissions to the Adventure Guild had to be put out by the knights to deal with some of the lesser work like helping someone find their cat or picking berries. Seriously, why don't these people go see the guild themselves?

" Don't worry too much about the paperwork. We're almost done processing Dorian's citizenship." Jean waves her hand to garner their attention away from the desk. " So, about your little trip to Liyue?"

" Yes, well." Diluc cleared his throat. " There's been...well, we've found something unexpected." He explains the whole thing with Dainsleif, even expressing his own anger at the man attacking his brother and then suddenly swearing an oath to him.

" And not even Albedo knows what's ailing him?" Jean guessed.

" We figured that consulting someone more familiar with contracts might shed some light on the situation." Diluc takes a glance at his brother who has been carefully cooling down his tea.

" I see. So you're going to go on a sort of pilgrimage to see an adeptus? I heard that most people can't find even a trace of them." Jean began.

" Oh, Kaeya made friends with one." He says casually and Jean nearly spits out her tea. She turns to Kaeya who was finally drinking his tea with a soft smile. He takes tiny little sips, almost like he was being cautious in case he needed to fly away. It was like a bird taking quick sips from a little fountain. The way Kaeya would blink twice after each sip almost habitually made it look even more so.

" I admit I wasn't expecting that." She says as calmly as she could. She couldn't get mad when Kaeya cocks his head at her, making this odd little chirp at attention to her words. " Though, you are still returning as captain one day, yes?" Having a giant bird for a captain was an obvious no but with how the being now walked around in human form, the people would be expecting his return. She sighs in relief as he nods enthusiastically.

" How enthusiastic!" Venti sang. Heads turned to the open window where the bard was perched, smiling broadly at the three.

" Venti. Why are you here?" Diluc asked calmly. The recent moments of Venti's visits had all been of rather concerning issues. The archon seems to have gotten more and more interactive with them with his more divine side.

" I heard my dear peacock was planning a trip to Liyue. Would you believe I too would like to acquire time away?" He rhymed. " Besides, I've been planning to see an old friend there but haven't exactly found reason to." That blockhead wouldn't let him near unless it was for good reasons. He can't exactly overuse his excuse of helping Xiao too often or that dragon would think he was stealing him away.

" So you're tagging along, just like that?" Kaeya scoffed, his playful smirk gracing his lips.

" Are you going to stop me?" Venti asks playfully.

" Oh, I could never dear Lord Barbatos." Kaeya says. " Plus, you're better at preening than Diluc." The man in question raised a brow, recognising the distinct sound that was meant to be his name. He narrowed his eyes, trying to connect the dots.

" You're complaining about how I preen you." He deduced and Kaeya lets out a simple thrill followed by a shrug. " It's not my fault some of your feathers are so tiny." The younger brother simply sighs, turning away. " Don't you scoff at me."

Jean chuckled as the brothers have their little banter and spares a glance at Venti. The archon has a gentle smile on his face, his eyes are filled with warmth and he looked so satisfied. With what, the Acting Grandmaster had no clue.

" You have to be back soon, okay?" Klee says, looking up at Kaeya with big eyes and hugging his neck. The peacock coos lovingly and kisses her hair, promising his return.

" Red and black." Razor tugged on Diluc's coat. " Protect Feather Lupical."

" There's no need to remind me." He pats the boy's head. " Watch over our territory with your sister while we're gone." Rosaria smiles as she sees the boy's eyes gleam with a determined look and nodding.

" Don't sweat it, Master Diluc. We'll be here to help him out!" Bennett says with a wide smile.

" I'd prefer if you two booze heads would stay away for longer." Diona huffed. " But, Klee would get upset. If you don't wanna make anyone worried then don't get sick either. And! If you die, I'll take over the winery and destroy the wine industry." She declared aloud.

" Please don't." Venti chuckled nervously.

" See you later, bird brain." Rosaria hands Kaeya a cup of wine. They cheered, glasses clinking and locked their arms together as they downed the glass.

" Here you go, Sir Kaeya." Noelle comes over with a crate full of ley line branches. " These are the collected branches from over the years. I thought that instead of leaving them to dust, they would do better for you in case you get hungry."

" Noelle-" Jean began.

" That's great! The branches are his regular sustenance after all." Venti cuts in, taking the crate before any of the others could stop him. Rosaria and Kaeya gave him a thumbs up. His tail had already unfurled and was rattling in delight.

Diluc sighed, shaking his head. " Alright, we'll be heading off now. See you all in a couple weeks."

Chapter 24

Chapter Text

Lumine threads the path of the desert with caution. She hasn't quite gotten used to all this sand, regardless of how many times she's been through the area. It was hot and the sand feels more like a heated wok that's slow cooking her by the second. She glances to Paimon, her floating companion who seemed more displeased with the heat. She scowls lightly, always finding her friend's convenient floating abilities to sometimes be a subject of her envy.

" Why are you staring at Paimon?" The fairy asked.

" Nothing. You just look really tasty right now." She teased.

" Hey! That joke isn't funny anymore!" Her companion pouted, stomping her foot in the air.

" Okay, okay. I'm sorry." She apologized earnestly.

" You better be." They arrived at the village soon and immediately started their comission. " Excuse me!" Paimon says to a passing villager. " Do you happen to know anything about eremites with blue scarves?"

It was a strange request from Nahida, to investigate about eremites with blue scarves. They started asking around but there wasn't anything much about it. " Hey, you two!" A familiar voice called.

" Jeht!" Paimon called back happily as she floated up to the eremite.

" Haven't seen you two around in a while. I heard word of you helping take down the Akademiya. Nicely done." The young mercenary says with a wide grin.

" Oh, it was nothing." Paimon waved off as Lumine rolled her eyes.

" How are you doing these days?" She asks the mercenary.

" Better. I think." She smiled. " I mean, I do have Benben with me now."

" I'm glad." The traveller says. Loss is heavy for any soul. The stronger the bond, the bigger the loss feels.

" Paimon hopes you don't mind Paimon asking something." The little fairy says, floating a little closer.

" For you my friend? Anything. Ask away." Jeht says cheerfully.

" Do you happen to know anything about Eremites with blue scarves?" The traveller asks her instead.

" Blue scarves." Jeht pondered this, thinking deeply. " The Oasis Guide."

" What's that?" Paimon asked eagerly.

" It's a very old folktale of the desert. I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't heard about it, most people would have forgotten it by now." The mercenary explained. " The Oasis Guide is a sort of being that lived out in the desert more than a thousand years ago. They say it was a spirit of a man who died of thirst and returned to guide others to sources of water. That's all I really know about it other than the old song."

" A song?" Paimon floats even closer, eyes wide with wonder.

" Los Bilbilicos. The Nightingales. It's an old love song that the Oasis Guide sang often." She informed them. " Didn't expect a spirit to be a romantic, huh? I thought so too when my father first told me about them."

" A spirit..." Lumine hummed. " Is there any other details you can tell me about it?"

" Not exactly. Just that he roamed the desert but never stayed in one place." Jeht shrugged. " Well, I gotta run. I've got a commission to escort some merchants around. See you later?"

" Anytime." They exchanged a brief hug and waved each other goodbye. " Well, time to report this to Nahida."

Kaeya stretched his wings, greeting the night air with a relieved thrill. He wants to wander around a little, he knows how to be cautious. His bird brain has been confined long enough in his human guise and refuses to be pushed. Though, he certainly can't leave without telling the others.

He walks up to his brother who'd just set up a fire for the camp. He tugs his sleeve, a small coo rumbling from his throat. " What is it?" He looks around, tail rattling. " Alright, just stay out of sight." Venti chuckles as Kaeya zips off into the night.

" Worry not, Master Diluc. His abilities are no fluke. Should any harm to thee, my arrow will be flown swiftly." The bard sang, the wind blowing past his cape ominously. Diluc sighs, the archon hasn't been this involved before. He wonders what could that reason be. " Such an existence is rare, it's precious. Like you."

Kaeya makes his way over the rocky cliffs. He follows the paths Xiao had showed him to avoid any humans. Some of the camps near the Stone Gate and Sal Terrae have been cleared. He scuttles around the grassy hills of the edges of Wuwang Hill where his brother and the bard were camped.

He's in the mood to use his claws and talons more and stretched his wings. He's heard of a domain nearby where an Oceanid lived. Xiao had said that he could ask her for a challenge if he ever felt like it. She loathed humans but might make an exception for him considering his current nature.

As luck would have it, he runs into a ruin guard first. His tail rattles behind him as he calls upon his sword. He wonders if Diluc is alright. Venti must be annoying him with a bottle of wine he smuggled along or something along those lines. His poor brother must be so agitated, he'll let him cool off before going back.

Diluc's eyes are wide, brows furrowed together in confusion and lingering fear as Venti continued to smile at him. He feels an ominous chill run down his spine the longer he looked at the bard and is suddenly reminded that sitting across from him was a god. One that changed Mondstadt's entire climate by slicing mountain peaks with nothing but sheer wind. One of the original seven, a victor of a war amongst Gods.

" What do you mean?" He dares ask and the archon's gaze softens.

" Personally, I've only ever heard these tales as nothing more than mere whispers in the wind. I was but a wisp, a simple wind spirit." He hummed and called upon his lyre.

Gales travel far and wide, As swirling storms or a simple breeze, Through days and nights, Restless, searching for stories.

It carries the wails of the grieving, The songs of the loving, The promises of understanding, And cries of the unwavering.

Through these gales I hear such tales, Of beings akin, alike yet not, Of ones similar but never the same, Of creatures both seen and unseen.

Ones etched within history, within mythology, Some remain surfaced, some already buried, And they say the dead cannot dream.

It was at dead of night did I hear of one, Of a being closer to veils of the unseen, differed from dreamers and sorcerers. Of a mortal existence, the Dearest Child of the Night.

Venti's eyes gleam with a gentleness Diluc couldn't name. A gaze cast over him like one would view a gifted child. The kind of gaze his father had given him before. The kind of look certain figures he's met during his sojourn had casted him. The were also ones where even the ominous eyes would look his way, the kind that glowers and growls hungrily.

A certain greed to tear something apart. Like a delicacy. His use of his delusion back then had driven most off. Sometimes it felt like the air scoffed at him. Other times, it felt like something out there is waiting for the moment he lets his guard down. He was young then, but also extremely temperamental. He'd taken out his frustrations and paranoia to the Fatui.

He remembers the relief he felt when he returned to Mondstadt, where the wind tousled his hair and caressed his cheeks. It felt promising, safe. Protected.

Kaeya had arrived at the domain, taking a moment to admire the rather scenic area before taking a step forward with frost coated talons. From the waters, Rhodeia of Loch rose up to see who has trespassed upon her dwelling. Her gaze spies the oddest of creatures yet to have stumbled here. She attempts to gauge the creature before her, the colours of white and blue walking over the waters, turning the surface into ice with each step.

" Who are you?" She asks, now more curious than threatened. Such an oddity yet a remarkable one. He remembers her now, the one that bitters the water and ruined the winery's business for a time.

" Hello, I don't think you'd recognise me even if I told you." He says with a wave. She hums at the very...human gesture.

" If we have met then I am curious to know how and when." There's something familiar about the oddity.

" It isn't exactly the best of stories." Kaeya chuckled, surprised that the Oceanid could understand him as well. " Rather, if you would be so kind, fair Lochfolk. I am feeling rather restless tonight." The Oceanid sighs, most visitors only ever come by for a fight anyways.

" Very well. But, you must tell me about yourself afterwords." She says.

" Only if you agree that it's kept between us." He says and she agrees.

" The ability of water is to take on any form."

Once a great number, dwindles to but a few, Like a moon among stars, One cannot help but admire them, Be drawn to them.

Strong willed, they carry the scent of sunlight through the moon's reflection, The scent, rare and fleeting, reaches now to one Dawn.

To one Sleigh Beggy.

Venti finishes his song, eyes half lidded in sadness and longing. " Sleigh Beggy..." Diluc repeated pondering the word. " Am I a Sleigh Beggy?" The bard simply smiles.

" No idea." He shrugged and uncorks a bottle. " Say, where did you get those eyes?"

" Eyes?" He looks to where Venti pointed at his pocket and pulls out the two rings his brother made, the ones that let him see hidden things behind the seems. " I think... they're from a dream."

Ice litters the domain, hydro mimics either bursting or freezing. The being moves quickly, each motion and step like a fluid dance. The Oceanid has never seen such blade work. It's a rather refreshing sight.

" For what have you come to Liyue?" Rhodeia asked once everything has settled. Kaeya sat in the middle of one of the platforms, picking some leaves from his hair.

" I am meeting a friend at Dihua Marsh." He answered, careful not to use Xiao's name too often. " We have been met with a contract I do not understand but have already accepted."

" How can one be so foolish to accept a contract as such?" The Oceanid scoffed.

" It was a spur of the moment kind of situation." He chuckled.

" Oddly, you seem familiar to me." She tells him. " Rather, your kind." Kaeya's eyes widen partially.

" You've met something like me?" He asks.

" I am not so sure. But, you are similar to me. Not in form or roots, of course." She hummed. " Though, alike me, you are not human. I've met one of you, I'm sure of it now. Was it centuries ago?"

" It appears so." He sighs. " Do you know anything else about the other one?" It's possible that the person she met might've been another faerie, possibly an 'Ocelli' of that time. He assumes the 'Ocelli' were others like him but have long gone.

" They were a pair." The Oceanid says slowly, trying to remember. " Though one was of your kin, the other was human." A faerie with a human, he deduced. " Is there anything else?"

" No," He shakes his head and bows. " Take you for your time, fair Lochfolk."

" You flatter." The Oceanid huffs. " Do visit again anytime you like."

" Oh, you're saying you enjoy my company?" He teases with an easy smirk.

" Certainly better than the plants and mindless animals here." She grumbles and Kaeya suddenly feels sorry for her.

" I'll come by again when I can." He says with a little chuckle.

He makes it back to the camp where he finds Diluc already asleep while Venti plays a soft tune. He eyes the bard for a good moment as his gaze flickers from the lyre to Diluc. " What happened?"

" I told him some things I happen to remember." Venti hummed. " Come, rest dear peacock. I can take first watch."

Chapter 25

Chapter Text

" Good evening, my Liege." Kaltel is the first to greet him.

" Any changes?" Kaeya asks as the man in robes helps him up.

" No." He says plainly, showing distaste for their soon to be latest addition.

" Neither his physical or spiritual form seem to be awake yet." A woman in a short dress and leather boots said. " As a scout of the royal army, it's certainly a shame to see our twilight sword this way." Pavel continued. " Still, he's as eye catching as I remember."

" We give no such praise to the likes of him." A man dressed like a hunter said.

" Càrn, please." Kaeya sighed. " Regardless of what has happened before, he's still one of us." He needn't remind them of what they were before he reached them, it was why Kaltel and Aisling, who was simply a young girl with a cloak, had said nothing more.

" The chalk prince was correct on the assessment that his curse is changing." Ariel reported, she was dressed similarly to a healer. " Especially since his will is as strong as it is, his body hasn't succumbed to the Abyss." She's sat down next to Dainsleif's prone form. Dressed in a suit of armour, eyes closed in a deep slumber, the bough keeper looked like any other man. " When will you be arriving, my Liege?" Ariel asked him.

" Within another day, more or less." He answered simply. " How has my friend been?"

" The adeptus is doing well. His bad karma is difficult to treat at first but the winds taught me the melody that helps." She reported. " Although, I'm not as good as you are when whistling."

" Then, shall I get you an instrument?" He offered.

" R-Really? I don't know. I haven't played anything for so long." Ariel stammered. " You don't have to, my Liege! I can make do on my own."

" I insist." Kaeya chuckled. " Plus, I haven't done any shopping in a while. What are you comfortable with?"

" Ah, well..." She trailed off. " I used to play the kalimba but, I don't even know where they'd be made now. Or if any are made at all."

" I'm sure there is." If not, he'd find a way to make one. The others stared at him for a good moment before Kaeya. " I'll get you all gifts."

" Yay!" Aisling claps her hands as the others smiled wide. Kaeya chuckles at their reactions and his eyes are drawn to the skies again. He wonders if he should visit Nahida again.

Then he sees it, the red line in the sky. Wordlessly, he moves to follow it, leaving his people behind. Pavel moved to stop him but Kaltel held out his arm. He knows the direction their dear Lord Regent is taking wasn't towards the dendro archon. He motions them to continue as usual and leave their regent to do as he pleased.

Kaeya walked until he's met with green grass, an old familiar path leading him further into the threshold. He walks, passing grapevines filled with flying crystalflies, past the wagon filled with barrels and fruits, past the fruit stand with no actual fruits. He pauses at the door of the winery, looking up at the building with a sense of nervousness and awe. He contemplates knocking, looking around to see any other familiar faces but there was no one else around. Not the maids or workers, not even Elzer or Adelinde.

He knocks on the door. Something crashes on the other side, he hears footsteps rushing to the door. It swings open and Kaeya's mismatched eyes are met with the blank wide eyed stare of his brother. " Diluc?" His brother's lips are trembling, mouth opening and closing as though he were struggling to breathe.

" Kae-" His voice breaks, tears spilling down his cheeks as he reaches for him. " My eyes - Kae, my eyes-" He holds his brother closely, letting him weep on his shoulder.

" It's okay." He tries to reassure him. " I'm here. You'll be okay." Diluc hugs him fiercely, his body shook in a way that Kaeya has only seen a few times before. " You're okay. You'll be okay." It takes a few minutes before the elder brother calms himself, breathing steadily as he gathers his words. " Can you tell me what happened while I was away?"

" Venti told me something through this..song." Diluc began and relayed what he remembers from it. " I don't understand it."

" Well, for starters, I can definitely tell that you're human." Kaeya began. They moved to the vineyard, sat against the grass to relax.

" You're sure?" Diluc asked quietly. " But, my eyes."

" We're in a dream, Diluc. Sometimes things in dreams can represent different things in the waking world." Kaeya reassures him. " Plus, I know exactly what a human smells like. You're human."

" Okay." His brother sighed. " But, what is it? A Sleigh Beggy."

" It's a human with another sense, I think. I've only heard a few baseless rumors about it when I was child."

" Before here?" Diluc gestures to the winery.

" Yes." The younger brother hummed. " To things that are inhuman, adepti, yokai, you're like a sort of queen bee. In a sense that they are interested in you. Some might adore you, like you, others would probably want to eat you. Basically, you have a natural affinity for the supernatural." Kaeya explained. " Looking back, it's no wonder why my bird brain liked to tease you the most even before I met you again. You continuously generate this energy, it feels pleasant to be around. Makes you pleasant to be around."

" That's...explaining a few things." There were several strange occurrences throughout his travels, no his life. Plus, it would also explain how people still keep coming to his bar, trying to talk to him and such. He knows very well that he hasn't the friendliest of faces and newcomers would always try approaching him a few steps before backing off. The Oceanid didn't seem too intent on drowning him that time either. Plus, that strange funeral parlor consultant seemed to keep a rather keen eye on him. He definitely felt like he was being followed by children in Sumeru but saw nothing there.

" I think I get it." Kaeya says. " About your eyes. It just means you haven't really opened it yet."

" What?"

" Your eyes." He repeated, poking his brother on the nose, making him blink.

" Stop that." Diluc growled. " So what? Am I supposed to open them now?"

" Says who?" Kaeya raised a brow. " You don't have to. It's not like you're blind and you already have the Eyes of Summer's Oasis."

" The what?"

" The rings, Diluc." Kaeya sighed. " Don't worry. It's nothing to fuss about." He leans back.

" I suppose not." He mutters. " Do you think Father would've known?"

" About me or you?" He joked before they both went quiet. " Holy shit." Their father was the master of secrets. They knew that. He always knows something and hidea it so well that it makes Kaeya look like an amateur.

" He definitely knew." Diluc agreed. He always felt safe with his father around, no matter what. Growing up, Crepus was always there to watch over them, to nake sure they were safe. Sometimes he'd call them inside for whatever reason, Adelinde making snacks, that it was going to rain and he'd go out himself. They never knew why.

" Venti always said that it wasn't only the winds alone that continued bringing peace to Mondstadt." Kaeya chuckled.

" And the drake, it was oddly fixated on us. Somehow I don't think it was just the Fatui messing with it at the time." Diluc continued.

" Father knew things."

" Father knew things." The elder brother repeated with a nod. " I should really look through his office when we get back."

" If we remember to check his office." Kaeya adds. " This is still a dream. Ones like these are especially hard to remember."

" Will you remember me being a Sleigh Beggy?" Kaeya gives it a thought and shrugs.

" I don't pick what I get to remember when I wake up."

" What if I remember them?" Kaeya chuckles.

" Then -" The words died at his mouth as crimson eyes looked back down at him. They were the same as they were in the waking world but there was a different air to them. His eyes were just like Crepus' the same gaze that sees through the world and all its secrets.

Kaeya feels unusually warm.

" Kaeya!" The Blizzard reacts immediately, scrambling out of place and leapt into a tree. Grass burned below them, flames licking over the blades. The Blizzard seemed to have gotten away successfully before it could reach him. " It seems I might've triggered something." Venti says sheepishly.

Diluc is at the center of it all, a frown on his lips and brows knitted together. He was still asleep. Kaeya immediately set off to work, jumping down with a load of frost. He summons waves of ice and mist to put the fires out and reaches Diluc in less then a minute. He shakes his brother awake, calling his name but to no avail. Huffing, he picks him up.

Then, tosses his body into a nearby pond. Diluc got up, gasping and sputtering as he scrambled to gather his bearings. He groans as tries to get up, hair dripping with water. " Really?" He fumed, looking at his brother with a glare. The Blizzard's tail rattled seeing those eyes, curiosity and glee were whispered in his ears from the various voices of the 'Occelli'.

Kaeya simply pointed to where a wide patch of grass and plants were burnt to ash. He watched in concern as Diluc's expression pales and he could something flashing over his mind.

" Diluc?" He called, a voice that's usually nothing more but a garble. Diluc looked back at him sharply eyes wide and in the next second, tears were glassing his eyes.

" I remember my dream." He mutters under his breath so quietly, Kaeya almost couldn't catch it.

" I didn't mean to wake you up." Venti says a distance away.

" Leave." Kaeya said without turning to him. With a strained smile, a gust of wind blows by and the bard was gone. He helps his brother out of the pond and escorts him back to their camp. " It's okay, we'll figure this out." He reassures him.

It's pure luck most of their things survived the fire. They packed what they could and immediately resumed their journey to Wangshu Inn. Diluc felt uncomfortable, he feels aware of eyes following him and he knows they aren't Kaeya but it's coming from him. From his tail feathers. His brother managed to change his form with a different jacket and told him about the 'Ocelli'.

" How many of them?" Diluc asked.

" A few." He answered, now able to talk more freely with Diluc. But, everything felt so soon. Things were moving too fast, so tries not to speak too much.

" I think I want to sleep when I get there." Kaeya says nothing but hums in agreement. It could do them both good.

They manage to make it to Wangshu Inn without much incident, aside from Diluc actively averting his gaze from certain directions and looking down more often. It didn't suit him at all, leaving a bitter taste in Kaeya's mouth. They pay for the rooms and while Diluc departs for his room, Kaeya makes his way up to the balcony.

" Excuse me," Verr Goldett called. " The balcony is off limits today. I insist you step down." Kaeya cocks his head to the side, studying the boss lady. Xiao did say she was trustworthy and a good keeper of secrets. " Sir?" He unfolds one wing, letting it stretch just a bit before folding it back. " I see. He's expecting you." He sends her am appreciative coo and climbs up the stairs.

" Adeptus Xiao." Kaeya calls him calmly, looking around. The adeptus teleports closer, squinting at him.

" I see you've change your appearance."

" Well, it's easier to walk in the day like this." He sits himself on the railings, facing where Xiao sat upon the tree branches. " There's something I need to ask you." He offers a flower.

" Does it have to do with the one you came with?" The adeptus asks, taking the flower.

" He's my brother and not exactly. We'll discuss my original reason for this trip." He began. " There's something I need to know about contracts."

Chapter 26

Chapter Text

Verr Goldett placed down the plates of almond tofu on the tea table. She tries not to think about the tall, non human creature speaking with the resident adeptus in chirps and coos. Night had fallen and the two had been having their discussion for hours on end. She wonders what they're talking about.

" Some parts are just hard to reach. I still get itchy after preening myself." Kaeya complained.

" I understand. The war made things difficult for me as well." The boss lady sighs, thinking that Xiao was reminiscing together with his friend about the war. Technically he is but on different topics. " Bonanus usually helped me. If not her then Guizhong or Cloud Retainer. They're far more finer than most." The adeptus continued. " It's why I've mostly stuck to human form. It makes things easier for me."

" I can't stay in human form like you do. I don't have that kind of energy." Kaeya laments.

" Can't or won't?" There's a bit of silence and Kaeya simply smiles at him. " Fine. Do you want me to help you preen?"

" You will?"

" Be warned, I might be a little rusty." Kaeya straightened his back and unfolded his wings. Xiao was hesitant at first but soon reached forward. He moved as gently as he could, getting rid of older feathers and clearing away grime. " Looks like you haven't been preening recently."

" Been a rough week." Kaeya slurred.

" You're sleepy already?" Xiao says as Ariel had appeared to help with the other wing.

" It's nice." He cooed. Xiao spares a glance at footsteps coming up the stairs, ones he didn't recognise. " Hi 'Luc." Kaeya muttered as Ariel gasped.

" ...Hi." The red haired man said as he awkwardly approached them. Xiao paused, taking in those red eyes and thinking, what a pleasant air. " Do you need me to your hair?" He offered, glancing briefly at the faerie before it zipped off to the Inn's roof.

" I'd like that." With the combined sensation of his hair being combed and wings preened, Kaeya soon fell asleep.

" You have the sight." Xiao states, not really looking at Diluc.

" I guess so." He replied quietly.

" You should be careful. There are creatures out there who would think you as a good vessel, gods and demons alike. I suggest you stay away from Guyun Stone Forest and the Chasm." The Yaksha advised him.

" I'll do that." He says. " Did he get any answers?"

" From what I gathered, that man's oath resembles that of a contract. One that promises utmost loyalty. I am somewhat familiar with such contracts but considering his constitution, we'll need to consult someone wiser in the field." It was a shame they didn't have the local archon around anymore, Diluc thought. " I will go make preparations. In three days, meet me at Mt Acheng. The other adepti may have an opinion on the matter."

" Alright then." Diluc nodded.

" Should any danger come to either of you, call out my name. Adeptus Xiao." The adeptus says to him sternly.

" Adeptus Xiao." He repeats, receiving a firm nod. " Diluc."

" See you in three days then, Diluc." With that, the adeptus was gone. He looks down at Kaeya's sleeping form and lies down next to him. The Inn felt warm and comfortable no matter where he was in the building. Protected.

And it occurred to him, this place must be Xiao's roost. It doesn't look like he has any nesting habits but it is rather high and it's already kinda shaped like a nest. Yup, it's a roost. They're in an adeptus' roost. A small figure floats into view and staring down at him were the beady green eyes of a faerie.

" You can really see me." The faerie muttered. " You must be my Liege's favourite!"

" Favourite?" Diluc echoed.

" Yes. My Liege loves humans but you're special to him. I can tell." The faerie nods. " It's a good thing too because looking at you myself, I feel like I could just steal you away." She hummed.

" I'm not going anywhere." Diluc warned with a growl.

" We're aware, Beloved Child of Night. If not for my Liege, the scent of wind wards off plenty of others." The faerie proclaimed. " I'm going to go bother Smiley now." She announced before flying off and Diluc feels that he could finally relax.

" The scent of wind." He ponders to himself as he slowly closed his eyes.

" Your dream is very strange." Kaeya stares up dumbfounded at the adeptus looking down on him. He sits up hastily, looking around his garden to find that his people weren't present. They were around but not here.

" What are you doing here?" He asked. " Not even Nahida comes into my dreams."

" Nahida?" Xiao tilts his head. " Hm, this place is awfully peaceful." He notes. " Who's that?" He asked and Kaeya's eyes trail to Dainsleif's body still laid among the Inteyvats.

" That's the one that swore his oath to me." He answered and the adeptus narrows his gaze.

" The one who attacked you before." Kaeya nods. " I've contacted the other adepti and told your brother to go to Mt Acheng in three days to discuss the contract."

" So, I'll be seeing you there." He mused. " Though, you could just teleport us."

" I thought you'd enjoy a little sight seeing. Especially now with your guise." Kaeya smiles at that.

" I would like that. Thank you."

" When you arrive in Liyue Harbour, look for the consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor." Xiao told him.

" I'll try to remember that."

Waking up again, the brothers find themselves covered over with blankets. They exchanged a look, Kaeya shrugging as he had no idea where they came from. It must have been the Inn's owner no doubt. They folded the blankets and placed them on a nearby stool. Kaeya adjusted his appearance and they went to check out at the counter.

" Ah, good morning sirs. I hope the balcony wasn't stiff." She says in a casual tone.

" It was fine." Diluc brushed off. " How much do I owe you?"

" Oh, there's no need." Said Verr Goldett as she reassures them. " Guests of the Vigilant Yaksha are always welcome here."

" Please, I insist. It wouldn't do my reputation much favours if I simply left without paying." Diluc placed the bag of mora on the table and quickly ushered Kaeya to follow him before she could stop them.

Their journey to Liyue Harbour had them run into a couple treasure hoarders while passing by some ruins. Which were dealt with swiftly with their swords. There were perhaps a couple hilichurl camps in the distance but Liyue was unpredictable, he couldn't risk being caught by the milelith without Xiao watching his back.

They hear the hums and whispers of something coming close. Diluc tenses, ready to call upon his sword but a hand on his shoulder stops him. Kaeya looks to where a little seelie is floating towards them.

It hums and sings softly, floating around the two. Kaeya whistles along the melody, testing its tune. The seelie continues and Diluc realizes that this was where Kaeya learned all of his songs. The melodies that whisper before words were ever known, letters for the heart read aloud by the soul. Both Kaeya and the seelie stop abruptly, Diluc feels a gaze on them.

" I didn't know Knights of Favonius could speak to seelies." Diluc glares at the Harbinger as he saunters towards them from the path.

" What are you doing here, Fatui?" The wine tycoon growled, keeping his brother behind him.

" Just the usual diplomacy work. I just got off an aggravating meeting with the Qixing and thought I could blow off some steam here. How about it, Delusion Thief?" He taunted, already taking up his bow. He hadn't the chance to face off with the sojourner back then, the slippery red haired had escaped and there wasn't anything they could do by then but put him in their blacklist.

" I'd really rather not deal with you at all." Childe observes as the Favonian Knight taps the other's shoulder as cocks his head back to the road.

" Oh, isn't this the missing Cavalry Captain? So you've found him!" The harbinger tossed a smile to the pretty bluenette but he didn't seem amused.

" Back off." Diluc warned before he could take another.

" Oho, protective are we?" They seemed rather close for someone who openly shows his disdain for the Ordo. " So what brings you to Liyue? Sightseeing, is it? I could show you around since I'm pretty familiar with the city." The harbinger dares another step, watching in amusement as the two seemed to tense. " I heard about your little Blizzard problem. Heard that things have gone quiet. Too quiet in fact. Did you slay it already?" The blue one takes a step back, looking more uncomfortable and Childe could see a familiar star shaped pupil in his one eye.

" Leave. That's my last warning. Keep away from me and my brother." Diluc steps in front of him and glares. If looks could kill, Childe would be a mangled corpse. There's something in that gaze that's changed, something more...mystified. He couldn't quite name it himself but it's a familiar feeling.

And brothers! The harbinger could see which one is older. Though, there was something else amiss here that his intel didn't provide. The Cavalry Captain was a flirt, chatted away at bars and wherever he went with a silver tongue. The captain hasn't said a word. Through some of the intel pictures they'd gotten, he could compare the captain's attire to be more covered as well. As though he were hiding something. Then it clicked, the missing captain, the Blizzard and his sudden return after cases had gone quiet.

This man was a survivor.

" It looks like we've got off on the wrong foot." He began, easing his tone a little. " I won't bother you but, I do mean to ask one thing to your brother." Diluc is about to retaliate but again, the bluenette stops him and casts Childe a chilling glare. " About the Blizzard, you were there, right? I don't know how you're alive but I hope you know that I'm glad you survived whatever it did to you." Befuddled, Diluc seemed to do a double take and the brothers shared a glance with each other. He chuckles, they probably weren't expecting for him to say something nice. " I've taken up enough of your time. See you around." He leaves them staring after him in shock. He could understand why the wine tycoon was so protective now. He doesn't think he'd be any less if his own siblings went missing like that. Perhaps they're going to Bubu Pharmacy, maybe their bill would be mysteriously paid for.

" That was weird." Kaeya garbled quietly under his breath after a few minutes.

" Actually, we could use this." Diluc says after a long thought. " It's a good cover."

" Do I have to be littered in scars now?" His brother scoffed.

" Only if they make you strip or something." Diluc joked and Kaeya gags at that. " You don't need scars." His brother hums, and shifts his appearance a little.

" How about this? Then people won't ask why I won't talk." Diluc withheld a wince as long clear scars trailed from the right side of Kaeya's chin and trailed over his neck in a clear line. It looked jagged and deep, like someone had dragged a knife over his throat thrice. " 'Luc?"

Diluc sighs, turning his attention to the floating seelie. " It's fine." He says. " Only when we're out, okay?" Kaeya nods dutifully and they continued down their path to the city.

It isn't long until they make it to Liyue Harbour. They find an inn nearby to stay for the next three days. Kaeya slips outside while Diluc goes to lie down, feeling lightheaded. He gave his brother a notebook with a pen and some mora, although his brother insisted he didn't need any.

So Kaeya now explored the city, looking through the toy shops and cafes. He stops by in front of an old toymaker, looking through the kites and many little instruments displayed.

" See anything you like, dear? Take your time." The old lady said. The bluenette wasted no time picking an assortment of souvenirs for Klee and Diona. He looks over the small instruments and find... nothing that really catches his eye. He's looking for something specific but can't entirely recall what or how to word it out. " Looking for something to play?" She chuckled and Kaeya merely shrugged. " Man of few words, are we?" He absently rubs his neck and the old lady smiles softly. " Well, I might have something. It's a very old instrument. So much so that I haven't found anyone who knows how to play it or anyone who knew how to fix it." She reaches into an old box and places a small wooden instrument before him.

It's a relatively small instrument just about fitting the palm of his hand, with only eight little keys attached. It was exactly what he wanted.

" It's called a kalimba. They say that centuries ago, children from Fontaine would carry these around in their pockets and play the sweetest music. I'll give it to you for only a thousand mora. I also have a larger one but it's missing a few keys. You could take that as well if you'd like." She offered and Kaeya nods eagerly, already putting down the mora needed to pay for it all. " Slow down, young man. I said I would give the second one to you. It is of no use to me anyways."

Chapter 27

Summary:

This chapter is a little messy.

Chapter Text

He doesn't know if he should stop somewhere to eat considering most of his diet consisted of ley line branches which were all in the inn. He wonders if there was anywhere quiet for him to test out the little kalimba at the very least.

" Excuse me, sir." He turns to see a pair of milelith soldiers walk up to him. He swallows down the nervousness and waves at them. " Do you happen to be Captain Beidou of the Crux Fleet?" The what of the what?

" Long hair, eye patch. This must be the one." The other one said and Kaeya immediately shakes his head. " You're not?" He shakes his head again.

" Well, who are you? A tourist?" He nods. " What's up with you? Lighten up. Cat got your tongue?" They teased but Kaeya simply shakes his head and runs his hands over his neck. The milelith pales and immediately apologizes for making fun of him.

" I didn't know the milelith were keen on picking on an injured man." Kaeya narrows his gaze at the approaching man. " Is this how you guys treat your tourists?" Childe goaded them. The bluenette shakes his head and gives the three of them a little wave before going on his way.

The milelith, taking example of the action, walked off as well. Completely ignoring the harbinger.

" Hey, comrade! Slow down." Childe attempted to keep up with the bluenette but he simply walked faster. " I just wanted to talk, honest." He continues and blue pauses briefly with a raised brow. " That thing with the seelie. Were you actually talking to it or something?" The other huffs and starts to walk away. " Come on, I'm only curious." He reaches out, grabbing the bluenette's shoulder. " I promise I won't tell!"

Kaeya's eye turned sharp, lips forming a malicious smile as he grabs Childe's wrist. " I'll hold to that." There's a flash of a blue thread, he feels it wrapped around his neck and watched as it trailed back to Kaeya's fingers. The bluenette looked shocked, eye wide in confusion as he steps back.

Childe rubs his neck, feeling nothing there and looks up to the cavalry captain but finds no one there. " Sir, are you alright?" An agent asked, approaching him from behind. " Shall I pursue him?"

" No, it's fine. He just pushed me is all. I think I spooked him." That certainly didn't feel real but he still feels uncertain. " Alright, our business here is over anyways. Prepare to return to the homeland." He brushes off whatever uneasiness he feels. After all, what's an injured man capable of doing against him.

" He's gone." A deep voice says, Kaeya kept his eyes on the ground. " Are you alright?" He nods taking a hesitant step back, he needed space, away from the god. " Do not be frightened, little peafowl. Any friend of my yaksha is welcome here in Liyue." He attempts to sound reassuring but the poor Blizzard's instincts are even more wary of a dragon than they were of a falcon. His form is barely holding it together. He covers his mouth trying to suppress the panicked buzzes and chirps.

Seeing this, the dragon takes a step back. He tries to think of something comforting to say but a strong gust of wind bursts through the city. Anything light enough was sent flying, there are shouts and panic in the streets. The peafowl slips away once again, hand in hand with a bard. Venti leads him back to their room at the inn, locking the doors and windows behind him as Diluc stirs.

" What..." Kaeya lets out a distressed sound, causing him to sit up immediately. " Kaeya. What happened?" Kaeya unfolds his wings and tail, letting them stretch as his mane fluffed up. He reaches for Diluc and the man quickly takes him into his arms.

" Wait here," Venti says before Diluc could even ask, vanishing into thin air. He appears next to the brunette, a strained smile on his face. " Morax." His tone is ominously chipper and he looks ready to kill.

" Barbatos, I-" The shorter god takes him by the tie. They teleport outside the city where the shorter god finally lets him go. " Do not do that." The dragon growled.

" The next time you frighten my children, I'll throw you into the sea." The anemo god says without missing a beat. " I understand that you were trying to help. But my children don't require any of your meddling."

" That was not my intention whatsoever." The dragon says, keeping his voice calm as the gales died down. " Forgive me, I got excited."

" I know what you mean." Barbatos sighed. " He's still getting the hang of things and just because he gets along with Xiao doesn't mean he could immediately tolerate your presence, you overgrown lizard." Venti scolded him. " Do not ever approach him without him looking for you first and considering the circumstances, he will go looking for you."

" I understand." The dragon rumbles. " Though I wonder. Weren't you supposed to be with them?"

" I will be." Zhongli simply sighed as the anemo archon vanished once again.

By the time Venti returned, Kaeya was playing with a new little instrument he bought while Diluc helped soothe his hair. There were pillows and blankets strewn on the floor. They regarded Venti with a single glance and returned to their own thing, Kaeya spread his wings and fluttered them a little.

Smiling softly, Venti approaches them and helps to preen the peafowl's wings. " That dragon, is the funeral parlor consultant isn't he?" Diluc asked.

" Yes. How could you tell?" Venti asked.

" It's a feeling." He answered and they stayed in silence for a few more minutes. " Okay, I think I'm done."

" Thanks." Kaeya says as he opens his jewelry box. Venti doesn't falter as he continues sorting through the feathers. The brothers then started discussing hair ornaments while trying them on. Venti had gotten quite the collection for every occasion. Gold, silver, bronze. All of it was there. " Why don't you try one?" He offered Diluc.

" Seriously?" His brother scoffed.

" Or course, your hair's a choppy mess." He doesn't avoid the pillow thrown his way. " Master Crepus would've appreciated it if you kept your hair neater."

" Fine." He grumbled, letting his hair down. " But it has to look nice." After a few hours, they all fell asleep. Venti wrapped under one wing while Diluc remained trapped under the other.

The following day remained uneventful. The three of them walked around, tried some food and met a few of the traveller's friends. They exchanged stories of how they met the traveller and what crazy antics she got up to. " Kaeya used to tell me how that girl preferred climbing walls than using the stairs every time she goes around the city."

" She climbed up the banisters when I met her at the bookstore." Xinqiu admitted with a chuckle.

" I saw her climb a mountain for twenty minutes straight just to get a qingxin flower." Xiangling said as she served them all some soup. Kaeya wanted to decline but couldn't find the heart to say no to such a bright eyed chef.

" She told me that it's more convenient to get around that way." Diluc continued. " Like how gliding down a cliff was better than simply taking the literal marked path."

" Lumine really gets up to the weirdest things." Venti chuckled. " I do hope to see her again someday. Maybe Paimon too."

" Last I heard she was in Sumeru." Diluc adds. " I hope she's okay." Kaeya nods along. Unbeknownst to them she is currently being chased around by a giant worm in the middle of the desert.

Kaeya was able to calm himself better now with Diluc and Venti around. It feels safe and secure for his bird brain. They're not overly stuffy either, just around as they let him do as he pleased. At night, he'd stretch his wings and laze about their room. Diluc brought work woth him and went through a few papers, Venti helped him tune the kalimba and they practiced on it.

" I can't believe we still can't find anyone who could fix that thing." Diluc sighed after another store turned them down. The make of a kalimba's keys, especially good ones were precise and the ones that made up the old kalimba seemed to be of a special kind of steel.

" There you are!" Diluc grimaced at the voice and scowled at the approaching harbinger. " I thought I'd find you guys eventually."

" Please, don't pretend you haven't been getting spies to follow us." The wine tycoon hissed.

" Now, now, don't be like that comrade! I didn't even send anyone." Childe says and Diluc hates that he can sense the honesty in his voice. " I think they were just curious. None of those soldiers made it out alive but you did." Kaeya shifts his feet. " I don't know which one of you dealt with it but some of my men are thankful."

" We didn't kill it." Diluc cuts in. " We couldn't." Kaeya's grip on his brother's sleeves tightened.

" Then?" The harbinger asked almost quietly.

" That's none of your concern." The wine tycoon says calmly. " The agreement said that the case was ours. Whatever happens in Mondstadt, stays in Mondstadt."

" Being in the land of contracts, they say one must uphold their end of the terms or suffer the wrath of rock." Venti says with a smile. " Anyways!" The bard claps his hands. " I'm starving. Let's get something to eat."

" Wait." Three pairs of eyes turned sharply to him, each holding a presence of their own. " Let me treat you guys. I think I'd feel bad if I didn't do so."

" Then kindly wallow in your guilt." Venti sang. They moved too quickly for him to catch up and he knows that they probably won't let him any closer with how guarded they were.

With nothing more to do, he makes his way back to his ship. He really hoped he could do something for the brothers, they looked like they've been through a lot. Not counting the whole sojourn, the cavalry captain seemed to have been put through the wringer. Well, it was out of his hands. Perhaps he should volunteer as a diplomat to Mondstadt next time to check on them if the Tsaritsa allowed it. Maybe even let him deal with the Blizzard personally. A tugging sensation around his neck seemed to warn him otherwise. He supposed he could put off the idea for a while longer.

" Are you sure you're okay with meeting them now?" Venti asked when they finished their lunch. The peafowl nods, the sooner he gets to the mountains, the sooner he can really stretch. He knows he shouldn't rush things but it would be rude to ask the adepti to wait a few more days before he got adjusted. He wanted it all done and over with so he can go home and eat ley branches.

The bard teleports them near the mountain and they climbed up the rocky path. Xiao is waiting for them as they arrived, he quickly reaches them. " They've just met Ariel. Are you certain you're ready?"

" I'm already here, no need for any delays." Kaeya says and they approach the abode.

" My Liege!" Ariel zips towards him happily. " I've made so many friends." She says happily.

" One is pleased to have met an acquaintance of Alatus." Cloud Retainer began, her voice booming. Each of the adepti introduced themselves to the trio and greeted Barbatos respectfully.

" One has heard of Alatus speaking greatly of your wings." Moon Carver said. " May you show us?" To Kaeya, their presence was great yet warm. Like sunlight on a mountain. Gentle yet cool.

He lets his wings and tail unfurl, mask placed over his face as he took on his Blizzard form. He saunters forward and bows. " Kaeya Albreich, Blizzard of Mondstadt." He introduced himself.

" Wow." Was all Diluc could say, looking both disappointed and peeved. He avoids a tail swiped his way.

" How interesting." Mountain Shaper said, approaching the young peafowl. Kaeya spreads his tail open with a sharp rattle, reminding the adeptus to keep his distance. Moon Carver laughed.

" It seems the young are still wary of you as always." The stag teased.

" They are not. One simply has a presence too great."

" Should one recall that time one first met Ganyu and Shenhe? Neither of them wanted to be near you." Cloud Retainer continued. " And when you met with Street Rambler's first student. You had scolded a child so harshly, she wept for a whole day."

" Street Rambler certainly had words for you." The stag chuckled and the crane flaps his wings in dismay.

" Silence!" He demanded.

" You have very lovely wings." Cloud Retainer complimented, already ignoring Mountain Shaper.

" It seems this one is gifted with a Sight." Moon Carver says, looking to Diluc now.

Chapter 28

Summary:

Song used : All is soft inside - Aurora

Chapter Text

When Zhongli finally arrived at the mountain, he took his time reaching the top. He didn't want to frighten the peafowl, nor was he any eager to incur Barbatos' wrath. He wasn't a God known for bloodshed but it seemed the recent events had awoken a more protective side of himself.

At the very peak, he sees a tall figure of eight feet. The peafowl spread his feathers at the request of the other adepti. A little faerie was tuning a small instrument with the bard's help. His eyes were then drawn to flaming red hair, he smiled at the sight of his friend.

" Rex Lapis." Xiao greeted him immediately. The other adepti moved to greet him but noticed something shifting in the corner of their vision.

Kaeya's mane and wings were raised, his tail rattled in discomfort as he eyes the dragon warily. His bird brain is borderline screaming.

" I apologise if I startled you, little peafowl." Kaeya hissed at him. " I won't hurt you. In fact, I've procured a gift for you." The bracelet gleamed a brilliant blue, he's immediately drawn to the treasure as his tail rattles slightly in interest. Zhongli held it out to him, an inviting smile on his face.

Curse his bird brain for being so easily bribed, he thought as he now held the bracelet in hand with the dragon nearby. " I can't believe you'd bribe him." Venti says with a stiff smile.

" You reacted the same way when we met." Morax remarked.

" I was a young wind spirit, I don't get a lot of shiny things!" The bard says in his defence, easing a smirk from the dragon.

Distracted by the jewelry, Cloud Retainer took the opportunity to preen his feathers. He flinched at first but seeing it was the crane, he immediately calmed and stretched his wings.

" How are so easily bought with jewelry?" Diluc says as now even Moon Carver sat close by. Within a few minutes, they were sitting around together enjoying some snacks Cloud Retainer prepared. Kaeya shared the flowers, letting Diluc watch in bewilderment as the adepti and gods consume the treat with delight.

" You are certainly an interesting existence." Morax rumbled. " Tell me, little peafowl. What is it do you wish to ask? I will answer to the best of my abilities."

Kaeya hesitantly lifts his hand and two blue threads appeared, flowing out to faraway places through the sky. Zhongli gently lifted his hand to get a better look, taking the threads into his palm as he and the other adepti inspect it. " These are contracts." Mountain Shaper states.

" This one." Cloud Retainer lifts the first thread. " A loyalty contract, one that allows you to call upon the contractee to your will."

" This one seems to be a promise of silence." Moon Carver states on the second thread.

" These contracts seem to bind their very lives to you. Especially the second one, where in any time the contract is broken, they will die." Zhongli notes but lingers on the first thread. " This one. You are constantly sending energy to this thread, the person on the other end seem to be affiliated with an ailment no other being would be able to cure. You...counter the Abyss."

" Yes." Kaeya nods.

" You do understand that neither of these contracts are not to be taken lightly. Their lives are in your very hands." Moon Carver informed him.

He rises from where he sat, slipping on the bracelet as he walks over to the peak's edge. The air of Liyue was of old parchment, of stone and steel, of salt from the seas, of ancient dreams. He turns to the adepti who continue watching him curiously. " Can I show you something?"

Ariel followed Kaeya closely as they approached the hilichurl camp. The adepti and Diluc watched from a good distance away to make sure nothing happens to their favourite peafowl. " Is there truly such a thing?" Mountain Shaper asked. " Cleansing these forsaken souls."

" I did not believe myself either but it is true." Xiao answered. " Just watch."

Kaeya lets Ariel sit upon his shoulder as they got closer. The tiny kalimba was just her size and she takes a deep breath before playing. The tunes played upon the kalimba's keys were a soft echo, like water droplets. She plays the tune Kaeya had showed her, the one who's melody seemed to make waves through the air.

The Blizzard started to sing, his voice is gentle but echoing. The sound bouncing off the tall walls of the mountains surrounding them. The hilichurls all stopped, frozen in place as he made his way closer to them. They were each fixated on him, as he saunters forward, singing. His voice calls, beckoning them near.

A call so gentle yet so loud, asking them, inviting them to his dreams. The closest hilichurl had reached out to him. Their fingers met and intertwined. The adepti each watched in awe as its abyssal form was shed away, like grime off of rock unveiling the gem behind it. The silhouette had a long flowing dress that was clearly meant for show. It danced around Kaeya as he sang louder.

It pulled another hilichurl into step and there were two dancing silhouettes. The first dancer kept momentum, twirling around and pulling whoever they could in rhythm with them. Kaeya danced along with them, they could hear the smile in his voice as he continues to call for them. Fields of Inteyvats grew at their feet, silhouettes hugging, dancing and laughing.

Had they been humans, the dance would've been nothing more than another festive dance. Yet, that's what is, wasn't it? They were celebrating. They were released and they knew it, free from their agony, the burning sensation of a body no longer their own. The relief in their movements and the way Kaeya weaved through them. He had a turn with nearly all of them, dancing and singing together. Then the silhouettes start to fade, adding to the growing field of Inteyvats.

Kaeya continued to sing even as the last dancer begun to fade from his grasp. Ariel continued to sing with him, backing his vocals as he kept the notes going just a little longer, just so he could see the Inteyvats for a while more.

To adepti's surprise, Zhongli had leaned forward. His bright ember eyes were blown wide by the display, his grip on the stone causing cracks as tears glistened from his eyes. The Blizzard finishes, the Inteyvats fade with the final notes of the Kalimba. It was as though they were never there.

But, Kaeya wasn't finished with his performance. In his palms grew the ley line bloom, the Blossom of Reminiscence. Kaeya's tears flowed onto it, allowing it to bloom beautifully and revealing the relics hidden within. Mostly geo seeds and some artifacts which he tucks away to add into his collection later.

Neither of them knew when Zhongli had gotten down but now he was already hastily making his way to Kaeya. The peafowl barely had any time to react before the dragon's arms wrapped around him. He stays completely still the dragon shuddered, he could feel his mane getting wet with tears as the dragon shuddered and sobbed.

" Alive...you survived...thank goodness..." The dragon muttered repeatedly into his mane. " You're alive...thank you. Thank you." Whatever he was thanking him for, either for surviving, for bringing peace to the forsaken or for simply being, mattered not. He returns the embrace carefully, still a little untrusting but now more understanding of the dragon.

The moment is short lived as water from the nearby river bubbles and rises. Zhongli recovers quickly, pulling the Blizzard behind him despite the latter being much taller than himself. The Oceanid rose from the waters with grandeur.

" You've found it." Rhodeia said, looking down at Kaeya. " That instrument of a thousand years ago."

" I see. You were looking for this melody?" Venti asked as they finally reached the two.

" It's mine." Ariel says defensively from where she was floating.

" That is not what I am here for." The Oceanid said. " I remember hearing that very same instrument long ago in Fontaine. I remember them now, the one that resembled you."

" You knew an 'Ocelli'?" Kaeya asked, moving forward without a hint of fear.

" I did." She sounded weirdly happy. " They were a pair, those two sisters. In Fontaine, their names would be long forgotten by now but they were once known as the Sirens of the Catacombs." The Oceanid began. " The two sisters have lived in the Catacombs for many years, one was alike yourself and the other was human." She says, turning her attention to Diluc. " They played the instrument and sang together everyday, they sang to the rivers that flowed beneath it, asking for my blessing for every little thing they did. They were of a very rare blood, the remnants of a bloodline that have long gone. They were survivors of the fallen bridge."

Fontaine's history was one of grueling reformation and bloodshed. None however, had more victims than the construction of the Grand Fontaine Seine Bridge. While the design and layout where indeed beautiful, the making of it was no less a tragedy. The work conditions were horrible and thousands died there, many buried within the very walls of the bridge and one day it fell, unveiling the many corpses hidden inside. The catacombs beneath the city were built after under similar conditions, but they never bothered to hide the bodies this time. So their skulls and bones could be seen in the walls. Some were large, others were small. Bodies from the collapsed bridge were transferred to the catacombs as well.

" The two kept the catacombs safe, made it livable for those who couldn't afford to live on the surface. I don't know what becomes of them after nor anything beyond that. Nor can I recall what their names once were. But, they were there." Rhodeia continued wistfully. " Remarkable, they were. Inseparable, they have always been." The Oceanid returns to the waters.

" United, we always will be." He shudders at the voices of the 'Occelli', finishing the Oceanid's words.

The field of his dreams is the same always, but lacked his people. This has only happened once before, he thought. Sitting up, he immediately spies two flowers that didn't match with the Inteyvats.

A pair of dianthus. The petals were pink, the jagged edges a pure white. In itself, the sight is odd as dianthus grow in clusters.

He's in a hall now, dark and damp. The path is barely luminated by lanterns hanging from the side. He looks around the area in terror as the walls were filled with bones and skulls, stacked around and arranged in a way that made it seem like it was almost purposely displaying them. Hands reached out from the dark behind him, flexing slightly before grabbing his shoulders. He lets out a loud yell as they held him in place.

" Salut!" A pair of voices greeted cheerfully. " You're finally here, Albreich!" The one on the left says.

" Come along, we'll chat inside." The one on the right said. They pulled him forward, stumbling down the dark halls. They chatted in Fontainian to each other, whispering and teasing. Kaeya decided to observe his surroundings. As they walked, less cracks covered the grounds, the skeletons were more whole and some even started to have their own separated space in the wall. Flowers could be found in their hands and the longer they progressed, started to fill the skeletons.

He glances to the pair guiding him, each wearing an identical brown dress, red sashes around their waists with white ribbons. The one on the left wore a wide brim hat pulled low over her left eye decorated in an assortment of feathers, her hair was tied into a short bun. The one on his right had a veil that flowed behind her, her hair was longer and tied into a messy bun, with a number of pins and feathers keeping it all together.

They were also very tall. Seven feet tall.

" We're here." They announced and before him was a maroon curtain, torn at its edges and looking worse for wear. The pair parts the curtains, revealing the room within.

Yellow strings filled the ceilings and walls, most hung loose, some are taut and others were strewn around the floor as if a cat had been through the room.

" We have to clear this place out now." The one on the right said.

" Aye, specially since we can't use this room anymore." Left agreed.

" Aren't these your contracts?" He asks, having no control over his words.

" They are but we are long gone." Right says with a sigh.

" Like stones in a river, we're grinded down to pebbles."

" Then to dust."

" And once our time comes, we'll start all over again from beneath the seas."

" Beneath stone." They finished together.

" Come now, help us cut these down. This place will be yours after all." Right says, smiling to him.

Chapter 29

Chapter Text

When Kaeya awakens, he doesn't feel the threads on his fingers any longer. Yet, he knows that his contracts are still in place. He finds an entire cluster of dianthus by his head. He stares at it for a long while, admiring the blooms before realising what they were. Contracts.

He's certain there'll be more in the coming days. He picks up the cluster, suddenly imagining them buried within the eye sockets of a man's skull. Putting it away, he saves the thought for another time.

They say their goodbyes to the adepti, Kaeya sharing a silent glance at Xiao at the promise to go hunting together again sometime. They left with more souvenirs than what they initially bought. Venti went to pester Zhongli about something and told to head out first.

The way back was far more peaceful than they thought, at least at first. Kaeya whistles the entire way through, practicing a new tune he heard from the seelies. Perhaps it was their own fortune or fate that they'd run into trouble every now and then. Even when trouble comes in the form of a huge dragon, sealed underground.

Diluc brought down his claymore onto another vishap, killing it. Beside him, his brother slashed away at another two with both his Favonian Sword and Ice Sword. He hasn't switched to full Blizzard form. Being in broad daylight, the peafowl is worried about being spotted.

" Why the hell are there so many of them?" Diluc yelled as he blocks the biting jaws of the vishap. A sword of ice goes through its head, Diluc lets the body drop and shifts his focus to Kaeya just in time to see one of the larger vishap enclosed its jaws around his brother's arm. He tries to call out his name but a vishap from his side attacked, slashing his abdomen with its claws.

He doesn't falter and strikes it down. Another tries to come up to him but is immediately frozen in ice. The ground beneath them froze, Kaeya's shadow grew as his tail rattled in agitation, abandoning his worries. He hissed at the vishaps, Inteyvats blooming from the blood dripping down his arm. The walls of ice won't hold them off for long, he knows this. He picks up Diluc, causing the man to yelp in surprise before scaling the ice wall.

A greater vishap shot out of the ground, blocking their way with a growl. Kaeya hissed back and turned his heel to another direction. Anytime they were getting close to leaving, the vishaps would shoot out of the ground to block their path. It didn't take long to realise that they were being directed somewhere.

" Kae, it's fine." Diluc says to him as they ran. " If you go above the clouds, no one can see you." He knows that Kaeya wouldn't fly of two reasons, the first is his injury, the second is being spotted. Mismatched eyes regard his brother with a look before unfolding his wings. He spreads them wide, beating against the ground for take off. They were children of Mondstadt, the wind was always their boon.

The earth beneath them shook and cracked. Before Diluc knew it, he was flung into the air. His eyes blown wide as an enormous set of jaws latched onto Kaeya's wings. The Blizzard screams. A flaming phoenix rushes into the vishap, forcing it to let the being go. Kaeya lands on wobbly feet, hissing and rattling his tail as Diluc covers him.

They were surrounded, beneath an enormous tree with a few Irminsul roots and branches sticking from it. The vishaps start closing in and the pair is forced to back up. They wouldn't such a problem if there weren't so many of them, the hoards were by the tens and while Diluc has better experience in taking care of crowd situations, not even he can manage such a huge number. Kaeya was strong, but still inexperienced in using the fullest of his abilities in such a form. Especially when his bird brain easily gets shocked and alarmed.

Behind them a seal glowed and they were immediately dragged inside by a greater force.

" Finally." A voice rumbled. Diluc looks up to the enormous dragon and is locked in its gaze. " Welcome, my new vessel." A shiver runs down his spine as those looked down at him with malicious intent.

" My brother is no vessel of yours." Kaeya hissed, stepping between them. He flaps his wings sharply, blood and feathers flecked off. With his mask, he chews a ley branch in his maw, the bleeding was already stopping.

" I have waited a thousand years to be free. I had been so close before and I will not let this opportunity pass me by. That Child of Night." The dragon growled from the other side of its prison. " He is the perfect vessel. Elemental energy is radiating from him as if he is an elemental being. Yet he is human and holds a vision. On top of that, the fact he's still standing here alive simply means he holds great strength."

" So what?" Diluc spat. " You make it sound like I should be dead."

" Do you not know?" The dragon rumbled. " Children of Night commonly die young. The elemental energy in their bodies will become too much and they will die."

Images of their father dying to the delusion, how it started turning his body into dust. That wasn't a normal death, not even by delusions. He's heard of other cases, but most simply age rapidly or just fall dead. Turning to dust, he could smell the smoke still, the pyro delusion energy was enhanced by something, rapidly burning the body inside out without a flame. Was that why he needed a delusion?

" I can help you." The dragon rumbled. " Simply give yourself to me. I can help you control the elemental energy."

" Fuck off." The wine tycoon grunted, suddenly he's reminded of his short hot breaths during long skirmishes with the Fatui

" It matters not how you feel. The entrance is already sealed, none of you can escape. You will either let me use you as a vessel, or die here and I take your vessel regardless."

" Don't fuck with me." Diluc growled back. " I'd rather turn into ashes than be your vessel."

" Then you will die. Both of you." The dragon says.

" No." Kaeya finally says.

" It's futile, child."

" He's not going to die." The Blizzard hissed. " I don't want you to die." He says even softer to Diluc.

" I won't. Not here." He tries to reassure him. He looks around, noting the empty space and trapped dragon before sitting down. " Come on, let's deal with our wounds first. No one's going anywhere."

" Futile efforts, all of it." The dragon grumbled as the two ignored him. They did what they could with what little they had. Kaeya seemed fine for the most part. His wings were a bloody mess but he didn't seem to mind much.

" We dropped some of our stuff back there. Even the souvenirs." Kaeya says. " Klee will be upset."

" Jean is going to kill us if we went back like this." Diluc sighed as his brother tries to clean his wings. " Stop picking at it." He chided. " We'll get your wings cleaned up when we get home, okay?"

" It's itchy." Kaeya retorts and goes back to his wings. " You shouldn't pick your bandages either."

" Touche." His brother mutters and they were sat in silence. " It's too bad you don't know how to heal others."

" Sorry." Kaeya's wings drooped.

" Wait, I'm just teasing. It's fine."

" It's not." Kaeya continued, his tone becoming more firm. " This won't be the last time they go after you, will it?" He spares a glance to the dragon watching them.

" No." The dragon replied. " If not myself, many others will want to use him as a vessel or tool for their own needs. You're dying soon anyways, just give yourself up."

" Shut up." Diluc snapped. " I'm doing that and I won't die to the likes of you."

" I won't let you die either." Kaeya adds. " I don't like seeing you hurt."

" Well neither do I but looks like the universe likes to fuck with us anyways." His brother says. Kaeya fumbles through his pocket and finds that he'd brought the dianthus with him. He takes one out, trying to recall what it truly meant to him.

The contracts of the Autumn Dianthus, a gift of the previous 'Ocelli' are the veins of the two sisters. Just as the rings were the eyes of the other 'Ocelli'. " I might have an idea for your problem." He says to his brother. " I don't like seeing you hurt and I don't know what I'll do if you die. But, if we make a contract-"

" NO!" The dragon bellowed. " You dare speak of contracts in my presence. A contract of binding no less!" The ground shook as the dragon stomped his feet.

" This contract has nothing to do with you." Kaeya hissed.

" Do not pretend I don't know what you're doing." The domain rumbled, Diluc holds his ground as he scoots closer to his brother. " To bind yourself to him. Are you a fool? No such human has ever received such a contract."

" You're wrong." The peafowl continued firmly. " There are many like me before. I have someone I want to protect and if he dies, I can't live either." The Blizzard removes his mask, looking at his brother in the eye. " Make a contract with me, brother."

" Stop!"

" I'm starting to think your bird brain isn't even in control here." His brother says. " I get the gist of it. If I die, you die with me. It's that kind of deal, isn't it?" Kaeya nods, holding out two dianthus flowers to him. Diluc's eyes gleamed as he takes his brother's hand. Ribbons bursts forth from the cracks between their finger, circling them and coiling up their arms with a silvery glow.

" Remarkable, we are." Kaeya began. " In both name and spirit."

" Inseparable, we have always been." Diluc continued, the words flowing through him easily. " Through drought and flood, we are bound."

" United, we will always be." They say together. The ribbons turn into chains, the sound of rattling metal echoing throughout the area. " In life and death, I will follow you."

The chains disappeared, their fate now sealed. Azhdaha roared in rage but the brothers barely gave him a glance. It was done. There was nothing more the dragon can do. Even if they were trapped there for thousands of years, or if they died, the vessel wouldn't accept anyone. He roared, screaming in dissatisfaction that he wouldn't get his revenge, that he couldn't leave, that he was trapped here. Alone. His rage dies near instantly and the dragon slumps to the ground.

" How cruel." He says, his voice uncharacteristically soft. " For even a being as yourself to be able to find companionship. Why can't I ask of the same?"

" I see." Diluc began. " You're dying. Aren't you?" Both the dragon and Kaeya stills at his statement.

" Is it so obvious?" The dragon sighed.

" I wouldn't say obvious." To put it kindly at the very least. " I just saw that...you were straining yourself. Controlling those vishaps took a lot more energy than you expected didn't it?"

" Yes." He admits softly. " Erosion has come for me now and, I'm afraid." The dragon rests his head. " Morax isn't even here to see me off. He was my friend, at the very least I..." He lets out a low rumble. " I wanted to see the sun once more." He fixes his gaze onto Diluc. " I suppose your sun red hair will do."

" Well, we aren't going anywhere anytime soon." Kaeya shrugs.

" Sure." Diluc agreed and they sat together on the ground. " Do you need anything else?"

" No. When I die, my essence will return to the earth. I will return to the elements." He says, with a voice so wistful and a gaze faraway. " You two, may take whatever you like once I am gone." He tells them. " Be it a branch, or stone from my husk. Use it for whatever you wish. What are your names?"

" I am Diluc Ragnvindr."

" Kaeya Albreich." They answered.

" Ragnvindr, Albreich." The dragon mused. " Take my eyes to the surface."

Chapter 30

Chapter Text

When Azhdaha opened his eyes, he has to shut them back to shield them from the glaring sun. " Take it easy." He recognises the voice of the Albreich child. " Open them slowly, take your time. The sun isn't going anywhere." He hears the child chuckle. So he takes his time, blinking against the light as his eyes finally adjusted.

There's a cool breeze in the air, he sees grapevines being cultivated across a hill. They were surrounded by rocky cliffs and there's this smell of a lake not too far from there. The air smells sweet, wild flowers bloomed on the roadside and anemo crystalflies flew freely.

" Where am I?" Bewildered, the dragon asked. He looks to the two brothers, Albreich looked more human, with star shaped pupils in pretty soft blue eyes.

" The Dawn Winery, in Mondstadt." Ragnvindr answered from where he stood next to Albreich, arms crossed. " Our home."

" Mondstadt." The dragon rumbled. " I have never been to Barbatos' land."

" Really?" Kaeya tilted his head.

" I wanted to," He admits as he observes a crystalfly fluttering in front of him. " But I would've frightened the humans there. To add, young Dvalin is very territorial."

" You're familiar with Dvalin?" Diluc asked.

" Yes. Though, we do not meet often, I enjoy visiting the younger ones of our kin." He chuckled warmly. " He is easily upset about anything without Barbatos around. The bard had said that he was fussy. He didn't like preening but would be in a sour mood if his wings were ruffled, he pouts whenever Barbatos misses their usual flights above the clouds together and whines like a child when he isn't given the attention he demands." Diluc suppresses his laugh with a cough while Kaeya snorts.

" Sounds like a handful." Kaeya laughs.

" He was!" Azhdaha laughed along with him. He sighs deeply, all the anger and rage he felt before seemed to wash away with the flowing breeze. He lies down on the soft grass, the smell of sweet flowers and windwheel asters filling his senses. The air was so clear, so cool and soothing. " This is a beautiful dream." He says softly. " But this isn't my home." The brothers exchanged a look and Kaeya smiled.

" Where would you like to go?" Azhdaha smiles knowingly at him.

" My domain. It is a beautiful place on the surface." He adds wistfully.

" Alright," Diluc says quietly. " Let's get you home."

Zhongli tore through the seal, spear in hand. His eyes glowing fiercely with promises of wrath, of rage and those very eyes froze when he sees them. When dragons die, they return to their original elements. Morax had always been aware of this. He's witnessed it long ago, has been cautioned to it by his friends throughout the years, either as a joke or last words. Younger dragons like Dvalin were also cautioned of such a thing.

" I told you to wait, you old blockhead." Barbatos hissed, appearing behind him. " What?" He notices the dazed expression on his friend's face. The kind that's in both awe and anguish.

" Azhdaha." He whispers under his breath. Venti follows his gaze to where the dragon is supposedly sealed.

Branches of deep dark timber reached the ceiling, its leaves were brilliant shades yellow and gold with some orange, the trunk is firm and leading to the roots, which were grown over the resting husk of a great dragon. The seal to the prison had long broken with his passing and by the husk's side, resting against the large roots were the brothers Diluc and Kaeya. Their eyes were shut, leaning shoulder to shoulder as they slumped. Barbatos breathed in relief when he could sense their calm quiet breaths.

Diluc stirs first, followed by Kaeya who yawns as he stretches. His brother scowled as his hand smacks him in the face while stretching. Retaliating, he hits him in the shoulder and earning a buzzing yelp from the peafowl. They looked up at the tree growing from the dragon's husk and a soft gaze seemed to reflect from both of them.

" Sir Kaeya, Master Diluc!" Venti strode forward to see them. Their clothes were torn but as he looked them over, any wounds they were supposed to have were already healed.

" The pure elemental energy must have healed them." Zhongli explained as his eyes never left the husk. " To think I would lose you so soon, old friend." He kneels down before the husk, pressing his head against the dragon's skull. " Welcome home, Azhdaha."

" He told us to take his eyes but..." Kaeya trailed off, shifting awkwardly. Zhongli simply hums, keeping his head against the husk's.

" We'll be taking our leave now." Diluc says. " We're sorry for your loss, Rex Lapis."

They bid farewell to the ex archon but he made no move to acknowledge them. They meet Xiao halfway through the entrance, exchanging a few nods and bows before the adeptus quickly makes his way to the archon's side. Kaeya sneaks a glance at his friend, watched as he carefully sits next to Zhongli. The archon turns to him and finally lifts his head.

" You surprise me day after day." The bard grinned at hem. " Let's go home."

" That was the original plan." Diluc muttered.

Coming back to Mondstadt with torn clothes and covered in blood was not a good impression for the staff of the Dawn Winery. They were ushered inside immediately where they were checked over by Adelinde, then briefed by Elzer on what's happened in Mondstadt and were then hunted down by Jean. Hence, their current predicament.

" House arrest?" Albedo echoed, stirring his tea.

" Yup. Kaeya's currently stuck in his room doing paperwork." He knew that returning to his post as cavalry captain would require readjustment but the amount of work he needed to finish just to catch up on everything he's missed is immense. " Elzer is helping him." Albedo wonders if that's even allowed. " I'm only included because Lisa detected that I used a large portion of my personal elemental energy so I have to rest. How are things on your end?"

" Dorian is adjusting well but it seems he got rather annoyed by people mistaking him as myself." The Chief Investigator explained. " So he dyed his hair black." Diluc gives a grimace, remembering his exact expression with his dyed hair.

" It's like coal now." Pavel lamented.

" I think it looks great." Kaltel countered.

" Sure you do." The pyro faerie says, voice dripping with sarcasm. " A Sleigh Beggy. I haven't heard of it before."

" It's an old thing that no one knows." Kaltel waved off. " It's no wonder I can never stay mad at Master Diluc."

" Now more than ever. Since His Majesty became Master Diluc's shadow." Pavel continued. " Càrn still doesn't like Master Diluc very much, then again he's never really liked people."

" I suppose. But, you definitely like it here and you like Adelinde." He stated. " Is that why you're doing housework too?"

" Oh hush. She deserves a little help. I can do as I please as long as it isn't destructive. That's what His Majesty told me." Diluc catches this, tossing a small smile to them both. " I forgot he could hear us now."

" Better keep that in mind then, I'm taking a nap." Kaltel yawned and lies down behind a vase of flowers.

" Dorian has been investigating Durin's heart." Albedo says, regaining the wine tycoon's attention. " I believe he intends to find the truth behind the fall of our brother."

" Durin." Diluc muttered. " He was an artificial dragon, wasn't he?"

" That is correct."

" I've met a dragon." Two actually, but he won't say. " I was with him in his final moments. I learned that dragons naturally return to the elements when they die."

" Elaborate."

" Dragons are great beings of pure elemental energy. When they die, their essence will return to nature, their husk becomes boulders, trees or hills depending on where they rest." Diluc further described. " Usually whatever remains becomes part of the environment."

" I see. Though I don't really know where this information fits for Durin, I'll be sure to inform Dorian on it." Albedo says. " Now, regarding your guest."

" Right." Diluc sighed.

" The abyssal energy in his veins have changed. It no longer corrupts his form, in fact, the changes are so that I don't think I could call it abyssal energy. It's sharper, more fluid and awfully...natural."

" Like a shadow." Diluc finished.

" Yes. A shadow." He agreed. " At the very least, he doesn't seem to be in anymore pain."

" No, I reckon he's dreaming."

He opened his eyes to an empty sky, the patterns of a single constellation loomed above him. There's voices, whispers around him and he finds himself being helped up. " Finally awake, Twilight Sword?" He looks sharply to his side, a man in scholar's robes greets him. " I hoped it would've taken you longer." What really takes him by surprise is his eyes, the same eyes as his own.

" You're -" He falters as he looks down at the Inteyvats surrounding him. Standing up immediately, he looks out at the vast field and finds his people walking around, talking and laughing.

" Welcome to His Majesty's dream." He says. " I'm Kaltel."

" Dainsleif." He replied absently. " What is this?"

" I just told you. It's a dream." The scholar waved off. " So, what will become of you I wonder."

" I still don't understand. What's going on?" Dainsleif pressed on. " How are we here?"

" Calm down. We've been figuring some stuff out. So, to simplify, we're in a sort of dream. A realm between life and death." The scholar explained. " Wether this dream belongs to His Majesty alone or is a resulting collective dream of our people is unknown to me. But, here is peaceful."

Dainsleif agreed. He couldn't feel any lingering pain of the curse anymore. It feels lighter than his time in the Chasm. Was this what a peaceful end feel like. " So, are we dead?"

" Technically speaking, yes. Except for you." He points out. " You're very much alive."

" What?" The bough keeper stammered.

" It's true. When you wake up, you'll see it soon. I'll probably still be asleep by then."

" If I'm alive then how are you - Wait, if you're here then how would you be asleep?" Kaltel laughed at the absolute confusion on his face.

" How do I say this. My true self is here, and my other self out there is a 'dream'. It's me, alive but it holds no memories of me here. Out there, I've become what's now known as a faerie." Kaltel continued. " There are a few others who are currently still awake but will probably be back once they sleep again. I don't know what will become of you when you're awake but I do hope it will be interesting." He grinned mischievously.

" So, after the Lord Regent...cleansed you?" He nods to the term. " Your soul was brought here." He spots a structure in the distance. " Is that a pavilion?"

" Ah, those started showing up after the Lord Regent met with Lord Kusanali." He explained.

" The vineyard?" He points to where several children were playing around. Kaltel simply shrugged. " Wait, if everyone is resting in the pavilions and vineyard, then why am I all the way out here?"

" Easy. We didn't like you." Kaltel deadpanned. " Don't worry, I'm sure your handsome face will win them over again." Dainsleif managed a small scoff at that.

" Have I met you before?" He asked.

" Not really. I doubt you'd remember every face you've come across back in Kha'enriah. But, if you've seen me then I was probably with the other alchemists hiding from Gold." He recalls how due to her nature and experiments, other alchemists had to take turns supervising her work. To note, this was Gold. No one wants to supervise Gold.

Dainsleif laughed. " I think I remember your face somewhere. Hiding under the library table, was it?"

" Nope. Not me. Who hides under tables?" This earns him another laugh as the bough keeper leans back. He sighs, not having felt so relaxed in a long time.

" I think I'm waking up soon." He says.

" That's good. I hope you'll remember things here." Kaltel tells him. " It would do us some good."

" I hope so too." He smiles.

Chapter 31

Chapter Text

Dainsleif opened his eyes, the wooden ceiling of the room greeting him. He stayed still, taking in the moment of shock for a few seconds before relaxing. He never liked sleeping, it always led to nightmares, to hearing his own breaths ragged and sputtering. Waking up after was just as painful, never a moment of true piece in his life. Until today.

The door opens and in walks a maid, humming softly under her breath as she brings a a feather duster in hand. She doesn't seem to notice him yet as she starts dusting away at the desk and windows. The bough keeper wonders if he should say something. He carefully sits up but she still doesn't notice.

" Um, hello?" The maid shrieked upon hearing his voice.

" Hillie?" Another maid burst through the door with a crowbar in hand, raised like a sword. " What's wrong?" She looks around and catches Dainsleif's confused expression. " Ah, you're awake."

" Sorry, Miss Adelinde! I didn't notice." The maid, Hillie immediately apologizes.

" Go get him something to eat and inform the Masters." Adelinde ordered her smoothly.

" Yes, ma'am!" Leaving the crowbar wielding maid alone with him.

" So sorry for that. How are you feeling?" The maid asked with a sweet smile. " Do you need anything? As a guest of the winery, you can ask for anything within reason." Before he could speak, another voice cuts.

" Adelinde, what seems to be the issue?" Ragnvindr asked.

" We heard screaming." The Kriedeprince says from behind him.

" It's alright, Master Diluc. It seemed Hillie was caught surprised by our guest waking up." She informed him.

" I see. How are you feeling?" Diluc asked.

" Fine. I suppose." Dainsleif answered. " How did I get here?"

" Kaeya carried you." Albedo answered. Before he could ask where the Lord Regent was, something crashes in the hall and the Blizzard comes stumbling through the door.

" Lord Regent." He moves to kneel but Kaeya shakes his head, pushing him back to the bed. " What happened to me?"

" Well, long story short, you made a contract with Kaeya." Diluc explained. " You swore your loyalty to him and I think that triggered something."

" And you?" Dainsleif says, looking him over. " You seem different as well."

" It's been an enlightening few weeks." He says simply. " Do you feel any changes?" The bough keeper takes a moment to think this through and glances at Kaeya.

" Lord Regent, could you perhaps call for me?" He asked. " I have a feeling it might do something." Diluc scowls at the strange request but Kaeya simply obliged.

" Dainsleif." In a moment his body is enveloped in light, the form shifting into something more slender and tougher. The hilt is a deep gold, pommel shaped into the head of a snake, the mark of a star ran along the black blade with a blue star shaped gem in the middle.

Kaeya reaches forward, taking the Twilight Sword from the air. The grip fitted him well and the weight was just right. Diluc sees his eyes unfocus and he knew the exact moment the bird instincts were starting to kick in. The peacock swings the sword lightly a few times, testing its weight with a thoughtful smile. What a good blade, he thought before realising that he swinging around a person. He sets the blade down immediately and Dainsleif returns.

" It would seem, I am no longer human." The bough keeper says, looking awfully confused and dazed.

" I am so sorry. I didn't mean to swing you around." Kaeya apologizes through his garbled speech but the words are clear to the Twilight Sword's ears.

" It's fine." He mumbles.

" It's clearly not." Diluc states. Hillie arrives with some light soup and a drink while Adelinde guides Dainsleif back to the bed.

It would take another full day of explaining and a little talking to get Dainsleif seem at least a little more comfortable. " You are expecting me to stay here."

" Not really. No." Diluc says bluntly.

" You can go wherever you like." Kaeya says to him in a kinder tone. " The others also tend to take their time finding a perch."

" A perch?" Dainsleif scoffed. " I have spent five hundred years wandering Teyvat, I haven't found the term familiar nor necessary in a long time." His voice is faraway, as though he's afraid that all of this was but a delusion, a fading dream. Fear that the pain would return, that he would suffer years of slow and remorseful decay.

" Every ship has a port to return to, like how every living thing has a home. At the very least, they should." The young regent tells him. " You've sworn your loyalty to me, that makes me responsible for you so. I always take care of those who follow me." He smiled and Dainsleif's eyes couldn't help but soften. Behind the Regent, Diluc glared.

" Your Majesty, I remember the dream." He tells him with an inquisitive look. It takes Kaeya a moment to realize exactly what he meant.

" What do you think of it? The Dream." Kaeya asked him.

" It's... wonderful." The bough keeper says softly. " I have so many questions."

" Trust me, we've been there." Kaeya chuckled. " We'll find the answers to them with time. Don't worry."

Zhongli stared down at the minerals laid put upon the chihua tables. His tears had long dried but his gaze never left them. Hu Tao is by his side, listing off the things he required for the Rite of Passing in honor of his fallen friend. " I'm assuming this will be a private affair?"

" Yes." He answered softly, Hu Tao hides a grimace as she wrote down a couple more notes. " I'm sorry to trouble you this way, Director."

" It's no trouble for me, really. It's my duty to aide souls crossing over, remember?" She manages to ease out a small smile from him. " The Qixing sent a letter." She hands him the wax stamped envelope. He looks it over, opening the wax seal with gloved hands. He reads through it, humming thoughtfully under his breath.

" They approved." There's a pleased growl in his throat, hidden beneath his deep voice as he smiles a little wider now. He folds the approval letter for his use of the forge in the mountains. While he appreciated the adepti's offer to use their abodes for his work, he wanted to make his gift in the place where generations of humans have poured their will and dreams in the art.

It was perhaps unnecessary for the Qixing to have all the workers a mandated holiday for the whole day, he didn't mind the peace and quiet. As soon as he's settled Azhdaha's Rite of Passing, he will begin his last and most tedious works of all. Catalysts were not an uncommon tool, not in the slightest.

His six thousand years in the land of Teyvat has allowed him to come across aplenty of Sleigh Beggy. Many pass before even reaching thirty, and those are the ones who didn't own a vision or befriended any sort of deity on their side to help stave off some of the excess elemental energy. The more fortunate ones mastered their visions with terrifying ease, displaying abilities that were seen as monstrous at times. Considering their nature as well, no traditional catalyst would do. As much as he disliked the Fatui's gaudy and despicable design, it had a good idea. Wands were too short otherwise and he wanted Diluc the ease to switch between his weapons.

He sighs deeply, knowing well that the designs required for the project would not be short of meticulous. Still, it would prove to be a good challenge. He returns his gaze to the carved eyes on the table, eyes softening even more. " Worry not, old friend. I will see to it those two receive your will."

Introducing Jean to Dainsleif was a tame at the very least, she simply asked if he too required a citizenship pass but the bough keeper declined, mumbling to himself how he wasn't human anyways. Rosaria, who arrived later that night, was not much help. " Fight me." She demanded immediately. Kaeya gave a nervous buzz, one specified to her especially. " He cut your maw, so I'm cutting his legs."

" Succeed and you get a crate." Another voice adds.

" Diluc!" Kaeya squawked.

" Bet." Dainsleif cuts in suddenly, catching everyone by surprise. " Is the area near the Statue of the Seven wide enough for you?" Kaeya's tail rattles sharply as he fans it out between them.

" I would appreciate if the guests of the winery do not start a brawl anywhere within the territory." Adelinde's smile is as sharp as her gaze, looking around the room with an air that holds no room for argument. " I've prepared tea and snacks in the living room for everyone." None dare to oppose her, Dainsleif can still imagine her holding a crowbar with an unmistakable iron grip.

Kaeya thrills happily as Adelinde hands him a bowl of ley line leaves. His tail rattles behind him in soft thumps, clearly delighted. " Adelinde." Diluc complained, shifting his eyes from the bowl to Kaeya.

" Oh, come now Master Diluc. It isn't even intoxicating." Kaeya nods in agreement, cooing in appreciation. " Besides, I can't help it if I want to spoil him."

" So, what's gonna be your plans after this?" Rosaria asked. " With both our cavalry captain back and his identity as a giant peacock. How exactly are we moving forward?" She then glances towards the other star eyed man in the room. " Not to mention with this vagabond you've picked up."

" Lord Albreich has offered me his previous abode. It isn't too close to Mondtstat or as far away that I wouldn't be able to reach the city in case of an emergency. That will be my post for the time being." Dainsleif explained.

" So, you're sticking around." Rosaria leaned back, crossing her arms.

" There's still quite a few mysteries we need to wrap up. That, and I have a feeling I won't be sleeping so great tonight." He places two rings of twisted twigs.

" These are..." Dainsleif trailed off, his new senses supplying him exactly what they were. " Eyes." He could picture exactly the colour of its irises and the shape of the pupils. He gives a distasteful glare, already knowing what can be seen through them. His new senses further implemented his disliking to be seen.

" The 'Ocelli' call them the Eyes of Summer's Oasis." Diluc looks picks one up. " The left side sees the hidden, the right sees the truth." He hands one to Rosaria, who takes it without any hesitance and looks through. She simply hummed upon seeing Pavel and Kaltel hiding in the corner. With the second one, she smiled as she saw Kaeya in his old uniform.

" Interesting trinket." She says and hands them back to Diluc. " Though, since you can already see them, it's not that much use to you."

" I can usually see what's hidden. The truth of things, that part's rather fickle. I can't predict how I can tell these things, it's just second nature by now." He pockets the Eyes once again. " Currently, I've been corresponding with Lumine again. She's been doing some investigate on the local folklore under the Dendro Archon's request. Coincidentally, I'd been wondering to ask her to do the same."

" So this is what we'll do as well?" Dainsleif asked. " Investigating the previous 'Ocelli'?"

" Aren't they all right there?" Rosaria points to Kaeya.

" It's more of a way to honour them." Kaeya garbled, letting Diluc translate. " They've helped me quite a bit and after getting to meet them at least once, their voices will no longer appear. I don't want to forget them. I want to gather their stories, the little folklores they've left behind and preserve them."

" Aw, I didn't take you as one to write story books." The nun teased.

" Well, you could say someone inspired me." Kaeya chuckled. ' Thanks again for the idea, Nahida.'

" There's no need to thank me. I'm simply happy you're interested in collecting these stories as I am." Nahida says.

" Then, let's begin with the Oasis Guide."

Chapter 32

Chapter Text

" Could you try describing him for me?" Albedo asked. Pavel holds back from laughing as the Blizzard gives the chalk man the most deadpan stare possible. " Ah, I forgot."

" Way to offend the Lord Regent." Kaltel snickered.

" That wasn't my intention." Albedo began but Kaeya simply buzzed and waved it off. " I thought that perhaps if I could get a description, we could get a good image of him instead of simply guessing."

" Aren't you getting a bit ahead of yourself, brother?" Dorian asked. " They haven't even finished compiling that much information yet. Plus, we have to make a trip to see that Oceanid soon. The Fontainian visitors here in Mond don't really have anything on the twins. We only have a title so far."

" The Sirens of the Catacombs." Kaeya says.

" Exactly." Dorian agreed.

" Since when can you speak bird?" Kaltel asked.

" I'm literally just guessing. Don't get so worked up." The twin scoffed.

" Such a handful with that attitude." Kaltel clicked his tongue and zipped towards Kaeya, nestling himself in his mane. " Is Master Diluc and Twilight Sword still dueling?" The telling sound of metal clashing in the distance answered for him.

" You would've made a rather good knight." Dainsleif grunted, flexing his fingers.

" I quit the knights." The other responded, repositioning his sword again. He swings it down at the bough keeper, who simply raised his arms over his head in defence.

The blade of the claymore meets with the sharpened, pitch black edges of Dainsleif's arm blades. Diluc scowled at the bough keeper's new abilities and pushed on with his attack. When the latter had proposed a bit of a spar, he hadn't expected much out of it. This man had five hundred years worth of experience in battle and it shows, despite having a few slip ups getting used to his new disposition.

For Diluc, it was a matter of sharpening his senses, especially the ones that are most recent and distracting. He needed to focus, to keep his eyes and ears on the battle. The world's a messy range of sights, sounds and feelings to him right now. Places like Liyue were especially mind numbing due to the history and this certain energy still hanging around in its air. He would learn of it as lingering emotions of the dead. Specifically the fallen and sealed gods of the Archon War. It littered beneath the rock, festering and seeping slowly into world with all sorts of feelings. Disdain, anger, resentment, sadness, agony and so much more. All of it whispered fears of one thing, erosion.

" Head on the battlefield, Ragnvindr." Dainsleif reminded him just as he blocked another bladed kick. " Don't lose it."

For Dainsleif, things couldn't have gotten more interesting as of late. He'd not only found a survivor of the homeland but the last remaining regent they've had. His people will no longer have to suffer as long as they answer Kaeya Albreich's call. In his Everlasting Dream, where his people can finally be at peace or return as faeries should they wish. And now, he would be able to further serve his new Lord. His abilities before had never been short of incredible but it was never truly sufficient. As an immortal, he wouldn't die no matter the circumstances. As a person who was once human, it was an agony unlike any other. Currently his existence could be described as a sentient sword.

He has the ability to turn into a weapon or turn any part of his body into one. Any part he chooses becomes as unbreakable as his own blade. To top it off, his previous cosmic abilities haven't once faded. Enhancing speed, short distance teleportation and even spatial manipulation was still within his capabilities. It seems his arsenal was only growing.

The best part of it all was that no matter how he moved or how much power he used, he didn't feel the burns. There wasn't a constant ringing somewhere in his right ear or a tingling sensation in his arm. His movements were nothing but smooth and formidable as they were before, as they should be and more. The blade of the claymore meeting his neck brought him back from his musings as the clash of metal rang.

" Didn't you say to keep your head on the battle?" Diluc asked him with a scowl. Dainsleif smiled, it was hazy, his eyes seemed to blink for a few seconds as he gathered himself. Then the bough keeper faltered, his starry eyes returning to focus as he stepped back.

" Right." He stammered. " That was a good spar." He couldn't think of anything else to say as Diluc withdrew his great sword but didn't relax. The bough keeper was now frowning, brows knitted together as he rubbed his neck. Certainly, he couldn't have gotten into a battle high, did he?

" Twilight Sword!" Kaltel called out, flying overhead. " Are you finished yet? His Majesty wants to see you both to make sure you didn't kill each other."

" I'll be right there, Kaltel." Dainsleif responded, immediately moving away from the area as Diluc watches him with a narrowed gaze.

" Kaltel." Diluc called. " I need to ask you something."

The sword's spirit, its voice is barely a whisper but audible. He doesn't usually follow instructions from a disembodied voice but the sword isn't leaving him alone. Sneaking off of the Crux Fleet was easy, shaking off the captain however was not. " Didn't think you'd take to breaking into a mountain forge, kid." Beidou said as they sneaked their way into the restricted area.

" There's something I need to see here." Kazuha says quietly as they reached the entrance. There was something menacing about the way the entrance was barricaded, a humming echo of geo energy that rippled through the air. A silent and ominous warning to not disturb. " I'm going in." Beidou catches him, there's a certain wariness in her eye and he knows she felt it as well.

" I'll keep watch. Be careful." She brushes it off with a smile and he nods before heading in.

The forge is dimly lit, torches hung on the wall barely luminated the floor. There are anvils spaced evenly each with their own crackling furnaces. But all were put out, except for one. He could hear the bubbling of molten metal, geo energy resonating even stronger the deeper he goes. At the very end of the forge, upon a raised platform was the forbidden Sacred Forge.

Such a place was said to have only been used by the very founders of each notable blacksmith clan. They say it was once graced by the adepti for creating weapons for the milelith during the war. Someone was standing there, the enormous furnace burning a great flame and its orange light illuminates his features.

His long brown hair was unmistakable, the earring on the left side had no possible replica. Without a doubt, the man who stood before the great anvil, facing the furnace with a hammer in hand was indeed Mr Zhongli, the consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. He hadn't the faintest thought to ask why he was here, instead his mind was more concerned on what.

Without his coat and long vest, he could see a stark difference of Zhongli's form. His usual lithe appearance hid the broad shoulders, toned arms and from where he stood, Kazuha saw just how much bigger the man was in comparison to himself.

His arms were deeper than the bedrock, glowing marks traced down from his shoulders to the back of his palms. The hand holding the hammer glowed a similar hue to the patterns, a bright shimmering gold. His bare feet didn't even react to the sparks of coal that landed too close.

Regrettably, Kaedahara Kazuha could never truly hide his presence from an archon. In that moment their eyes met and the young man feels himself lifted off the ground. He gasps in surprise, hands grabbing desperately to the one constricting his neck. His back pressed against the pillar, feet kicking in the air.

" Why are you here?" The deep voice echoed throughout the forge with the barest hints of a growl at the end. Kazuha forces his red eyes to face bright glowing ambers. He opens his mouth, lips trembling as words failed to form. He struggled against the grip weakly, fear keeping his throat closed as the supposedly dead archon of Liyue stared him down.

" Unhand this child. He is the last of his line." Kazuha wanted to throttle the sword if possible. No one should be able to hear it but him. However, the pressure on his neck lightened and his feet made it back to the ground.

" I see." The great dragon rumbled and left Kazuha to gasp for air as he was finally released. " You may observe, but do so in silence." Was all he said before continuing to watch the furnace as he did before.

The young ronin leans back against the wooden beam, he didn't dare to take another step as he watched the dragon from afar. Perhaps it was his luck for arriving late into the night, just as the furnace had nearly finished heating the gem.

With both hands aglow, Zhongli takes the enormous gem out barehanded and laid it upon the anvil. He watched as the hammer is raised up high and brought down. The ensuing ringing echoes as greatly as a dragon's roar. Kazuha's eyes were glued to the ex archon's movements. Every stroke of his hammer, every move of his fingers.

" I have heard that the Isshin Art strives for harmony between the blade and mind even before forging begins." The dragon finally, his voice deep and smooth. " I have never witnessed nor heard anything else regarding its techniques. Though, I believe you understand the basics of proper blacksmithing don't you, young practitioner?"

" Barely." Kazuha stuttered finally finding his voice. Zhongli hums at that, working as usual.

" There is no calculative way to tell how many strokes required to flatten the metal, or how much time it takes precisely to shape it. Secrets sealed in stone may only be unlocked with feeling. You can only tell once you've practiced enough, once you can hear it more than just a voice from a sword." The dragon lifted up the item he was forging by hand and carefully submerged it. " There will come a time when the art becomes second nature. Intuition." He inspects every aspect of the staff, humming to himself as his eyes lingered upon the condensed gem at the very end.

Amber eyes catch movement, shifting to the young practitioner and finds him leaning forward a little in awe. He chuckles softly under his breath and smiles.

" Here, you should observe these final steps very closely." He beckons the young ronin near and with a bit of hesitance, Kazuha stepped forward. A bubble of geo surrounded him and he nearly panicked at the thought of being captured until the dragon spoke. " Simply a precaution. I don't know if your human body would be able to withstand it."

" Watch closely, boy." The sword reminded him before he could even ask.

Light spilled from the forge, the geo shield thickening and becoming more opaque to protect his vision. Yet, he could still see the intricate movements of the chisel and hammer, of the patterns carved into the material as one would would paint on paper with a brush. The staff is polished and refined further with a quick lava bath to seal any open holes or ends.

" I have only made a catalyst like this twice in my entire six thousand years in Teyvat." The geo shield falls and Zhongli holds up the staff for display. " The first had been a rather cheeky cultivator. Or so she had claimed to be." She was annoying, more so than the bard but fiercely protective. " She had a habit of throwing stones into the sea." He says awkwardly as though remembering something unpleasant. " This one will go to a talented friend of mine in Mondstadt. I can only hope he'd be able to get used to it."

Chapter 33

Chapter Text

Dainsleif was as still as a statue. By the stars, he would leave if he could. If only. " I see, so you're the new guy here." A melodic voice sang, swirling a glass of wine in one hand. Perhaps it's his good fortune the Anemo Archon was drunk, or at least that's what he appears to be.

" I needed an extra hand for tonight and Charles asked for a day off to celebrate as well." Diluc says as he cleaned the bar top. " Dain here is helping me."

" It's Dainsleif." The bough keeper says, now dressed like a bartender with a vest and all.

" I have to say, he's not half bad." Venti hummed as he sipped the cocktail with delight.

" It took a week but the walking kitchen knife has its uses." Diluc says nonchalantly. The bough keeper gives him a dead eyed stare and twitches one eye. The door bursts open and in walks a group of knights all laughing and cheering.

" Bartender! A round of Death Afternoon for everyone in honour of our Cavalry Captain!" One of the knights cheered as they hauled in a rather flustered looking Kaeya. It was his first day officially back on duty and the whole city was so excited to officially have him back. Dainsleif seemed to shift uncomfortably when his eyes trailed to the illusion of scars over his brother's body.

" Dainsleif, we've got a dozen orders here." He reminded the bough keeper and the two went to work. Diluc finished the first mix just a second ahead of Dainsleif and pushed it towards his brother quickly before the bough keeper could even put the glass down. He gives the man a small side eye and smirks.

" What in the world are you so proud of?" Dainsleif muttered as he hands the drink he mixed to another patron. Kaeya happily downed the drink, though it seems he can't really get drunk off of it much. Rosaria had noted that his alcohol tolerance had shot higher than the sky which itself is a surprise.

Drinks were passed around and a ton of people were singing along as Venti played his lyre. Diluc's eyes scanned the room, he spots quite a few little wisps in the air. Despite how peaceful Mondstadt is, the gale wisps do still exist. Little spirits born of songs and stories. Their life span varied from a single day to centuries, such is the nature of a memory. It could a short moment or a long history. Most little wisps fade within a day, others that stick around are all but drifters and never really have a set goal in mind to do anything but drift.

He watched as one of two fluttered around Venti, humming along to his songs. Some might die later, some might live. They are fleeting moments and none really do stick. None but Venti, curiously. The wind wisp that understood time. Though, it isn't his business so he says nothing. He watches carefully as the wisps draws out the lingering spirits of unrest from the patrons, drawing out small plumes of reminiscences and weariness before letting the winds take them without anyone noticing.

Anyone but himself and Venti. It surprised him the first time when Kaeya didn't notice them and again when he knew Dainsleif couldn't either.

" There are things others can see, only ever observed these secrets concealed." Venti rhymed as he plucked his lyre. " Hidden from many eyes, yet obvious to heart and mind." He tosses a smile to Diluc, to which the man returns with an eye roll as he takes a bottle of fine dandelion wine to serve.

" Hand this over to Venti." He ordered, not giving any room for argument. Dainsleif swears this guy is trying to kill him in every way possible.

" Your drink, sir." He passes on the drink as quickly as he could, keeping his eyes away from meeting the bard's. He's lucky the bard pays him no mind and continues on his ballad with the drunkards.

Kaeya leans against the countertop, humming to himself happily as he drinks his wine in quick tiny sips. As much as enjoyed indulging drinks with the others, he'd always keep them at arm's length for his personal comfort. He sticks close to the counters, occasionally moving around if he finds anyone of interest. Though, tonight was a night of just relaxing for once. Keeping calm and simply celebrating.

Some of the other patrons, aside from knights and adventurers seem to enjoy the festive air. Though, a select few which he could tell were all thugs and low lives glared and kept eyes on him. He nearly laughs, who do they think they were trying to mess with?

Drunk and stupid probably. That's what he thought as the group started to make their way towards him. " You think you're the shit, don't ya?"

They sauntered over to the peacock draped against the bar. He lifts his head, considers them with a glance up and down, then decides to ignore them. A prideful peacock has no time to deal with poorly dressed hoodlums. He indulges his bird brain a little just for that. " Pretty boy thinks he's above and beyond. Look at you. All these damn scars. You can't even talk anymore." One says, stepping in too close for Diluc's liking.

Splash.

Wine soaked his blue hair as the drunk idiots giggled and laughed. Some of the knights were already taking notice and heading over. Then a great chill filled the room. Ice crawled over the floors and immediately encased their feet. They panicked as the cavalry captain now stood over them with an easy smile.

" Master Kaeya," Dainsleif says suddenly. " It seems these men had too much to drink, shall I escort them out?" The peacock gives him a wordless nod, signing ahead that he will be going home to wash up and rest. The bough keeper takes the two offenders first by their shirts and hauled them off the floor, breaking the ice with it.

" That guy's pretty strong." One knight muttered as Diluc melted the ice and prepared a mop. What a messy first night back.

Kaeya spent much longer in the bath this time, buzzing and cursing under his breath. When he returned to his nest, he's treated to a nice preen by his faeries and Venti. " Your poor hair." Kaltel laments as he helped dry it out with a towel.

Diluc walks in soon enough and placed himself in front of his brother before drying his hair using his vision. Kaeya cooed, leaning into the touch. " You're only good at doing my hair."

" I could easily burn it right now." Diluc dared, holding up a handful of hair.

" I have feathers in there and that will hurt." Kaeya reminded him with a lazy smile as Diluc scowled.

When Dainsleif returns from closing up the bar, he decides to check on his young master. He finds the room slightly ajar and moves to close it. Glancing inside, he finds the brothers back to back in their sleep, Pavel and Kaltel are snuggled in Kaeya's mane and Diluc's hair respectively. He shuts the door, catching Adelinde moving some sheets at the corner of his eye down the stairs.

" When was she upstairs?" He mutters to himself as he retreats to his own designated home.

Kaeya finds himself on a rocky mountain, or rather a hill. The vast open see spread before them and beside him was his brother. He sits up carefully, just as Diluc opened his eyes.

" Has my junior arrived yet?" They quickly turn their heads to a form standing on the tip of a rocky ledge. " Red hair. Nice. Very nice." She wore long black martial robes, with a red sash around her waist, her long hair braided thickly resembled a dragon's tail with white ribbons binding them together. Bright red boots perched over the stone, white marks lined her eyes and her smile revealed the slightest bit of fang poking out of the corners. " Nice to meet you, Junior." Her voice is surprisingly gentle despite her general demeanor. Her eyes were silver grey, they gleamed like a sharpened blade catching the sun's rays.

" Who-" Kaeya covers his mouth, eyes narrowed at the stranger perched over the ledge. The woman laughs at his suspicions and smiles wider, swinging a staff over her shoulder with one arm

" Calm down, little peafowl. While I'm not one of your 'Ocelli', I'm still older so show some respect." She uncorks a gourd strapped to her belt with her free hand and throws her head back as she drinks it down with a soft gasp. " Even if it's a dream, the wine is still good. Come, come, you'll be late." She leaps off the ledge backwards, the brothers gaped as she disappeared behind the rocks.

" She's really not one of yours?" Diluc asked as they scaled the rocky cliffs.

" Not in the slightest. I know the voices of our 'Ocelli', she isn't even related to one." Kaeya proclaimed. " No, I know her scent." He hissed under his breath. " She's like you."

" Ohoho!" They hear her gentle voice in the distance and quickly scrambled up to get a better look. " This is much different from before, Rex." From their height, they could see the strange woman now perched on a pole, looking down on a man with long dark brown hair that fades to amber, wearing a black and gold robe.

" Are you asking for death this early, you damned crow?" He growled deeply, summoning a menacing spear with a wave of his arm. From the glow of his amber eyes, they could recognise Zhongli from anywhere.

" Calm down, I was only joking." The crow waved off, laughing. " So, made any friends yet? The people are depending on you, you know."

" No need to remind me. And no, I haven't met any other gods as of yet." He hissed with his forked tongue. " I didn't ask for them to follow me anyway." He catches a pebble the crow throws at him. " You-"

" Watch your tongue, you stupid lizard." The crow says to him in a firm tone. " They follow you because they believe in you. Because of the range of your territory. Many things really." She continued lazily, balancing another pebble in hand. " Mind your temper. You throwing a rampage every now and then would only make you seem no different than the others. It will good in battle but your people cannot live upon constant conflict." She tosses it far over the cliffs, they could hear a soft splash as the rock meets the sea.

" You're just repeating obvious things again." Zhongli rolled his eyes. " Some 'sister' you are." The crow nearly chokes on her drink, coughing and hacking. " Ah, you're finally dying."

" Rotten lizard!" She coughed. " Don't take it back, you called me 'sister'! I heard it." Composing herself, she grinned wide.

" Only because you're ever so insistent on it. It is no light title." He growled, eyes glowing more intensely. " Do you understand, you mortal?"

" Of course!" The crow laughed. She takes her staff, tapping it against the wooden pole. " Vinea." She whispered. Vines grew from its base, letting her step onto it and helping her down with ease. " You're talking to the greatest Mnemoria practitioner of this era!"

" You're the only grand Mnemoria practitioner in this era." Zhongli scoffed. " Do put that staff to good use other than carrying your wine bottles."

" I will. I will." She waves her arm lazily with a sigh. " But you know how hard wine is to come by these days. A war is coming, Rex Lapis." Her voice dips into a more serious tone. " A war of gods, and us humans might not have the means to protect ourselves from everything it will bring. I'm talking famine, plagues, droughts and floods alike. Especially seeing what of the land here is like at the moment. It might not be enough to sustain them." She tells him. Zhongli looks beyond the rocky hills, glancing back to his own territory before nodding in understanding. " You get it?" She takes another swig from her gourd.

" I believe so. I will have to raise the land." Once again, the crow is reduced to yet another coughing fit.

" Don't just randomly change the terrain, you thick-headed idiot!" She scolds. " Gods are crazy. All of you." She wiped her mouth and paused. " Actually. That's not too bad. You're finally using your head for once." The tip of a spear meets her neck.

" Cease your insults." He growled.

" Cease your impulsive temper." The crow countered with a laugh. " I will conduct a little environmental investigation, see which parts of the land could be raised without devastating results. Could you wait for a while as I get things ready?" She asked him.

" Three days and I will raise the land regardless of your input." He withdraws his spear, scowling at her easy smirk. " It's a contract, Jing Wūya."

" Nothing less, Rex Lapis." She hummed.

" And your singing voice is terrible, so stop it." He adds.

" How else would I be able to tell you how the mountains sing?" She asked.

" I already know what they sound like." He growled. " I don't need your input."

" I'm doing it anyway. Watch me!" She chuckled, twirling her staff. " Lapsae Ignis." They watched as it caught flames, enveloping her whole body in flickering feathers. " Expect me then." She took off into the skies as a fiery bird, burning through the clouds like a meteor.

" This was the very last time I'd seen him." The brothers nearly jumped as the woman now appeared behind him. " When I fell, the land was being raised and I couldn't move. Impatient as always he was then." She sighs, sitting down between them. " Now, here's the troublesome part." She began. " I couldn't fulfill my end of the contract, which led me to buried deep beneath Liyue. I didn't mind it of course, my own fault but the problem is that someone's found my body. I think you understand what that means for you." She looks to them, waits to see their eyes widen and shudder.

Chapter 34

Chapter Text

" Jing Wūya." He echoed the name as he did when he utters the names of his comrades and friends. He could hear her taunting him as she always did, without a hint of fear in those mortal eyes. She was the first Sleigh Beggy he'd ever met, the boldest one since.

" Mr Zhongli, the Director is asking for you." The young man called.

" I will be there in a moment." He says, tucking the letter Diluc sent him away.

" Ah, Mr Zhongli. Good timing." Hu Tao waved him over, standing with her were two men wearing light shirts with leather belts. The daggers and potions hanging off of one of them made it all the more obvious who they might be. " Our clients here seem to be having trouble understanding our business. We're a funeral parlor, not exorcists."

" But we know you can do it too!" The man argued.

" It is as the Director has said, we are a funeral parlor, we deal with processions of the dead." Zhongli further insisted, standing by Hu Tao with a small glare directed to them.

" Please." The other dropped to his knees. " We unearthed a grave of someone and it's been killing my men." He pleaded, bowing deeply. " We hadn't mean to dig up the body, we were just looking for treasure. We found this staff," The Consultant and Director each widened their eyes. For the Director, she seems to have caught glimpses of the staff. For the Consultant, he could now sense exactly what they unearthed.

" Where did you find the body?" Zhongli asked in a low voice. Neither men dared to look at him in the eyes as he spoke.

" Beneath Mt Tianheng." They answered.

" I see." The consultant muttered. " Director, would you mind if I took this case?" Hu Tao regards him with one look, smiling knowingly. He swears this child always seem to know more than she lets on.

" Well, it's your business, isn't it?" She says carelessly. " Try not to use too many expenses, okay?"

Zhongli nods and soon silently makes his way to Mt Tianheng. He reminisces the past for a moment. " I wonder, dear sister. If I understand what you mean when mountains sing." She would probably call him a rock headed lizard too thick skulled to get it.

Lumine waved off Katherine as she makes her way past the borders of Sumeru to Liyue. The letters she exchanged with Diluc raised more questions and because of the limited invites, she hadn't had the chance to meet him in the teapot. " Why don't we just use the waypoints to get there as usual?" Paimon whined.

" Because, I want to visit Liyue a bit and why not? I like the long way." Lumine insisted.

" Okay." The floating pixie sighs. She looks around, not really in the mood to rest in her little sub space pocket room in the atmosphere. Besides, the view was nice so she didn't mind. " Hey, is that person waving at us?" Paimon points out to a strange person waving desperately at them from the top of a boulder. " Let's go check it out."

" Ah, you saw me! You came!" The strangely dressed woman clapped her hands. " Good. Very good. I need help, something's been stolen from me." She tells them.

" Oh no!" Paimon gasped. " What is it?"

" A very important staff. My brother made it for me and I need it back for the ritual." The woman explained.

" What sort of ritual?" Lumine asked curiously.

" A banishment ritual, of course." She says confidently. " Haven't you heard? There's an evil spirit coming to terrorise this land."

" What?" Paimon gasped. " As in, like a ghost?"

" No, those are different." The woman waved her hand. " I'm talking sealed god kind of lingering spirit." She says casually. " Anyways, need my staff at the very least."

" Let us help! We've sealed spirits before." Paimon once again volunteers them for extra work, she's lucky Lumine doesn't mind for now.

" Ah, experienced. That explains it." She says, nodding to herself. " I need you to find the staff known as Mountain's Echo. It should somewhere over there, near the mountain base. That's where those scum had taken it." She scowls angrily before sighing. " Think you can do that for me?"

" Sure." The traveller agreed readily, weird lady sighing in relief.

" Thank you, outlander." There was something about her that seemed somewhat familiar to Lumine. Perhaps her eyes, who's gaze is like a sharp glittering silver, like a blade's. It's funny how another pair of eyes she was thinking of are bright amber.

Lumine pauses mid step, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. She prays to whatever gods listening, that she did not meet some sort of ghost or a strange adeptus. She's quite sure she's met all of them by now and while the lady's attire seemed very old fashioned, ancient even, she hopes dearly that she wasn't going to accidentally unleash some sort of evil spirit in disguise.

" Help!" The voice was familiar but Lumine made haste anyways. There she finds Wang Ping'an, allegedly once known as Starsnatcher, a scammer turned good guy.

" Shut your mouth!" A treasure hoarder threw a right, aiming to hit the poor man in the jaw but Lumine was faster. She blocks the blow and even returns it with her own uppercut. Brandishing her sword, she wastes no time dealing with them all.

" Oh, thank goodness." Wang Ping'an sighed. " I thought I was a goner. You've come just in time, traveller. You see, I was just resting near Pervases' temple when I received a dream. The adeptus himself came to see me and at first I couldn't believe it but he told me that a great evil has awakened and the staff the treasure hoarders found can get rid of it."

They make their way to the camp Wang Ping'an mentioned and run into a rather familiar face. " Zhongli?" Bodies of treasure hoarders were scattered around.

" Traveller." He greets her, looking slightly surprised.

" What happened here?" She asked quickly.

" It seems that a rather malevolent spirit has made its way through here. There is something I must retrieve from this domain before it destroys it. Quickly." They make their way into the domain with haste, passing by a few bodies of more dead men. They dodged a number of pyro traps and just about made their way to the main corridor when they hear an awful shriek. They make it to the main treasure room but saw that no one was there. " Bring me anything with the engraved name of Wūya."

After a bit of searching, they find a silver staff, red and black tassels decorated its tips and Lumine could almost feel it humming at her touch. The other objects they find with the name Wūya included a black gourd half full of alcohol and a white sword and scabbard. " Are these the right things?" She asked the ex archon.

Zhongli takes the gourd first, brows furrowed distastefully at the smell of alcohol but his eyes seemed to carry a certain fondness she couldn't place. With the sword, he unsheathes it and frowns sadly at its poor condition. But, the moment he reached for the staff, the object buzzed with electro energy and forced the man to withdraw his hand. " These are definitely her things. The staff especially. It cannot be held by anyone but its owner or someone permitted by the owner. Which means..." He trails off carefully, looking to Lumine. " You've met her."

" You mean the weird lady standing on a boulder?" Paimon asked. " She said she needed the staff to perform a ritual."

" Can you take me to her?"

They don't find anyone by the boulder except for Wang Ping'an, who was arguing with what looks like a treasure hoarder. " We have to destroy it!"

" No." Wang Ping'an argued. " We need it to drive the spirit away."

" That ain't some damned spirit. My friends are dead! Killed by that monster." He spat.

" The adeptus Pervases said -"

" That thing is coming and if it wants that staff destroyed. We're better off giving it what it wants." His voice is shaking, he looks almost desperate. They look up to the traveller and consultant approaching them, the treasure hoarder's eyes landed on the staff Lumine held. " The staff! Break it!"

" I will do no such thing." Zhongli growled before Lumine herself could protest. He glances up, just in time to spot the thing hurtling towards them.

" Look out!" Lumine takes Paimon as they all jump back before the thing crashes to the ground, kicking up a wave of dust.

A gutteral scream echoes through the air, the dust settles and Zhongli is standing defensively before them, his shield up and forming a protective barrier. Wang Ping'an and the treasure hoarder were completely knocked out by the blast.

" Morax!" A gutteral voice roared. With nails raking against the shield, her fangs bared and growling, the woman they met on the boulder was now snarling at them. Her hair had been freed from the braids that kept it securely in place, flowing in the air untamed. " Morax. Morax!" The voice grows more desperate, her expression turning from anger to something akin to fear. " Morax, help me. Break the staff. Please!"

Zhongli doesn't falter, summoning his spear and gripping it tightly. " Identify yourself."

" M-Morax. It's me, you remember me." The woman stammered, stepping back from the barrier. Zhongli steps forward, leaving the barrier.

" Identify yourself." He repeated in a deeper tone.

" You aren't going to hurt me, are you?" It yelps, jumping back as Zhongli swung his spear. " Why are you attacking me?"

" Why are you dodging?" He countered. The being then dropped its pitiful act, scowling fiercely as it growled.

" I hate you so much. Once I gain full control of this vessel, I'll kill you. I'll destroy everything you love-" The evil spirit is cut off by a kick to its abdomen, causing it to keel over.

" Lumine, the staff." She steps forward with the staff in hand. The spirit shrieked, the voices starting to split as the staff drew near. " Hit her with it."

" No!" It shrieked.

" Do it." Zhongli egged on. It scrambled to escape but stone pillars blocked its way. Lumine summoned vines to trap it's limbs keeping it in place. It growled tearing the nearest vine with its fangs and moved on to the next before freezing. Its jaws hung open in the air for a bit as its expression change.

" Rex Lapis..." A different voice muttered through her.

" That voice." Paimon muttered. " That's...Pervases!"

" Pervases." Zhongli's voice grew softer as the adeptus' spirit forces the body to still.

" Rex Lapis, I'm keeping him contained as best I can." He holds back a grimace, falling to his knees. " Please hurry, the staff!" His free hand reaches out to it. " No!" The spirit roared but the hand continues to reach out.

Lumine moves forward, the staff tightly in hand and the being shrieked as it made contact. The staff, Mountain's Echo, started to crack. Light began to spill between each fracture as it grew along the staff. The body is still, eyes closed as the hand holds it firmly.

" No." A disembodied voice muttered frantically. They follow it to where a shadowy figure floated in the air. " You ruined everything!" It shrieked at the traveller and Zhongli. Paimon yelped hiding behind Lumine for safety.

" Spina Murum." A gentle voice says. Thick thorny vines spouted from the ground and creating a barrier around them. " Ah, my neck is still stiff." The woman stretched, rolling her shoulders and neck. She gathers her hair into a loose ponytail and saunters over to where the demon stood. " Taking over my body so carelessly. Did you have fun? Did you see any good sights?"

The demon moves to attack, hissing and growling. Lumine watched as the black sword unsheathed on its own and blocked the attack.

" I didn't even know I was still asleep until that young adeptus woke me." She says, her sword swinging in the air and blocking any attack that came her way. " I understand several thousand years have passed. This era is beyond me. Beyond you." She approaches the demon, twirling her staff. " Return to the elements." She brings it down swiftly, the impact so severe they could hear something cracking. Light erupted from the staff as it shattered into a million pieces, littering the ground as it fell.

The demon's voice was silenced. The smell of ozone and metal lingered in the air as the thorn wall that protected them returned to the ground. Silver eyes regarded them with a smile, looking them over gently. She then threw her head back and downed all the alcohol from the gourd. Zhongli looked around where the gourd was supposed to be hidden beneath his coat and wondered when she took it.

" What?" She laughed, smiling to them. " Did you think I'd let you hold on to this, Rex?" She asked.

" Do you know this person, Zhongli?" Lumine asked him. He held his spear tightly and moved forward. The woman didn't even flinch when the tip of the spear brushed her neck, her silver eyes gleamed with fondness and warmth.

" The lower areas below the seas are surprisingly mostly concerned of stone. Raising mountains from the lower ports are viable but I don't quite trust the foundations. There's a clay deposit at the lower end near the Chasm," Her voice is calm, almost like a report of sorts.

" Jing Wūya. It's already been done." Zhongli chuckled, removing his spear.

" I'm aware." She says. " So, what's new?"

Chapter 35

Chapter Text

" Jing Wūya." The name seemed to echo with a certain familiarity. " Millennia ago, she would at the very least be known as a wandering cultivator. She exorcises spirits and practices the now extinct flying sword art. Hence, her sword Obsidian Claw can move at will." Zhongli explained as they made their way back to Pervases' temple. He carried the now unconscious Jing Wūya carefully in his arms while they walked, the other two men had gone to fetch a doctor and food for her when she awakens.

" Woah, that's amazing." Paimon awed. " But, how come they're extinct? And how did her body remain so...preserved?"

" When I had raised the land of Liyue from the seas, she had been fatally injured and sealed within amber by a vengeful god which I learned she had blinded beforehand." The dragon explained. " Perhaps it is fate that had returned her here or some mere chance. But, the possession of her body had indeed taken a toll on her already injured state." He notes sadly. " I'm not surprised she sacrificed her staff to exorcise the evil spirit."

" She seemed pretty strong too but, I don't see a vision and she used dendro earlier." Lumine lets the question trail off, looking to Zhongli expectantly.

" She isn't so much as an exception as you are, dear Outlander." He says the term as a sort of reminder. " There exists certain humans who's connections to the ley lines are especially deep, to the point where they are able to gather their own elemental energy without a vision. The process happens subconsciously, as one would to having their heart beating. Their natural assimilation to the elements makes them akin to a sort of battery, able to store high amounts of energy within their bodies."

He sets her down at the temple floor, mindful of the old injury and rests her head gently on a cushion the traveller took from her tea pot.

" However, their inability to properly control the flow of the energy causes harm to themselves and eventually perish. They are called Sleigh Beggy, beloved children of the night." He continues. " What you saw was an art once known as Mnemoria or magic, in simpler terms. It is the art of harnessing elemental energy through the ley lines."

" Through the ley lines?" Paimon echoed. " That sounds impossible. How?"

" I'm afraid I'm no practitioner myself so I haven't the foggiest idea." He chuckled, then looked back at Jing Wūya. " What I do know that it helped ebb some of the overflowing elemental energy. Thus, keeping them alive." His expression falls and for the first time in a while, the two watched as the dragon's shoulders sagged. " The staff wasn't required to perform Mnemoria but it helped conduct the flow of energy to something more manageable much like any catalyst. Though, she was always able to do well even before then but it troubles me to a degree." The dragon sighed. " Azhdaha had recently passed."

" What?" Paimon gasped quietly.

" Zhongli, I am sorry to hear that." Lumine says. " Are you alright?"

" I am fine. He passed peacefully." He reassures her. " More pressing matters are at hand."

" Of course." The traveller nods. " But I am here if you need me." The dragon smiles warmly at that.

" Thank you."

Wang Ping'an and the treasure hoarder, whom they learned is called Wei, returned with both Baizhu and Hu Tao in tow. " Alright. Where is the patient?" He asked.

" Here," Zhongli showed him where Jing Wūya was resting within the temple while the others waited outside.

" Hu Tao, what are you doing here?" Paimon asked her.

" I overheard some trouble with my consultant came up. So I thought to come along and see." She explained. " Speaking of, who is the patient?" She tries to lean on her toes to get a better look

" Oh, that's..." Paimon trailed off, unsure how to answer.

" Her name is Jing Wūya. My sister." Zhongli says as he returns to join them.

" That's right." Paimon agreed before backing up. " Wait, sister?"

" Really?" Hu Tao gasped in excitement. " I wasn't aware of that! What a twist." She chirped.

" Sister?" Lumine repeated, confused.

" Mr Zhongli, if you would come with me." Baizhu says, emerging briefly from the temple. He follows him inside, leaving the rest pondering what had happened. " I'm not sure how but it seems the wounds have already begun self healing."

" Have they?" He asked curiously and took a look for himself. The wound was indeed healing itself but the present energy he felt from it was far too familiar. Adeptal energy but the one it belongs to was supposed to be long dead. Though he has heard that their spirit still resides within the temple. It certainly couldn't be. " It appears we've wasted your time. My apologies, doctor."

" Worry not, I'll still bill you for consultation." The doctor waves off easily. " However, I should tell you that this woman is dehydrated and most likely suffers from a bit of malnutrition. Otherwise, she's rather healthy for a relic displaced in time."

" I assume as such will be confidential." The dragon hummed.

" Naturally." The doctor says easily. " If nothing else, I'll be off. I'll prescribe some vitamins for her well being so be sure to pick them up later at Bubu Pharmacy." It would be the dragon's luck it seems, that earlier within that month a rather unhappy harbinger had come by a donated a sum to allow free treatment for the next patient. It had been his fortune indeed that miraculously, no one else had called for his services within that time period.

" What an interesting physician." A soft voice mutters.

" Wūya." Zhongli offers to help her up but she declines.

" His eyes were like a serpent. How interesting." She hummed.

" Mr Zhongli?" Lumine called cautiously. " May we come in?" Wūya nods to him.

" Of course." The traveller, Paimon and Hu Tao rustle inside. " Traveller, Director, may I introduce Jing Wūya. My sister."

" Sister?" Wūya echoed with a coo. " A millennia's worth of time and you finally call me sister." She was grinning from ear to ear. " Has the years worn down your temperament so?"

" You'd be surprised." He huffs softly.

" I am encountering many surprises in a short amount of time." Her sharp silver eyes glance over to Lumine. " I should thank you for helping me recover my body, dear Outlander."

" It's no problem." Paimon says confidently. " We deal with weird stuff like this all the time."

" Clearly." Lumine suppressed her laugh into a cough.

" It's an honour to meet you, Miss Wūya." Hu Tao greeted her respectfully.

" My pleasure. I hope my brother hasn't been too much trouble." She emphasised the term, letting it roll of her tongue with clear delight in her voice.

" You aren't going to let me live that down, are you?" Zhongli sighed.

" Never." Wūya hummed. She looks down at the sword by her side and inspects the chipped blade. " Ah, and here I thought it'd been a trick of light. I've neglected you, Obsidian Claw."

" There is a blade smith I met just a few days ago. I could send for him to repair it." Zhongli offered.

" Then I'll leave it in your care once again." She says simply, handing the sword over. " Ah, wait. Where's my gourd?" It was in that moment they all saw mischief flicker in the dragon's eyes.

" You threw it." Wūya gasps.

" I wouldn't! Wait, did I?" She tries to recall but doesn't remember anything after the exorcism. " My gourd." She whined softly. " I even made it myself."

" It's gone now." Zhongli pats her shoulder. " Now, surely you remember our contract?" Wūya's eyes widen and she turns to Zhongli fearfully.

" No."

" Should you ever lose the gourd. You will give abstain from alcohol for a year." He reminded her.

" That's cruel."

" Are you going back on your word?" He teased her further.

" I would rather not be crushed by a meteor. Thank you." Wūya huffs but her sharp eyes catch movement and she lunges forward to the dragon. " You sly snake!" Zhongli lifts up the gourd he'd been hiding behind his back, laughing.

" Abstain from alcohol!" He reminded her as he raises it aloft.

" This is trickery. You can't be the one to make me lose it. Don't go back on your own contract, you rock headed lizard." He snorts, relenting as she swipes back the black gourd. " My precious gourd, how I missed you." Zhongli rolled his eyes.

The girls shared a laugh at the rare sight of Zhongli's antics. They could see how the two could proclaim one another as siblings. Wūya continued to smile at them and at her brother, years have certainly gone by.

Kaeya and Diluc opened their eyes simultaneously to meet with silver and brown respectively. " Look, Pervases. My junior is here." Above them, Jing Wūya grinned broadly.

" Hello." The adeptus waved at them. His human form was a rather plain looking by most standards, though perhaps he'd simply chosen such a form so he wouldn't stand out much when visiting Liyue.

" Oh, is everything alright?" Kaeya asked them urgently.

" It's been dealt with." Jing Wūya assured them, plopping down by their side as they enjoyed the view of Mt Tianheng. " I wanted to thank you two. Had it not been for your help, I wouldn't have regained my body." The brothers glanced between each other, Kaeya shrugged.

" I'm afraid we don't quite know what you mean." Diluc says.

" Were you not the ones who placed the dianthus at my temple?" Pervases asked.

" We weren't." Kaeya clarified. " I haven't even shown anyone else those blank contracts except for..." He trailed off, sharing a knowing look with his brother.

" Venti." They say in unison.

" If it's someone you know then it matters not where it came from." Jing Wūya waved off. " My contract with Pervases is similar to the contract you two share. Though, he is more of a partner in crime in our agreement."

" I agreed to share my fate with you only since you promised I'd be able to eat grilled ticker fish." The sparrow reminded her.

" Of course." Wūya chuckled.

" Could you elaborate?" Kaeya asked eagerly. He liked learning more about these things, the contracts, the dreams. All of it had ties to himself and who he was now.

" While you two brothers are sharing fates as well, you two have promised to share each other in health and pain. Should one be harmed, the wound would appear on the other." Wūya explained, lifting their arms to reveal the threads binding their wrists. " And if one heals, so will the other. However, I suspect that the same cannot be said for any illnesses or ailments. Only one of you is human, after all." She explained.

" Then, how are you different?" Diluc asked, looking just as intrigued as his brother.

" My contract with Pervases allows us to share certain senses. He is tethered to me in a way that we share thoughts, sight, sound and taste. Thus, when I think he knows my thoughts, what I see and hear, so will he and anything I eat will be akin to himself eating as well." She finished as Pervases took on his illuminated beast form, though it was incredibly small. " A small sparrow?"

" It is easier to hide like this." The sparrow said, resting on her shoulder.

" Do you understand?" Wūya asked the two.

" One question." Kaeya received a nod. " What was it that you did during the memory you showed us?"

" Ah, Mnemoria?" She guessed. " It is the art of harnessing elemental energy through the use of ley lines."

" Through ley lines?" Diluc echoed.

" Yes. The ley lines are like books, recording all manners of history from as small as a drop of rain to an earthquake. All events are written within its contents." Pervases now sat with the brothers, sitting himself down to listen eagerly. " But to use this information, one must perceive them as a memory. An action already done, to be repeated. These memories are called upon, unlocked using 'keys'. Key words that resonate with the memory will allow it to surface and as long as you can picture the action clearly, it will form the way you want." She points down to her palm. " Ignis." She snaps her fingers, a small flame danced at the tip of her thumb. " This technique is usually mainly possible for us." She looks to Diluc with a smile. " So, junior of mine. Shall I take it that you wish to learn?"

Chapter 36

Chapter Text

Kazuha marvels at the black blade, taking a good look at its structure. If only the gaze of gold and silver weren't staring him down so ominously, he might not feel so nervous. " This child is so small." Wūya muttered to her brother.

" He's much more talented than you think." Zhongli insisted.

" I will trust your judgement." She nods, though she keeps her gaze on the young ronin. " So small." She muttered once more.

" You've definitely got a knack for finding interesting folks to hang around, kid." The captain says, looking back at Lumine who seemed to be debating if she should step in or let them be. " I know Mr Zhongli enough but, who's the other lady?"

" Oh, that's Jing Wūya. Zhongli's sister." Paimon explained.

" He has a sister?" Nearly the whole ship gaped at the new information. They looked between the consultant and the lady in black robes. Her hair had been tied up in thick long braids, the two strands framing her face reached her neck and her silver eyes were sharp as blades. There was something about her that seemed rather ancient that matches Zhongli, but she also carries a certain youth in her step. Aside from their near matching height, with Wūya being a couple inches shorter. The way she spoke was gentle and effortlessly calm, it reminded them of Zhongli's own collectiveness and ability to remain unbothered by anything. " I think I see some resemblance."

" Captain." The gentle voice garners her attention. " Do you have any alcohol to spare? I've run out." She lifts up a black gourd to show her.

" Is that an authentic black gourd bottle?" Beidou gasped.

" Must you carry that around with you everywhere?" Zhongli sighed.

" You have a good eye." Wūya says, completely ignoring the dragon. " I've made it myself. I don't have much with me but," Beidou grabbed her shoulders.

" Can you make me one?" She asks loudly.

" I don't see why not." She chuckled.

" Someone get this woman our finest booze!" She ordered. " Don't worry, it's on the house. If you make me one of those I'll give you free alcohol anytime you visit."

" Brother, I quite like this era." Wūya mused with a broad smile. " No, I won't take advantage of you. We'll make a proper exchange. One bottle, one sword. Does that sound fair to you?"

" Deal!"

One day of walking around with Jing Wūya was enough to get rumors circulating. It isn't so much of a surprise in some cases. Zhongli was one of the most prominent bachelor candidates out there and to see him walking around with a strange woman of the same wavelength was almost scandalous. Had the two not clarified each other as siblings, one would assume the man had taken himself a beau.

" I've been around for a day and yet even I can understand the concepts of the trade by now. How are you this bad with money?" Lumine nodded eagerly to Wūya's words. They were just about to register her as an adventurer at the guild as she's decided to acquire her own income. As they were discussing the current rarity of certain stones, pricing came up and Lumine had unveiled all his previous spending habits.

" Traveller, must you expose me?" Zhongli groaned.

" Hello, comrade!" A familiar voice called out.

" Gods." Lumine groaned even louder and turned to face the harbinger.

" Ah, you're still here." Zhongli says as he regards Childe with a single glance.

" I got kicked out of the palace until I can get through to the Qixing." He says almost sheepishly. " I heard you were around so I wanted to say hello. You wouldn't believe what I saw the other day, comrade!" He began excitedly before pausing. " And who would this be?" He eyes the woman looming behind the traveller with a challenging smirk.

Her sharp gaze seems to cut through him, the easy smirk on her face was one that puts his own to shame. She reminded the harbinger of the exuvia he saw back at the Golden House. Yet her eyes seemed to gleam in a way that seemed to hint to mischief, he sees now what looks more like a decorated crow. He could feel a few more eyes watching them, some seem rather interested in this strange woman.

" This is Jing Wūya." Zhongli introduced her, the two seemed to exchange a silent conversation before simultaneously looking back at Childe with identical grins. " My sister." There's a few muffled gasps here and there, someone else seemed to cough on their drinks.

" I wasn't aware that the illustrious Mr Zhongli had a sister or siblings of any kind." He began nervously as gold and silver eyes seem to bore into him ominously.

" She was in seclusion, doing meditative training deep in the mountains." He says simply.

" Easy there, brother. While you're not wrong, technically it felt more like I was fighting for my life." She corrected him. " Anyways, I'm famished. Won't you take me somewhere to satiate this hunger, brother?"

" Didn't you proclaim you could fast for 10 years?" She scoffs at that.

" I've been neglecting my stomach long enough in seclusion." She says, huffing but her gentle voice never raised. " Cruel. You're cruel."

" I could buy you lunch." Childe offered. It would be favourable to get on what was probably another god's good graces. He has no idea what she likes or needs, nor has he heard of her. Does she go by any other name, he wondered. Though, Zhongli certainly said that she'd been meditating in seclusion. Maybe she was dormant for much longer than most gods. " Of course I'd include you guys as well." He extended to Zhongli, the traveller and Paimon.

" Oho, an interesting proposal." Wūya hummed. " I'll take your offer." He seemed relieved that the others were on board once the woman herself agreed. " Then, in return I will tell you of the curses that have been cast upon you." She lets the words hang in the air for him to process while Zhongli rallies them to Third Round Knockout.

Despite the similarities the two share, from the ancient air they give off, the way they smile and the same smirks whenever they're up to mischief. The two were rather different. It isn't simply physical like their eyes and such. Wūya's demeanor is more relaxed, she has a tendency to lean against something in an almost lazy fashion while Zhongli carried himself straighter, more disciplined. Did he mention how much she enjoys seafood and willingly lets her brother deposit the parts he didn't like to her bowl. And in terms of money,

" So, you've been paying for this rock headed lizard numerous times even before he revealed himself to you?" Wūya says slowly. " Have you no shame, brother?"

" It isn't as if he is a saint himself." Zhongli scowls, sipping his tea.

" He's much younger than you. Taking advantage of youths, that's plain bullying." She states sternly. " Know your age. Act your age."

" Fine. Maybe I am bullying him." The dragon places his cup down, scowling at his sister. Childe felt a little relieved that such a kind person was trying to defend him from Rex Lapis of all people.

" Good. Very good." The harbinger freezes. " If you're bullying then say it out front. I don't care, just admit what you're doing." She finishes her bowl of fish soup with a satisfied hum and the two glanced back at Childe with the same ominous stares. The Harbinger doesn't feel safe. Why did Lumine have to go to the bookstore first? He's going to have his pockets dried out by two ancient beings.

The rest of the day seemed relatively normal. Despite the way she teased him, Wūya made sure Zhongli didn't make any outrageous purchases and only asked him to buy small things she seemed to require. Little crafting tools, thread and needle, fabric.

" You've been given two curses." Wūya began suddenly as they were walking back to the funeral parlor. " The first must be known to you as you have traces of using such a foul thing." She must be referring to the Foul Legacy transformation. " You are aware what it does to you?" She asked and he simply nods. " The second is more recent. A common curse of silence. I didn't expect it to turn up in this era but I suppose it is a given. They called it, the Wizard's Ribbon. At any rate, whatever you've sworn to keep quiet about will ensure you hold fast to your promise. If you didn't," She takes the little doll they'd bought and pulled out one single seem. The head rolls to the ground in an instant. " My advice to you youths is to always watch your tongue. Unless you have the Sight, it would be difficult for you to discern what is human and what is not."

Without even giving him a moment to respond, the two had disappeared into the building of the funeral parlor, the doors slamming with a loud thud. A rather dramatic exit, he'd say. Another thing to note of Jing Wūya, she can be very dramatic for the sake of aesthetic. Her silver eyes are definitely a different shape from Zhongli's altogether too. She most certainly isn't a dragon like Zhongli, though they can be similar. She was more like a crow.

" Miss Wūya will be staying here for a few more days before going off again." He jumps at the sudden appearance of the funeral director.

" Wait, going off again?" He asked.

" Dunno. Said something about gaining a disciple and imparting her sacred knowledge." Hu Tao says ominously before wandering off again.

" What's your favourite flower?" The question was asked so innocently, one would overlook it without much of a thought.

" Lamp grass." He answered simply, unknown of the fate that's sealed.

" I see. Now, for your first lesson." Jing Wūya began. He's expecting something mundane, one shouldn't get their hopes up, even in a dream. " Gather for me 168 lamp grass of identical size." She orders him, pouring herself a cup of wine while she waits.

He heads out as instructed and collects the flowers.

Again.

And again.

And again.

" Try again." Jing Wūya tossed away the batch of flowers with a gust of wind.

" What is this even supposed to teach me?" Diluc growled, steam would be coming off his form if he had his vision. He doesn't see it but feels the moment he's lifted off the ground and lands flat on his back with the crow standing over him.

" About lamp grass of course!" She continued simply. " And while we're dreaming, I should tell you that this won't end until I'm satisfied. You can try as hard as you can, stop sleeping for a hundred days but you're human. You'll rest eventually, you'll close your eyes and you'll be back here. Picking lamp grass day after day." Diluc grimaced under the ominous gaze of her silver eyes. " Sooner or later. That is the only question. What will you choose?"

Baring his teeth, Diluc roughly lifts himself off the ground and continues on his search for the right lamp grass. He's rejected several times, throws a fit through half of them and finally lets himself fall face first into the dirt. Was he giving up? No, not really. He's just taking a break.

It's ridiculous, he thinks. Taking a break while in the middle of a dream. His eye catches the familiar hazy glow of the lamp grass bulb, swaying right by his head.

How envious, to be a simple bulb of petals swaying in the breeze. The longer he stares at him, the more he feels enraptured by its shape and features. The very size of its petals, the veins on its stalk and leaves. He wonders how long it must've taken to grow so well. With such a lovely glow as well. Though, perhaps the plant wouldn't quite care. They were all still lamp grass either way.

He gathers yet another 168 bulbs of lamp grass, some glowed brighter or had bigger bulbs but that didn't matter to him. Not anymore. " Here." He says gruffly, delivering the flowers. Wūya inspects them with lazy eyes and flicks her gaze towards him.

" Why did you choose these?" She asks.

" Because they're all still just lamp grass. They don't care, so I shouldn't either." He answered, eyes glaring back at the woman, just daring her to reject them again.

" Pfft." Jing Wūya covers her mouth, shoulders shaking before she lets out a loud hearty laugh. " Yes! Good. Very good! These are all identical." She tells him with a wide smile, wiping a tear from her eye. " Ah, I'm waking up."

Diluc finds himself back in bed, the sun had just risen. He takes a moment to gather himself, washed his face and stepped outside to breathe the actual air. He looks down at his palm, remembering the scratches and cuts from his dreams now no longer painted over his skin.

He sighs, sitting himself down against the stone wall and watched the crystalflies flutter overhead. He catches a few dandelion seeds drifting by and held them gently in his palms. " Flos." Within moments the dandelions bloomed, some bigger than what he's used to. Elemental energy pouring from his surroundings, to the dandelions.

Chapter 37

Chapter Text

" Are you alright?" The dragon asked her as they shared a cup of morning tea together.

" I am fine." She reassures him.

" But you were crying." Of course he'd be the one to wake her after she'd finally managed to get through to that child. It brings back so many memories of her old master, of her friends, of their inevitable demise. She says nothing on the matter, choosing to sit in silence and listening to the many tales of Rex Lapis from the story teller.

" Flos." The flowers started to bloom in his palm. Kaeya gave an excited coo, buzzing and chirping. " I don't think I'd like to share this with everyone yet. She showed up in my dreams and just started making me go through training." The Blizzard shuddered slightly at the mentioned tale of the woman trapping her brother in a dream to force him to continue training. " It's tiring but, effective. I'm really not going to get much rest at this rate. Do you think you can help me protect Mondstadt at night?" He asked his brother.

" I actually think maybe you could ask Dainsleif for help." He suggested. " Plus the nights make me feel restless, so I have to head over the border to look for more hilichurls and I get to make more treats for myself when you sleep." It was a daily occurrence by this point, finding flowers blooming by his head.

" I'll send him a note on it later." Diluc sighed. " I really don't think I'll be getting any proper rest anytime soon."

" Good luck, I s'pose. I can't exactly offer you much more than that." He gives his brother an apologetic look and dons his guise for the day.

" I'll take what I can get." He sighed.

The following lessons were nothing short of horrible in Diluc's opinion. On the second night, she made him chase feathers in a tornado until he gets the right amount. The third, he spent hours trying to fill a bucket of water which has holes in it before just chucking it into the river. The fourth made him light several campfires which went rather smoothly thanks to his familiarity with pyro energy. The fifth had him collect electro crystal with his bare hands. The sixth was having him walk over through a blizzard until he finally caught up to her after being lost in the snow for several hours. The seventh day, Wūya handed him a shovel and ordered him to dig a grave. He dug, and dug, never stopping until she declared it deep enough, which was as deep as a ravine and shoved him inside.

Being buried alive was definitely not the kind of nightmare he ever wants to relive.

" You look like shit." Rosaria says when Diluc finally mans the bar again.

" I've been through some shit. Cut me some slack." He snarls.

" Someone's in a bad mood." Without Kaeya, someone had to tease Diluc at the bar.

" She's coming here." Diluc places down a glass roughly on the countertop.

" Your dream teacher?" Rosaria asked.

" Yup." He cleans the next glass. " She says she's going to test me and I am not ready. Not in the slightest."

" Alright." Dainsleif walks over, taking the glass and cloth from his hands. " You need to sit and calm down. I'll take it from here." Reluctantly Diluc follows the suggestion and finds himself on the other end of the bar, flanked between an archon and a drunk nun.

Kaeya walks in after a hunt, finding Diluc resting his head against the counter with a glass in hand. His eye is comically wide as he darts between his friends and probably drunk brother. " He's contemplating life choices." Dainsleif says blankly as he serves another glass to Venti.

" Turns out his teacher is on the way." Rosaria explained. " She's gonna test him and he's afraid he'll fail."

" 'M not." A muffled voice says from the counter.

' It looks like my brother's new teacher is running him ragged.' He hears Nahida make an intrigued sound.

" She sounds very interesting. Do you think I will get to meet her or the other archons?" The young goddess asked meekly.

' I hope so. Though, I would like to meet you first.' He takes a seat by the counter, Dainsleif slides him a Death Afternoon.

" I might be closer than you think." She hummed.

' So secretive, dear Buer.' He swirls the drink in hand. ' I have gathered what I could regarding the Sirens of the Catacombs. The traveller will be bringing the rest, yes?'

" Exactly." Nahida agreed. " The information regarding the 'Ocelli' are scarce and we can only get ahold of some." The 'Ocelli'whispers haven't been as frequent as it once was. He hopes dearly he could collect their tales.

' Perhaps Master Jing Wūya would have some insight but I haven't had the chance to speak with her directly.' Kaeya admits. ' Her reign over dreams is scarily strong. I've tried tapping in when she's training Diluc but no luck so far.'

" Records surrounding her mostly mention her origins as a Sleigh Beggy but otherwise things such as the history of her martial sect, their art and much more are nothing more but legends now. Simple folktales told by word of mouth." Nahida reports. " Which itself is strange considering how well recorded Liyue's history usually is."

' Well, nothing truly lasts in this world.' He admits gently as he finishes his drink, waving Dainsleif over for another glass. ' But that isn't our immediate issue. So, any new fairytales to share with me?'

" Oh, yes! I just came up with a new one." He listens to the little fairytale Nahida conjures up, noting to write it down for later for a special surprise.

For a cave, the domain was well ventilated. It didn't feel hot at all, nor too cold. Lumine gazes up to the grand tree that grew from Azhdaha's husk. Something about its structure, the very idea of how dragons actually die reminded him of the bones scattered across Dragonspine. Jing Wūya had quietly set up the picnic mat, having said something about a nice spot.

It would appear disrespectful at first to some but Zhongli paid it no heed. " A dragon's is as is. As elemental beings, we return to our elements given time." The Lord of Geo muttered as he circles the tree absentmindedly.

" Life is short, that is the truth and fate of all things." A gentle voice says. Wūya beckons her over to sit, the teapot already set up and boiling. The mat and cushions themselves seemed to be handmade, sewn together with masterful hands. " It's a hobby." She hears the woman say and continues to admire some of her work. " Perhaps many would forget but there are indeed many ways to impart history, a tale."

Her hand waves over the mat and Lumine's eyes are drawn to the way the patterns are put together. Each stitch woven within the other, forming a great image of an enormous dragon.

" I did what I could based on the descriptions and older scriptures. Though, it seems my dreams have led my hands yet again." Her gaze shifts to the head of the husk, lips smiling softly. " In my days when fragile things such as paper were difficult to pass along, it is through these crafts did many cultures tell their tales. Look closely, dear child. See how the patterns here differ? These represent the stars and moon," She gestures to some of the outer patterns. " The earth, the rivers and mountains." Her hand glossed over the simple square and triangular images. " This foretells of a dragon resting at the edges of a river, surrounded by mountains and laid deep within the earth. See how the dragon reaches the skies? How it towers the mountains? This represents its strength and ability to shake the heavens."

" Woah, so this carpet is about Azhdaha?" Paimon asked, earning a broad smile from the woman.

" Yes." The teapot sings and Zhongli finally emerges from where he was pacing, called by the promise of tea. " The Qixing are a rather interesting bunch, they say this jasmine tea hails straight from Sumeru. Care to join us, brother?"

" How could one resist?" He chuckles as he takes his seat, pausing momentarily as his eyes gloss over the mat. " You've picked up the craft again."

" I needed something to do." Wūya shrugged. " I do not erode the same way as you do so I have to remember things through other means. My memory isn't trustworthy at times." He says nothing at that, simply sighing through his nostrils as Lumine pours them all tea.

" Will you be making more?" He asked her, blowing gently over the surface of his tea.

" Certainly not so often. My mora needs to be used wisely of course." He ignores the clear jab thrown his way.

" Are you keeping this work?" He asks again.

" I do not have such space. I am nomadic by nature." She adds, informing Lumine. " Though I have heard you have yourself an abode you personally bring along."

" Yeah! The serenitea pot." Paimon answered for her. " It's really spacious."

" Then, would you mind the trouble of keeping this mat afterwards? It would do me a great honour if my first work in thousands of years were entrusted to you." She offered with a glint in her silver eyes.

" Woah, really?" Paimon gasped.

" Of course. I've heard much of your adventures. You're rather famous, you know." Wūya smiled seeing the traveller's flustered expression.

" Oh, can Paimon ask for other things too?" The little thing asked her curiously and really, Wūya always had a soft spot for small creatures.

" Paimon." Lumine chided.

" It's alright, I would love to make something for you." Wūya says, gesturing for Paimon to continue.

" Let's see, hmm.." The little one thought long and hard before gasping excitedly. " I can't help it, I'm thinking of something warm to eat later." The elder ones shared a laugh as Lumine just shook her head.

" Never change, Paimon." She sighs.

" Then shall I make your personal carpet food themed? I could put a roasted fowl at the center surrounding by herbs or even an entire banquet etched with toppings." Paimon gasped even louder, hands balled into little fists and shaking as her mouth starts to water. Wūya continues to laugh as Zhongli watches the exchange with a fond smile.

" I hope I get a carpet when time comes for me." He mutters, mostly meant for himself but the sudden silence makes it clear that the others heard.

" Brother." Wūya sighed. " Thousands of carpets of you already exist, you don't need any more." Now it was Lumine's turn to laugh. " Literally, they are everywhere. There are dolls even, of miniature versions of you as well as a dozen more trinkets I can't list."

" That may be true but I don't have anything made by you, sister." Wūya pauses and puts her tea cup down. She takes a long breath and shoots Zhongli a playful glare.

" How dare you use that term against me. You know I'm weak."

" Can't I have a memento from you? Sister." He tilts his head mockingly at her old habit but gods, did she find his mockery both annoying and endearing. " Sister?"

" Enough, alright. I will make you something." She relents and Zhongli prides himself a satisfied smile. " But no carpets or any of the stuff I mentioned. If I were to make something for you, I have to make it's something no one else can give. Just you wait, Rex. That's a promise."

" A contract then." He mused. " Don't bother with time limits this time. I am no longer as impatient as I once was." Wūya grew silent, the smile she wore becomes even softer as she regards him with a sad gaze.

" Very well." Lumine recognised the look in her eyes, has seen it on herself aplenty. It's concern, over the changes of one's sibling and what had occured to incur such changes. " It felt like it was just yesterday you were still one touchy god. Even if you were the god of your people, not one person could approach you then. Now I wake up and I hear all these amazing tales of you and your companions during the war." She trails, pausing momentarily to finish her tea. " I'm proud of you, Rex Lapis. You're amazing."

Chapter 38

Chapter Text

Diluc paced nervously, practically bruising the ground with his persistent steps. He'd woken up that morning looking pale and anxious, more nervous than Kaeya's ever seen him. When asked, he gave them a haunted look and said, " She's coming." The fear in his eyes reminded him of the same fear Dainsleif reflected whenever Adelinde seemed to be in a foul mood.

How unfortunate for him.

Well, Kaeya however seemed to be having the best week of his life so far. He spends day and night visiting the city in both duty and leisure. He's happy to be back as their cavalry captain and protecting Mondstadt as their Blizzard at night still included free snacks left out by the locals. That, and he will get to see Nahida soon. The traveller had given her an invite pass to the teapot and she would visit the moment Kaeya informs her that he's already in the serenitea pot. Anticipation to meet his friend had left him in a good mood.

He visited each of his faeries save for Aisling who continues to report the well being of Sumeru in his dreams. Their number have actually tripled over time and he feels like there would be more to come. He may even have to appoint positions for the faeries to keep track of everyone. Kaltel and Pavel seem to act like his advisors and caretakers simultaneously. He's grateful for them, defending his homes and friends even if the others wouldn't know it. Pavel had especially taken to managing some the safety of the winery. Her determination to ensure all things run smoothly and all staff accounted for made her more and more similar to Adelinde as the days pass.

Which leads to another development. Diluc and Kaeya stared at the young girl before them, in full maid attire and sunrise eyes. " My Liege?" They had witnessed light enveloping her form, watched as her appearance changed from a small pyro faerie with rabbit feet to a small maiden in maid attire and a rather familiar face.

" Pavel?" Kaeya asked cautiously.

" That is me, yes. I am Pavel. The household flame faerie." The new description seemed to indicate this as a sort of evolution.

" When one wishes to alleviate themselves of one purpose, one will gain another." An 'Ocelli' tells him.

" This is quite the development." Dainsleif adds as he hikes up the stairs to find the two brothers standing there with a newly evolved Pavel. " I've come to fetch you both. The traveller has arrived in Mondstadt and she's brought an interesting guest. Another Sleigh Beggy she met in Liyue." Diluc instantly paled, pursing his lips nervously at the revelation that his teacher was here and now he has to see her.

" Really?" Kaeya seemed ecstatic, eager to see the traveller again and getting into the teapot.

" Wūya, we've already ordered the food." Paimon announced proudly. A lot of passing eyes glanced their way as they took their seats. Wūya's hands moved fluidly, the thread practically flying as she worked diligently. " Ooh, what are you making?"

" An embroidered scented satchel." She replied easily.

" Oh, is that why you bought the potpourri from Flora?" She nods quietly, smiling so fondly. " Is it a gift? Who's it for?"

" My disciple." He catches the curious gazes of some children who'd paused from their game, looking up her in awe. She spares them a friendly wave, making them wave back eagerly.

" You've mentioned that." Lumine says. " Is it someone we'd know?"

" I am uncertain." The crow replied, finishing her stitch. " He is very young but he is like me, a Sleigh Beggy." Being the first one she's met, the traveller doesn't exactly have much reference in what other Sleigh Beggy look like or how to identify one. She wonders if it could be anyone she knows of, like Kaeya or Bennett since he's fairly young and has that weird bad luck thing. " I am simply excited I suppose, to see my art passed on to someone." Their food arrives and they dig in happily.

Lumine takes Jing Wūya to the Knights Headquarters first, carrying with her a large box containing a rather strange catalyst. The Knights welcomed their Honorary Knight with joyous greetings and wide smiles. Some eyes lingered on her latest travelling companion, who's height seemed to be a little taller than Rosaria's.

" It's an honour to meet you, Miss Wūya." Jean greets her, receiving a greeting bow customary to Liyue in return. " Diluc and Kaeya should be here soon. Please, sit. I've prepared some tea."

By the time the boys arrived, they were gathered around the crow, crowding over to see what she held. " Ah, good. Very good. You're here." She beckons them near. Kaeya immediately leans over Jean to see what she held while Diluc shuffled over awkwardly. In her hands were three satchels of blue, red and yellow. " Do you see the patterns here? A dandelion is known as a symbol of resilience, able to grow in any environment as long as there is wind and sunlight, it will be there." She presents the yellow satchel, the wonderful embroidered patterns resembled flying dandelion seeds drifting through the wind. She hands it off the Jean while she presents the next one.

" Owls are nocturnal creatures. They are fast an silent, assassins of the night. Here in this region or others like Snezhnaya or Fontaine, the animal would be known as a symbol of wisdom." The horned owl embroidery had large eyes, wide and alert, ready to strike. " In some places like Sumeru, the bird is considered a bad omen, a premonition of death. Perhaps it is due to the nature of their song, a haunting screech as others would describe it. It gave way to many superstitions of the rather sweet animal." He tosses it to Diluc, who reacts in time to catch it.

" Now, the peacock. Universally, it is a symbol of beauty. Yet, I do wonder how such a graceful and beautiful creature ever came to be. Look at its tail, see how they each carry an eye? In some beliefs, they would hold a peacock as a sacred being. Representing divinity in its own light. Though, do not think it is anything above the others. It is a beauty, but so are many others. The personification of its arrogance and pride are nothing more but human interpretation." She dares to add. " What bird doesn't pride their wings? Be it a fruit eater or hunter. What tiger doesn't pride their stripes? It is merely their nature, made into symbolisms by the ideals of man." She finished and hands the last one to Kaeya. " They're scented satchels. Do keep them."

" What? They get to keep them. Where's Paimon's?" The little thing whined.

" Patience, little one. I'll make one for you as well." Wūya tells her with a lovely grin. " Now then," She stands up, in full height they could see how much taller she was than most people even in Liyue. She smiles at the brothers softly and gives them a bow. " It's my pleasure to finally meet you two in person." Diluc stammered a bit while Kaeya opened and closed his mouth with no sound.

" What's wrong, Captain pasty eye patch? You usually have something to say." Paimon teased while Lumine seemed to be appreciating his outfit. Kaeya stared at them for a good moment before shaking his head. Paimon's smile fell, her face twisting into an expression of confusion. " Did something happen?"

" A lot happened." Diluc sighed as Jean drew the curtains and made sure to lock the door. " Don't freak out." He warns them before turning to his brother with a nod.

Before their eyes, Kaeya shifts from his human form. His tail unfurled, wings stretched upon unfolding. He towered over everyone in the room and feeling nervous, tries to make himself smaller as to not seem too intimidating. Lumine covered Paimon's mouth before she could make any sort of comment and approaches Kaeya carefully.

" I couldn't see a single hilichurl on my way here." She said as she reaches up to touch his cheek. " When I heard you went missing, I wanted to come over immediately to find you and...I just got so caught up with everything in Sumeru that I-" She swallows a lump in her throat, feeling tears pooling in her eyes. " I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Kaeya." The Blizzard cooed, opening his arms with a smile and inviting her into a hug. She took it immediately, he even let Paimon join in. " I'm glad you're okay." He thrills happily, making a few garbled noises and patting her head.

" Paimon's sorry for earlier." The little thing apologised quietly, she looked like she was about to cry. Kaeya pats her head as well, cooing.

Jing Wūya seemed to marvel at his form before bowing again. " This humble one greets you, Your Majesty." She says suddenly. Kaeya squawked, shaking his head and garbling. " But, you are already a sovereign to your people. I have never personally met one of you but I have heard of them. You are the Sovereign of Fae. They appear once every while with their own group of faeries of their generation all while awakening some of the other surviving predecessors." She explained. " Seeing you here proves that they've already accepted you as the new Sovereign."

" A Sovereign, huh?" Kaeya garbled. " I don't think I can ever get used to this." The others were looking at him in anticipation.

" Ah, don't worry. It's mostly titular." Wūya waved it off. " I'm just happy to see you both doing well."

" Which reminds me." Diluc speaks up. " How is Pervases?"

" Wait, Master Diluc. You knew?" Paimon asked. " About the contract Miss Wūya and Pervases made?"

" Of course." Diluc said. " I made a similar contract with Kaeya."

" You what?" Oh, yeah. They forgot to tell Jean.

" Let me explain." He began to tell them what they went through and how the contract came to be, which was then followed up by Jing Wūya explaining how she had woken up and met the brothers in their dreams.

" Hold up, Dain is here too?" Paimon gasped.

" And he's working at the bar?" Lumine seemed more confused than before. It's funny how that became their focus instead of Kaeya's abilities. " That's an interesting development." Kaeya seemed happy about it all the same, smiling sweetly as he sorts through Paimon's hair, braiding it. His bird brain already at work, trying to preen the traveller as well but her hair was too short. Paimon seemed content to be coddled a little as she sorts through the assortments of hair ornaments Kaeya let her look through.

" This one please." She holds up a golden leaf hairpin and the cavalry captain nods, taking it and working it into the little thing's hair.

" Most of the faeries have scattered about." Diluc tells them. " You probably can't really see them much since they don't like being seen. They only show themselves to people they're interested in or if they're looking to kill someone."

" Have they?" Jean asked.

" Not as far as I know." Diluc shrugged. " Kaeya?" He shakes his head earnestly. It felt strange, in a relieving kind of way seeing Diluc referring to Kaeya so casually. No snide remarks or angry grumbles. No mocking titles of the sort. Lumine figures maybe it's because of how Kaeya couldn't quite respond the same way. Even though Diluc does understand him, it wasn't the same. His tone was calmer, more even with his brother.

Kaeya himself seemed to have changed, not in the more obvious way of course. As in, he's more openly affectionate now. As flirty as he was at times, he never really let anyone get too close, not enough to touch him at the very least. Now he was giving head pats, cooing, resting his chin over her head affectionately and openly offering hugs. Maybe it's the bird brain thing Diluc mentioned, or maybe it's just Kaeya finally letting himself give and take affection as it is. It feels nice seeing them behaving more healthy around each other especially. Letting themselves just be, without any hesitation or fear.

She wonders if she should make something for her brother as well. Maybe a trinket for when they meet up again.

Chapter 39

Chapter Text

Diluc relayed Kaeya's wishes to see the serenitea pot again, his tail rattling gently in anticipation. As soon as they were in, Kaeya had bolted in full Blizzard form, flying off from island to island with curious cooes, buzzes and loud calls. " Woah, he can fly now?" Lumine asked as they watched him run about.

" I haven't seen him this excited in a while." Diluc says as he watches his brother run around like an animal set free. Then it clicked. Even though he'd been widely accepted by the people of the winery and Mond itself, there was never truly that guarantee for him to remain unbothered. He finds pockets of time and spaces to relax, sure but even then he'd still seem to be on edge. Anticipating.

Here in this abode, this open space where knows for certain that no one can hurt him or hunt him down, or spy on him in any way. Here, he was free.

" Oh my gosh, I forgot." Lumine gasps. " I kind of invited a few other friends I met to stay here. Well, some of them didn't actually have places to sleep properly and I felt bad, so I gave them the invites whenever they want to visit or anything." Sure enough a scream could be heard. " Collei."

They rushed to one of the floating islands which happened to be a grand garden that was an exact replica of the Pardis Dhyai. Collei has her bow drawn taut while Kaeya was backing up, making a placating gesture. " Collei, collei. It's okay." Lumine stands in front of her trying to get her to put her weapon down. Diluc checks over Kaeya, the former cooing sadly as he wraps himself in his wings and tail.

" What is that?" She asked Lumine, her bow still in hand but no longer drawn.

" It's Kaeya. I'll explain-" Collei immediately doubled back.

" Hold up, that's Kaeya?" She looked to where the being was being comforted by Master Diluc. She pushes past Lumine, leaning over to get a better look. Seeing her, Kaeya squawked and retreated behind some greenery. " What... happened to him?"

" Looks like he's in full bird brain." Diluc sighed as they watched the cavalry captain scale a tree and rattled his tail. " You good up there?" Kaeya's eyes blinked a couple times before he travelled further up, disappearing into the leaves.

" Did I scare him?" Collei asked quietly. It felt weird to say out loud. This was the cavalry captain that beat her up as a kid while she was having uncontrolled dead god messing with her head. The calculative, strong, capable cavalry captain of the Knights Ordo, Kaeya Albreich. He just dipped up a tree like a spooked bird.

" Honestly, nothing is supposed to scare him when he's full Blizzard." Diluc explained. " He gets like this when people he cares about attacks him or when he's afraid they would. Old trauma."

" Oh?" She glances over the concerned look and finds guilt in his eyes. " Oh. Oh!" Her jaw dropped. Not because it was most likely trauma caused by Master Diluc, but the fact that it means she's considered as someone he cares about. " Captain Kaeya!" She calls out. " I'm sorry for trying to shoot you. I'm not gonna hurt you, look." She puts away the bow and waves her arms. " You good yet, bird brain?"

The trees rustle with no wind, Kaeya hops to the lowest branch, his glowing eyes focused on Collei. She's only seen this kind of behaviour twice before with Master Tighnari. Hybrids of any kind would turn to their instincts at moments of insecurity or panic, the greatest botanist in all of Sumeru was no exception. The first time it happened was while he was recovering from being struck by lightning, the damage was actually worse than he thought. The second was when he went missing once and Cyno brought him back...feral.

She watches the way Kaeya leans further down, taking hesitant steps forward with his glowing eyes looking over her but they were hazed, like he wasn't all there. The moment recognition clicked came before his mind was even fully aware and he jumped down before her. His wings stretched wide, tail rattling behind him. Then, he paused, folding his wings and tail back as his mind resettled.

He buzzed an inquiring sound and Collei figured it must be her name. " Yeah, it's me." He made a gesture of hovering his hand over her head and thrilled a happy sound. " Are you saying I got taller?" She guessed carefully and he nods. " I'm not the only one. You were already one of the tallest guys in Mondstadt, now you're probably even taller than Varka." He cooes, tail rattling more happily now. " I can read and write better now too." She says and he claps on her behalf. Usually she'd find his slow claps a little condescending with the way he smirks like a damned know-it-all but here, seeing him this way, smiling wide for her sake, made her feel a little more sorry for attacking him.

" Better?" Diluc asked once he finds Kaeya had calmed down from the whole excitement and sudden bird brain. " I didn't know your bird brain needed more private space. We could probably purchase some private land near the forest for you to roam around. I've been thinking of buying out the land around Wolvendom to keep people out of the wolves' territories." Kaeya shakes his head, garbling something in an exasperated tone.

Lumine glanced over to where Jing Wūya was sitting by the steps of the mention, quietly watching the whole thing unfold with her gourd uncorked. Having travelled with her enough times, she could recognise the mischievous glint in her eyes and that knowing smile. This was always the case when she knows something they don't or when she's planning something. She slips away from the others to check on her, her best stern look already on display.

" Don't worry, dear Outlander!" Wūya laughed softly at the sight of her striding over. " I'm simply going over the lesson plan I'm preparing for young Diluc."

" Lesson plan?" She repeats curiously and sits next to her.

" Yes. He is learning Mnemoria from me after all." She hummed. " Honestly most of it should come to him rather easily as long as he's grasped the basics. While you resonate with the elements directly, we resonate with its memory. There is always more to the elements than the seven we've known so far."

" There is?"

" Possibly." Wūya shrugged, chuckling as Lumine scowled at her. A flash of light signified someone else had arrived, looking to their right they find the dendro archon accompanied by Alhaitham, the Acting Grand Sage.

" Oh, hey guys." Lumine waved at them, glancing at where the others were still talking. " We've got a bit of company but you're welcome here anytime." Wūya waved at them from behind the traveller, Nahida waved back.

A loud call echoed through the realm and Nahida turned her head towards the Blizzard sprinting towards her with an excited gasp. Alhaitham called for his sword but Nahida ran ahead. " Kaeya!" She called happily and lets him scoop her up into his arms. He goes too fast to slow down, tripping forward and sending them both tumbling to the ground.

" Kaeya?"

" Lord Kusanali?"

Nahida's giggles are joined by Kaeya's odd bird laugh as the two were sprawled over the ground, laughing like children. " That hurt." Kaeya chuckled.

" You're in full Blizzard!" Nahida gasped, sitting up quickly. " Can I see- I mean, may I observe you?" He chuckles again, nodding.

" What just..." Alhaitham trailed off looking to the others for answers but Lumine and Collei simply shrugged. Wūya looked to Diluc but the man simply put his hands up.

" Don't look at me, I've got nothing."

" From what I'm observing, the Sovereign seems to be in close relation to this...I wanna say goddess?" One can never be too sure and glances at the others.

" She's a young goddess." Lumine explained.

" Ah." Wūya nodded along, lieu in understanding. Kaeya spotted the group looking over them and immediately tried to explain how they knew each other. " I see." The elder woman nodded. " That is a rather plausible case."

" What is?" Collei asked.

" The dendro archon has been talking to Kaeya in his mind." Diluc translated, still not taking his eyes off them. He looked both tired and shocked, like he knew what his brother could get up to but it still surprised him. " They're friends."

" Alhaitham, this is the person who taught me all those songs." Nahida says cheerfully from where she was now perched on Kaeya's shoulders. " You asked once, did you not?"

" I did." He simply agreed, noting that he should probably get a raise for dealing with this. Kaeya garbles again and Nahida's eyes glimmered.

" You didn't have to." She wanted to decline as he let her down. From his coat, he pulls out a strange instrument consisting of a wooden board attached with what Alhaitham assumed were metal keys of sorts. The being demonstrates how it works, plucking the keys to a simple tune and letting Nahida try it out for herself. " Can I really keep this?" He nods again and it baffles Alhaitham just how childish the goddess looked. How small she was truly.

Lumine invited everyone inside for a meal, she had a relatively large table and always enjoyed having people fill the seats. The two beings, a God and a Fae, seemed to be exchanging fairytales with one another. Or so it seemed.

" So this is your trustworthy 'source'." Diluc huffed as they finished their meal. " Of course only you'd find such resources."

" Nothing less, brother." Kaeya chirped.

" I'm glad you two were able to make up." Nahida smiled and the elder brother paused.

" You told her about me?"

" In my defense, It was before I even met Rosaria again and I was very lonely." Kaeya countered. " Besides, she's connected directly to Irminsul. She would've found out either way."

" Do you get any of this?" Alhaitham asked the others.

" No." Collei says while Lumine shrugged. Paimon simply drank her tea.

" I'm getting the gist of it." Wūya hummed. " Ah, I suppose the two of you don't quite know yet. My name is Jing Wūya." She introduced herself.

" I'm Collei, nice to meet you." The girl shakes her hand. " This is Alhaitham, he's the Grand Sage."

" Acting Grand Sage." He corrected with a sigh.

" Careful, Alhaitham. You're talking to the sister of an archon." Paimon says from her seat. Alhaitham raised a brow, giving her an incredulous look. " She's also known as Rex Lapis' sister." Lumine wonders where this was going.

" Don't be ridiculous. I may not be a history major but I have heard nor seen any such records." Alhaitham says, nearly arrogantly if his tone was any indication.

" We'll see. Nahida!" Paimon called. " Have you met Jing Wūya?" Nahida gasped.

" I wasn't aware, I'm so sorry. I'm Nahida, the dendro archon of Sumeru. It's nice to meet you, Miss Wūya." The archon says quietly, lowering her head.

" Raise your head, little one. You are an archon. You mustn't bow." Wūya corrected her with a smile.

" Lord Kusanali, is this person the sister of Rex Lapis?" Alhaitham asked carefully.

" Yes. He declared so." Nahida tilts her head innocently as the man pales.

" Forgive my rudeness, Miss Wūya." He mutters. He hasn't shown much regard for anyone but archons were different. Gods were different. Unfortunately, he wouldn't know she wasn't a god, not when her sharp eyes seemed to give the air of an inhuman being staring him down.

" It's alright." She waved off with a good natured laugh. " I've never been one with such stuck up etiquettes. I only take what's necessary. Actually, I have to say your eyes remind me of a nomadic tribe I met that once lived between the mountainous borders of what you now call Sumeru and Liyue." She began, letting her tongue loose for a new tale. " It was there I met a woman who grabbed a goat by the horns and went where no horse could. The Queen of the Mountains, they called her."

She told them the tale of a woman who led a battle on the back of a goat. How she masterfully led her people to climb up sheer cliffs using those goats, carrying supplies and goods. The tribe's mastery in archery overall winning the battle for territory and how the goats where then revered as symbols of strength. She tells them of some of the charms and trinkets they carved based off their beloved goats. Surprisingly, they still raised goats for livestock. It made sense to the woman anyways, eat what looks strong to become strong. It was always prepared well in grandeur too.

And suddenly she dove into talking about cooking goat.

Chapter 40

Summary:

Whoops.

Notes:

Song used as inspiration:
Dirty Class - China

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The sound of the kalimba could be heard, the gentle plucking of its keys were clear. Kaeya had somehow found someone to complete it and even had it completely repainted to match Nahida's colours. She lets the sound echo around the sanctuary, smiling to herself. What a wonderful visit it was.

" Flos." He lets the flower bloom in his hands. Wūya simply watches him, smiling without comment. " Ventus." With a wave of his hand, a small breeze blew past them. " Lacuna." Water puddles rippled without any hesitance. " Fulmen." Lightning thundered in empty clouds. " Petra." A piece of the earth rose up. " Ignis." His hands lit up at the command despite his vision was being held by his brother. " Glacies." Frost bloomed wide at his feet, covering the area at an unexpected rate. Wūya grinned wider now.

" Yes. Good. Very good. You understand the basics." She smiled. " It seems you have a natural affair for both pyro and cryo. No doubt, tying your fate with your brother must be behind the reason." She says. " Now I know exactly what to do with you." Her devilish grin was the thing of Diluc's literal nightmares. " Let's begin your next lesson."

The following weeks was hell for Diluc. At night, he'd receive a new lesson in his dreams, doomed to repeat them until he wakes up the next dawn. During the day, he has to present her the results of his lessons and if he doesn't please her, he'll dread the moment he falls asleep again. Yet, as the days pass, he could see improvement in his abilities. He was starting to understand more and more what he could do and how it effects the ley lines. In the evening, she invites him for meditation, to let him recognise the energy circulating around him but it doesn't do him much good.

" You're an emotional child." She finally says when she figures he really can't handle something like meditation by himself. He flushed at the statement, wanting to refute but chooses not to.

Her training gets easier, day by day. He even asked Nahida for some pointers about Irminsul and what he was allowed to understand from it. The human mind cannot fathom exactly the wisdom of the gods, and such a thing isn't withholding knowledge, it is simply the nature of things. There's a limit to what man can comprehend as his master had warned him, his understanding of the ley lines cannot be driven in too deep. It is merely another set of skills he is to master. A knowledge he learns to use as a tool. To manage his body.

" Having a bound fate does take the edge off things." His master tells him as he was demonstrating his understanding of pyro. " But the elemental energy won't stop replenishing. You're lucky your partner is a Fae Sovereign, he would feed off your energy. Remember, ley lines are memory. We do not form new skills as one would with a vision. We 'borrow' the memory of one." She pauses, thinking for a moment. " Tomorrow morning, meet me at Stone Gate. I have something to teach you and it is not something you could feel from a dream. Do you understand?"

" Yes, ma'am." He replied easily and she stands up to leave. " You'll be leaving this place afterwards, won't you?"

" Yes. There are many things I've missed from Liyue and I have a brother of my own to return to." She chuckled. " I will be escorting the Outlander on her way back to Sumeru while I'm at it."

" May I bring my brother along?" He asked and she smiled.

" I don't see why not. I'll call mine as well." She waves him goodbye and as always, he sees the shadow of a little sparrow following after her. Pervases has been slowly regaining energy to create his own physical form. A small one but it should be enough. He heard from Lumine that Wūya would purchase whatever foods strike his fancy, sat down near bards and poets so he could listen. Without his own body, she was his eyes and ears, his tongue to taste and eat. He would imagine how happy the dear sparrow was to be able to eat again and one day he'll be able to do it on his own.

By morning they make it over to the Stone Gate where Venti had come along, said something about expecting something good and just decided to tag along. They find both the dragon and crow in the middle of a sort of playful banter. Zhongli, though wearing an annoyed expression had a clear sense of fondness about him. Wūya was laughing, drinking from her gourd that earned her quite the glare from the dragon but she showed not even a hint of fear before him. " There he is. Good. Very good." Wūya beckons them nearer. " My student." She presented Diluc to Zhongli proudly, they could see the corners of his lips twitching into a smile. " That broody child of yours is watching somewhere." She looks around and the dragon sighs.

" That child is not..." He trails off.

" Oh please, he's just like you at that age. Broody, rough, always looking tough." She giggled at her own little rhyme. " That's yours. I'm already convinced."

" Think whatever you like then." Zhongli sighed, already given up.

" Now then," She corks the bottle and latches it back to her hip. " Do you recall that I've told you how the mountains sing, Rex?" She asked him.

" I do but in terms of it either being metaphorically or literally is only known to you." He passes her a knowing smile.

" Yes. Well." She makes a step away from the group, signalling for them to keep back. " I meant quite literally."

She takes a fan she had bought before, twirling it masterfully in hand. Extending the fan, she takes a single step to the ground, taking position. The air shifts with her.

" Everything has a memory. Water has a long lasting memory, forming and reshaping. The trees age, they remember what they grew from and knows what they grow into. The ice, like water, remembers well, but it also preserves, the moment is still with it suspended from the flow of time. Electricity flows through all things, believe it or not, through every solid creature or thing that thinks, it has been there, it remembers. A flame may recall the things it has burned, no matter how fleeting the moment is, and knows what it consumes. The air, the wind, it hears everything and remains as so, but its direction can change at any moment." As she spoke, she moved slow and careful steps, each one resembling the elements she described. " Geo has been a favourite of mine. It remembers all things. What falls, what sleeps, what walks. Even as it crumbles to dust, it would reform again without a doubt. That is it's nature. That is the nature of all things. Do you hear it?"

Sure enough, as winds blew past them, it carries a voice unlike any they've heard before. The voice seemed to come from all around them, from the high mountains carried down by the winds. They could hear the beating of drums and soon a chorus of voices joins in, singing together the next line. Jing Wūya dances along with it, additional steps could be heard as though there were others dancing along. She moved about in perfect tandem to beat, the wind carrying the sounds of the melody, the ground replicating the steps the people have danced, even trees seem to sway along as though recognising its melody. This was the memory of the land, extracted from elements that flow in the endless stream of the ley lines roots.

They could hear the way fire had burnes through wood in a pit right below an enormous pot. They could almost taste the difference in the atmosphere that reflects the ancient memory. Jing Wūya's movements are clear, flowing alongside it like a recorded image. She continued with a smile as the beat picks up, as her shadow followed her every step. Zhongli's gaze narrowed into slits as he notices something amiss, perhaps it was her trembling fingers or strained smile but he caught on quickly. The binds keeping her hair down shatter, disintegrating what might say and all of the sights and sounds ceased.

" Did you hear it, brother?" Zhongli strides forward as the fan breaks apart, as though it could no longer keep itself together. " The mountains sang." She's swaying and he catches her. " Ah, I really am older now. It seems the amber didn't do anything to stop that progressing regardless of my body's youth."

" Master, what was that?" Diluc asked as they gathered not too closely.

" You saw it all, yes?" He nods and she smiles at him softly. " That's enough then. Without a staff, the output is difficult to control but not impossible. For me, I'm just out of touch. The other elements aren't exactly as fond of me as geo or dendro." She says.

" You need to rest, sister." Zhongli reminds her, trying to get her to talk less.

" But did you like it?" She asked persistently. " I've always wanted to show you before but now my staff broke, and I can only do this much after all that rest." She sighed, already leaning back further with fatigue. " Right, right. Staff." She takes the box from her personal subspace where one would usually store a weapon or personal belonging and hands it over to Diluc.

From the sight alone, he could almost feel what was inside. He unlocks the box, a black staff with a red gem gleamed back at him, almost as though it recognised who he was. " This is..."

" It has yet to be named." Zhongli rumbles. " Made with Azhdaha's eye. Please, take it." He pushes the staff towards him for emphasis. Diluc takes the staff, feeling its weight against his palm felt right. He knew it was meant for him, that it was his and so did the staff.

" Will you name it?" Venti asked him now, his voice now softer than a breeze. He utters a name and in response the staff glowed, accepting it.

" That is a suitable name. Good. Very good." Wūya muttered, her eyes half lidded but she smiled all the same. " Named things have the tendency to last longer and grow a will of its own. Knowing you, my dear student. You will wield it well." Her eyes drift shut and soon she enters a peaceful slumber.

" Thank you for your time, I will be taking her back now." Zhongli nodded to the traveller as she quickly followed him through the gates. Lumine and Paimon offer them a wave as they left, to which they returned slowly.

" I'm sorry." Kaeya muttered out of nowhere.

" Why?" His brother asked even quieter.

" That you named such an incredible staff with a name as Dragon's Blessings." Kaeya deadpanned. " Could you get any more dour, I wonder."

" Should I test it out, dear brother." His eye already twitching, hands fidgeting over the staff's handle.

" Easy Diluc, I'm teasing. Also, if I get hurt, you will too." He reminds his brother playfully.

" I'm hiding your jewelry."

" No!"

Notes:

This will continue. Hiatus first. Gnight.

Chapter 41

Chapter Text

The sparrow hovered over Xiao's shoulder, glancing quickly at the adeptus as though it were asking permission. The adeptus meets its gaze and simply hums, looking down. Taking it as a sign of approval, Pervases perched himself on his shoulder.

" So, Pervases can turn into a little bird now. Does this mean he'll get his body back someday?" Paimon asked, hovering over the table with a cup of tea in hand.

" Essentially, yes." Zhongli answered. " The longer he stays with Wūya, the more energy he's able to gain from her and eventually it will be enough to have him create a humanoid form so he wishes to." Pervases chirps as the almond tofu arrives, hopping off his friend's shoulder and landing near the plate.

" That's the third plate." Paimon hummed.

" He's eating for Wūya too." Lumine reminds her.

" Sharing fates." Xiao muttered. " It's the most reckless and unorthodox of all loyalty contracts." He scoffs.

" Which is why it requires the permission of the Fae. Interrupting or the twisting the destinies and fates of one is considered a great blasphemy. Sharing a fate is considered a greater promise than one can imagine, it doesn't quite break any laws set upon this world, rather threading around its edges." The dragon explained. " Wūya has lost much of her personal energy since the exorcism, it would take much longer to replenish her to her optimum requirement."

" Considering her abilities in the art of Mnemoria, just how much energy does she usually have?" Paimon asked. " Just out of curiosity."

" Mnemoria isn't typically used for combat, it is in fact more commonly used for mobility and more towards practical uses." He informed them and they couldn't help but think back over some of their missions with Wūya. From the geo and dendro barriers, lighting up a line of vines connected to a pyro barrel and setting it alight, making hydro bubbles to catch prey. " Jing Wūya is much more...creative in her practice of the art. I was not present for most of her greater battle but she has the speed that rivals hurricanes that can tear a human limb from limb. At our prime, I dare say she was even faster than myself."

" Faster than Rex Lapis?" Xiao muttered, raising his head from where he watched Pervases eat the plate of tofu.

" Are you talking about me, Rex?" Wūya appeared leaning against the door frame, her easy smile cast over them with the barest hints of fatigue. " Thank for eating on my behalf, Pervases." He chirps from the table, taking one last peck before flying up and diving back into her shadow.

" Are you feeling better?" Lumine asked her.

" Well enough." She stretched and uncorked her gourd before taking a good sip. It's still baffling how someone with such a gentle voice and tone could behave so, unexpectedly unruly. " Mnemoria is about understanding memory and utilising it. Like those handy little mechanical sundials. You could set it back any time and it'll run just the same."

" It's called a clock." Xiao corrected her.

" Right, yes. Clocks." She hummed, taking a seat alongside Zhongli who hands her the rest of the plate. " The world has certainly progressed much more than I thought. Before this, the only true dangers were the vishaps or other greater monsters that roamed the land. Sometimes leviathans from the Dead Sea."

" The Dead Sea?" Paimon tilts her head.

" It's the old name for the Dark Sea." Xiao explained. It was difficult to believe at first, the idea of Rex Lapis having a sworn sibling had been ridiculous. To claim that she comes from a time long before even the Archon War was unheard of. Yet, she knew many terms that have become forgotten, remembered which parts of Liyue had been submerged before and recognised traditions lost to time.

" Dark Sea. Not much difference then." She muttered, stewed in thought.

" What will your plans be after escorting the Traveller to Sumeru?" Xiao asked her.

" I don't exactly know much of anywhere else but Liyue, honestly." She admits, taking a bite of the almond tofu. " I've already registered my name in the Adventurer's Guild so I'll be working through commissions. Provide for myself because Rex can't." Zhongli gives her a look, raising one brow while she returned it with her own expression of challenge.

" So you'll pay for your own wine then." He says offhandedly.

" I get them for free now from the Crux." The dragon rolled his eyes, a usually rare sight. They don't think they've ever seen him so expressive before, not even Xiao. The impartial Rex Lapis wasn't known for sparing any ounce of expression throughout his years. He seldom smiled and was ultimately known for his impartial behaviour.

Then he retired, took on the form of a human and walked among them incognito. He seemed content, in his own way. Going through the motions of the life of a mortal and smiling more often than he ever did. He showed concern, sadness, anticipation, though all of it was more subtle, veiled. Something about how he seemed so comfortable being treated like any other person, like any ordinary citizen of Liyue.

When Jing Wūya came about, she doesn't seem to notice the change at all. She notes how calm and collected he is, how his voice had become milder, how much more mellowed he was. This confused the adepti, for it was not how they knew Rex Lapis. She takes his current leniency to expression with more normality. Familiar with the little twitches, the eye rolls and occasionally gruffness.

" You remind me of him." Xiao zones back in just as Wūya speaks to him.

" Excuse me?"

" You remind me of Zhongli back when he was much younger." She tells him. " He really took you in, didn't he?" She chuckled as Xiao's face flushed at the implication. " That's good. Very good. It's nice to know that he wasn't alone." There's a bit of uncertainty in her eyes, of what he couldn't name. Zhongli was discussing something with the traveller, he could barely catch the bits regarding the dendro archon and Kaeya. " He feels far away sometimes." She half whispered to him. " There are moments where his mind takes him away to another time. I can't reach him, like he was just another grain of sand carried away by the waves..." She trailed off silently, her voice becoming even quieter than he's ever heard.

" Rex Lapis is the strongest out of all of us. You don't need to worry." Perhaps he'd spoken a little too abruptly, too loudly as the others too turned to them. Zhongli looks between them, surprised but also curious.

" There is always reason for concern." Wūya sighs before standing up. " Dear Outlander, I've come across a commission to investigate a nearby domain said to have been overrun with treasure hoarders. Care to join me?"

" Miss Wūya, are you okay?" They'd just dropped off Zhongli at the funeral parlor and were heading towards the Chasm to get to Sumeru. The crow smiles to her but it is strained, she glances about before leading Lumine away from any prying eyes or ears.

" I have something to ask you, dear Outlander. Please, be honest with me." Her gentle voice is stiff, at the proximity they were at, she could see the way her pupils trembled. " I know so much time has passed and I can't predict what happens in that span of time but the ley lines." She looks to Lumine carefully. " I've known how they work, what they feel like and I know you are the only one who would know this." She takes a breath, steadying herself for the answers to come. " Traveller, are there gaps in Irminsul's records?"

" Yes." Jing Wūya, the mortal who'd known no fear and boldly claimed Rex Lapis as her sworn brother, sank to her knees.

" Miss Wūya!" Paimon floated closer as Lumine sat with her in concern.

" I had hoped it was just a feeling. Nothing more." She gives a shaky, nervous laugh. " I don't - How? Such a thing shouldn't be, the records of world couldn't have been tampered with, could it?" Lumine says nothing and the usually calm Mnemoria practitioner runs her hands through her face. " I've never feared anything like this." She sighed heavily, trying to get rid of the way her hands shook. Lumine took the crow's hands in her own, offering her something to keep her grounded.

The Traveller tells her about Rukhadevata, the corruption of the Irminsul centuries ago and its connections to Eleazer. She seemed to be much calmer as Lumine explained what she knew, she considered telling her about the Wanderer as well.

" The ley lines are a precious record of our world. Of our very being and existence." Jing Wūya tells her. " I didn't know fear because I believed that at the very least the ley lines would always remember me, but this seems to have shaken me." She admits. " I don't want to forget anything or anyone and I don't want to be forgotten."

" It's okay, I understand." Lumine attempts to comfort her. " No more tampering will happen anymore with the ley lines. Irminsul is safe." She reassures her but she didn't seem completely convinced.

" Outlander, Traveller." She began. " You are not bound by the laws of this world. You'll remember me, won't you? And Rex, the adepti, everyone."

" Of course." The crow sagged, an invisible weight seemed to shed off her shoulders.

" Thank you." She sighed, leaning back until she was flat on the ground. Lumine takes the spot next to her, lying down against the talk grass. Paimon looked between them curiously before deciding to join in. They sat there for a while in silence, which was surprisingly long fir Paimon, neither saying a word but sought comfort in each other's presence.

The breeze gently blew over them, leaves swayed in the wind. Lumine drifted her eyes shut and allowed her mind to wander.

When was the last time had they enjoyed moments like this? Lying still against the ground, the sea of clouds moving above them in gentle waves and the cool shade the nearby trees provided. They are still, yet the world continues to move. She doesn't know how many incidents she's dealt with by now, always somehow just right on time for yet another crisis. Just how many plans have been set in motion since her arrival? How many times has she stumbled upon life changing event after one another?

Sometimes she noticed that things may be moving too fast for her. She's awake at an age where great change has swept over the continent. Where people and archons have begun questioning their place in the world, who they are and what they wanted, all seeking the truth behind the world.

She glances to Jing Wūya, who has her eyes set on the sky. They were similar in a way. While she remembers little of what Kha'enriah was like and saw its fall, she also knows nothing more beyond it. Jing Wūya had awoken to land she knew was her home, Liyue but in the time that she was from, the land was still quite nameless. The borders she knew of were from memories of which god claimed which territory, it was how the people then knew of it.

They weren't so different.

She would remember Jing Wūya. Even as centuries were to pass, even as the world erodes itself, she would remember them all. This she promised for herself and her friends. For Paimon especially.

Perhaps this was what Zhongli meant when he asked her to be the witness to these events. Because now even the great records of this world have been tampered with. The revelation of such, was able to shock a Mnemoria practitioner who's entire art relies on the memory of Irminsul itself.

" I think you are a gift, Outlander." The crow says suddenly. She meets her gaze, silver eyes meeting with bright glittering gold. " I know not how you came to be here but I do believe as much. Thank you for being here, our dear Traveller."

Chapter 42

Chapter Text

Diluc looked over the expanse of his vineyard, half of it at least. The other half had been blown up. In front of him were Bennett and Klee, two pyro allogenes with a knack for burning things on accident. " You don't have to explain what happened." He says before Bennett could get a word out.

" We're really sorry Mr Weird- I mean Master Diluc." Klee corrected herself quickly.

" It's alright. More importantly, are either of you hurt?" He asked them, looking them over for any injuries.

" No, sir! We weren't close when the bombs went off." Bennett reassures him.

" We'll need to check for splinters and debris." He says, ushering them inside immediately. " Adelinde, we need two cups of special hot chocolate."

" Oh? For whom?" The head maid appeared around the corner, Klee could see Pavel hiding behind her dress. She was excited to see the faerie again, especially since her new form was the same size as her.

Diluc left them to it, deciding to assess the damages of his crops. Less than half were gone this time which was an improvement from the last time the elf child had caused damages to his winery. Workers were already clearing up the area, taking away debris and all the burnt vines that couldn't be saved.

Rolling up his sleeves, he immediately joins his workers on the cleanup. There wasn't too much of a mess this time, the explosions seemed to have missed the wagons and any major structures nearby. Even the barrels were decently intact. If they time it right, sowing new seeds would allow them to fruit by next year, just in time for the next Windblume. By sunset, most of the area had been cleared and the land was ready for a new batch of grapevines.

He kneels near the fields, newly installed wooden beams for the vineyards to eventually grow were sticking out of the bare looking ground. He places his palm over the dirt, feeling the way the ley lines coursed deep within the soil just as Jing Wūya had showed him. He doesn't miss the way her smile seemed to stiffen as he awed over the sensation, her eyes scanning over the land looking for anything amiss before brushing it off. He should ask her whatever that was about the next time he sees her.

He recalls the grapevines, the luscious green leaves, rich with big grapes ready to be picked at a moment's notice. The way each vine and tendril coiled up the wooden stalks, eager to reach for the sun. All the workers have left for home anyways, it wouldn't hurt to practice. " Vinea Fructus." Sprouts shot out of the ground, twisting up the wooden stalk in fluid motion. He watches in wonder as the vines climbed, leaves unfurling and grapes already starting to fruit.

That's one down, he thought. He hesitated to step forward and immediately snuck back into the house. He grabbed his staff from his office, grateful that Adelinde was now successfully keeping the kids occupied in the kitchen with cookies and tips on baking.

He makes his way to the very center of the damages, taking a quick glance around to make sure no one was watching. He takes the staff in both hands, holding it as firmly as possible.

" When performing Mnemoria at a large scale, controlling the flow of elemental energy will be difficult. Even with a catalyst to assist you, the draw of the elemental energy will be too much and if you're not careful, you'll die."

He tries to focus on a small area, just to test things out. His staff nearly touches the ground.

" Another thing you must remember, Diluc." Her words echo, silver eyes looking at him carefully. " The elements themselves have their own 'conscience'. They too are forces born into this world just as you are, how much these elements favour you will effect the output of the energy you use. When teaching Mnemoria to a Sleigh Beggy, it's better to start with elements that favour you least." Hence, why his first lesson had been of dendro.

He takes a deep breath, raising the staff again. He concentrates on the ley line flow pulsing beneath his feet, he pictures the memories of many years spent on these very fields.

" You must be careful." The warnings of his master echoed in his ears, the expression of pride and concern so evidently clear.

Just a little bit, he just needed enough to bring the grapevines back. With the intention in mind, he brings the staff downward. Elemental energy rushed from him and spread through the ground in great waves. His eyes widen at the flood of elemental energy coursing through him, nearly suffocating. Gritting his teeth, he wills himself to keep control, to build a dam over the raging river.

He barely notices the vines crawling up his shoes, or how the surrounding grass grew too tall. He feels lightheaded and with as much strength he could muster, removed his staff off the ground and crumbled to his knees. " Breathe, Ragnvindr." A voice rumbled in his ear.

His breath comes in wheezes, throat closed tight like he'd been drowning. He coughs out blood, clotted and black from the back of his throat. His body falls to the ground as the pain slowly subsides, he lays on his side, hand still gripping his staff close to his chest.

He was surrounded by overgrown grass and weeds, his grapevine must look like a thicket instead of a field. A gust of ice cold air erupted from the ground beneath him, from his own shadow specifically. " Luc?" Kaeya stood over him with a sad coo. An Inteyvat bloomed nearby, meaning he was bleeding. He sits up abruptly to assess it but immediately fell back, his brother catching him just in time.

" 'M fine." He tried to say, the words coming out more slurred than expected. Kaeya carried him inside hastily, calling out for Adelinde in loud, alarmed calls. " Put me down, I'm fine." He says a little clearer.

" Master Diluc?" Shit, he forgot the kids were still around.

" Bring him upstairs." Adelinde says sternly. " Kids, come help me get some things."

" Is he going to be okay?" He hears Klee ask faintly as he's taken further away from them. He couldn't even muster the energy to protest or argue as his eyes grew heavier.

It's no wonder Jing Wūya had told him to start with the element he was least inclined to. He felt so drained, it was like being a battery as Zhongli had described but how much of an understatement that was. He uses elemental energy from himself, that much is true but when performing Mnemoria, he could feel his body drawing in elemental energy from the ley lines in the surrounding air as the rest is directed to the flora around him.

Had it been pyro, cryo or anemo, the results would've been catastrophic.

" Diluc, you with me?" His brother asked. When had he reached his bed?

" Tired." He managed to say, battle to keep his eyes awake.

" Let him sleep, Sir Kaeya." He hears Venti nearby, speaking calmly. " He has overexerted himself and needs to rest." The archon said. " Rest, dear child of night." The next thing he knew, his eyes closed and he fell into deep slumber.

Venti played a seelie's song on his lyre, but it doesn't do much to soothe Kaeya's nerves. From the moment he started coughing blood in response to whatever was happening with Diluc, to finding his brother wheezing on the ground. He preened his wings, trying to relax but couldn't. Not even Venti's magical touch helped.

They gave him ley branches but he wasn't in any mood to eat them. Dainsleif couldn't even get him to leave the room. The peacock would sit by Diluc's side, picking at his tail or wings, or practicing a tune to distract himself.

" It's going to be okay, Kaeya." Nahida reassures him.

' It still worries me.' He whined internally, little buzzes making its way out of his throat. ' He should've at least asked Jing Wūya how large scale practices should be handled.'

" I'm sure she'll give him her own word." Nahida hummed.

' My brother is silly.'

" So silly." The young goddess agreed with a little giggle.

" You're talking to your friend again?" The Wanderer asked, spotting how Lord Kusanali giggled out of nowhere while reading the completed draft of an old folktale. It was after her visit to the Traveller's teapot with Alhaitham did she disclose that she's had a friend to speak with linked through the ley lines.

" Yes." She smiles cheerfully. " He's teaching me a new song."

He hates how childish it sounded. It almost felt mocking but he knew better than to resent her for such. It isn't her fault her body was so small, or how her years in imprisonment had made her social skills rather awkward at times. Nor would he dare to question her curious behaviour. Although her days spent roaming around using Katheryne and the akasha to get around was informative, it didn't compare being present in the open world with her own two feet.

As the dendro archon, familiar with all life concerning the element, she could feel everything. The way her eyes lit up when she finally got her chance to walk in the Akademiya's gardens. How spent hours just humming and roaming the area. She looked so alive, so free. By sunset, the Traveller had made a little game of who can reach for the last bit of sunlight before night falls. The way the two laughed as they climbed up trees, higher and higher just to feel that warmth for a little longer, to catch that bit of light before it fades.

It was pathetic if not poetic.

They stayed out all night, sleeping over at the pavilion surrounded by pillows, blankets and carpets as bedding. He had been the one to tuck them in after while the General Mahamatra secured the area to ensure the safety of their slumber. Surprisingly, Paimon took the longest to fall asleep. She'd hover over them, humming the softest little melody and adjusted their pillows and blankets until she deemed that they looked comfortable enough.

The sound of a little bird flying into the room brought him back to the present. He kept his eyes on the brown bird, watched as it perched nearby. He narrowed his gaze, sensing a bit of elemental energy coming off it.

" Greetings upon you, Lord Kusanali." The bird spoke in a feminine voice. The Wanderer threw up a protective arm between them, baring his teeth at the bird.

" Greetings, Miss Wūya. Pervases." Nahida returned the greeting calmly, bringing Wanderer's arm down passively. " Is this another feature of your contract?"

" You could say so." The bird hummed. " We share senses, as do with voices. I can speak through Pervases through our bind." Nahida imagined if Diluc's voice could come out of Kaeya's mouth. " I hope you are not bothered by my visit."

" Not at all." Nahida waved off before looking to the Wanderer. " Wanderer, this is Pervases, an adeptus from Liyue and speaking through him is Jing Wūya, a practitioner of an old art called Mnemoria."

" ...Nice to meet you." He says quietly but doesn't let his guard down.

" Likewise." Jing Wūya hummed. " I wanted to ask you, dear Lord. As the Guardian of Irminsul, you would notice any changes to it, yes?" Nahida nods. " Can you tell me how much of it has been tampered with?"

" I thought you would notice." Nahida says, voice laced with interest.

" How can I not? Thousands of years since I went into slumber and I still remember clearly how the ley lines felt before. How they should feel." The bird says. " Is it a great change? I'm still reeling from the fact that it could be tampered with in the first place. It unsettled me."

" I'm sorry such a thing has caused you great distraught, Miss Wūya. I understand." She smiles. " The gaps in history are certainly unnatural and for the records to be tampered with would cause anyone distress. We wouldn't have noticed before if no one had checked, none of us would have known."

" But the Traveller does." The Wanderer states.

" Yes. She does." Nahida smiles.

Chapter 43

Chapter Text

" Overexerted yourself, hm?" Diluc stared up in shock at the great dragon before him. He wasn't afraid, strangely enough but simply curious.

" How are you here?" He asked the great dragon.

" You have my eye, do you not? Part of me is with you." Azhdaha rumbled. " I am glad to be of use to you." He says as the young man finally found the strength to sit up. " I see you have found a teacher. Did she not warn you of the dangers of your art?"

" She did." Diluc muttered. " She told me to use the element that favoured me least."

" She is quite good. Had you used any other element, you would have ruptured your own organs." The dragon rumbled. " Your contract with the peafowl had also aided in your protection. His personal healing ability has extended to you as well, therefore the damage is much lighter than it would've been. Otherwise, myself would not allow you to come to harm."

" That was you." He recalls the voice telling him to breathe.

" Indeed." His voice rumbled. " You must be more careful from now on, Ragnvindr."

" I will." He says.

" Oho? Will you now?" He blinked and the dragon was gone. " It seems you're keen on advancing your lessons already, my precious student." Her voice was gentle the smile on her face was one of restrained anger as she strides over to him. The scene around him changes drastically, he could see the land around him was tilled, a flat valley that stretched as far as the eye can see. " All things hold memory. This is soil that has once bore waves of paddy stalks, the grains were plentiful and glimmered like gold." She waves her hand over the supoosed farmland and pointed over to dried curvieses carved into the dried, cracked earth. " Water from the rivers were cold and fresh but currently...this place is as barren as a desert." Her eyes are sharp, a stern glint in her smile. " Be it days, weeks or months. You will bring this place back to its prime." He gapes dumbfoundedly at the command, finding no space to argue.

" But...I can't. The winery." He stammered.

" Will be fine. Mr Elzer was kind enough to fill me in on your sojourn." She says.

" The tavern."

" Will be managed by both Charles and Dainsleif."

" But I'll be...Sorry, but what will happen to my body?" He asked, keeping his voice calm. Jing Wūya's gave softens marginally.

" It will be cared for during your induced coma. While you haven't sustained any major injuries, I suspect your body still would've taken quite a toll." She pulls out his staff Dragon's Blessings from behind and tosses it his way. " Good luck."

" Wait, you're leaving me?" Diluc looked up.

" I have something to take care of. The dream ends once you've fulfilled the conditions." She says, her tone shifting slightly. " I'll take into consideration that you've done a little practice with dendro. The first is the water must flow, the second is to soften the earth, the third is to have the paddy grow, the fourth is to ensure the land is pulsing with life, the fifth and sixth is to have a cool breeze and the seventh is that the sun must shine."

In another land of dreams, a peacock and a goddess were spending time together in another incredible view of Sumeru, Gandhara Village this time. " The forest is so vast. I almost feel at home." Kaeya hummed.

" How so?" The goddess asked curiously.

" It is familiar to me. Faintly at least. I must sound strange." He chuckled.

" Not at all." Nahida smiled. " I do have a theory on that matter."

" Oh?"

" Is it perhaps due to the other half of your blood being native to Sumeru?" If Kaeya had a drink, he'd be choking by now. " You seem surprised." Nahida states curiously, tilting her head.

" I should've known you'd check." Kaeya sighed.

" How is Master Diluc?" She asked, thankfully changing the subject.

" He still hasn't woken up." Kaeya says. " It's been a whole day and I understand he's still recovering but it makes me worried."

" Perhaps he is trapped in a dream." Nahida suggested. " I cannot reach out to dreams without my gnosis but since knowing you, I've slowly begun to understand more on how I can still connect to them." Kaeya smiles at that. " Jing Wūya is very adept in her understanding of dreams and its connections to Mnemoria. She uses her art to create her own dreamworld separate from herself and place others within them." Nahida marvelled. " Because of that, she's able to lock out others from her dreams as well. Much like the traveller's teapot needing invites and permission for entry."

" She's a lot formidable than I gave her credit for." Kaeya muttered. " Locking you out from her dreams..."

" Your Dream is also kept from me." Nahia states. " I am concerned over what knowledge Jing Wūya holds personally. She has noticed the changes in the ley lines. Though she wasn't present for the majority of the history that has come to pass, she may hold answers from her time to questions we've dwelled today."

" You don't think they would go after her, would you?" Kaeya asked in concern.

" For now, no one would know exactly what knowledge she holds. Forbidden knowledge is considered a pollutant for life itself, she doesn't seem to show any signs of corruption so far." Nahida hopes she would continue to remain as untouched. " Perhaps she has her own way of keeping knowledge intact yet separated."

" Maybe it's similar to my Dream." The peafowl suggested.

" You are very quick, young Sovereign." He turns sharply to where the new voice came from. Sitting across from them in a lotus position was indeed Jing Wūya herself. " This one is grateful to receive your invitation, dear Goddess of Wisdom." She bows her head to Nahida.

" There is no need for formalities here, speak as you usually do." Nahida insisted.

" As mentioned before, the dreams I possess are indeed of similar fashion to the Sovereign's dreams. It is a separate realm on its own, a mirror of my memories like a world within a reflection." The woman explained, hands still in position for meditation. " I am unsure if the things I know would be considered a danger or if it will bring harm to others and myself. But, I will not allow such things to chance. Therefore, I will create another Dream to store any knowledge I suspect would be considered forbidden."

" Are you certain?" Nahida asked. " The conditions acquired to create a Dream would be..."

" I am familiar with them." She says, her grin fading more and more the longer she speaks. " I have told you that I have heard of them, do you remember?" Kaeya nods as she looks to him. " The existence of Mnemoria is very deeply interwoven with the basic belief that the elements are beings as well, that they too have memory and a 'conscience' of their own. Our studies cover many theories concerning the ley lines and Irminsul as well as the very nature of the elements. I...am afraid of losing it all to forces I am not familiar with."

" I see." Kaeya says. " Though, if you could so much as humour me for a bit. What are the proper conditions for a Dream? Nahida and I have made our theories but we could use the information."

" Technically as a Sovereign, you do have a right to know of the past." She says thoughtfully. " But I must still be careful." She thinks deeply on how she should relay the tale, how it should be abstracted from the original source.

There were once seven friends to that owned a great garden. The seven were very close and tended the land according to their territories, the land of roses, lillies, asters, reeds, lotuses, orchids and snowdrops. One day came a traveller from far away and he happened upon their garden. The friends didn't like him and asked him to leave but the traveller refused, taking great interest in their garden.

One day, the seven friends had to leave, losing their garden to the traveller that knew how to tend to it better than they could. The following days passed and many wonderful creatures came to visit the flourishing garden, among them was a beautiful peacock.

The bird's body was white but its tail and feathers carried seven colours reminiscent of the seven friends. Feeling guilty over making the seven leave, the traveller invited the bird to stay as he planted his greatest work in the gardens. A great oak tree, who's roots would reach all corners of the garden.

The peafowl watched over the growth of the tree, a peculiar plant it'd grown to be. With a white trunk and leaves, colourful branches and curving body. It called out happily, the tree looked just like it and it like the tree. At night, the peafowl slept by its roots, whispering little melodies that would be heard throughout the garden. The tree itself seemed to sleep yet awake.

The bird wondered what it dreamed and it told it that what it sees. The bird wondered what it sees and it told what it dreamed. For all he sees is as constantly changing as the tides yet stays the same as it were before.

The peafowl too wanted to dream as wonderfully. So it asked the other birds to dream with it and together they built their own garden within the Dream. By morning they would forget but eagerly dreamed together every night. One day, some of the birds were getting very sick and there was no cure. They couldn't find the traveller who tended the garden.

So the peafowl, in all its beauty and wisdom, told the other birds that it will take away their pain, their agony so long as they truly wish it so. So with its voice, it sang its melody to call upon the sick birds and led them to fly high into the sky. The higher the were, the lighter they felt, their fatigue washed away and their pain starting to ebb. Along the way, they started to dream with their eyes wide open, with smiles upon their faces, singing and dancing in the sky in celebration.

The peafowl opened its eyes and saw flowers where the sick birds once were. It picked them up with its mouth and flew into the sky, high above the clouds where it returned to the stars with its friends safely by its side. The peafowl would go down every time it hears of those who suffer the same illnesses to gather more friends and bring them to the stars. Where they forever enjoyed the bliss of such wonderful Dreams.

" I suppose that's as far as this fairytale can go for now." Jing Wūya finished, neither of them spoke as they went through the tale once more internally. " I plan on saving the rest for my Dream. One should practice caution, after all. I had considered making the Outlander my inheritor of this knowledge but I don't wish to burden her with anything more. She has her own goals after all and I fear adding any more to her plate may lead to distress. Therefore, I will leave part of my knowledge and memories within the Dream."

" I think I'm starting to understand what I am." Kaeya says softly. " Still, I'm not sure how this fits into your Dream."

" It's rather similar to the Samsara on my account." Nahida added. " Only that it isn't one collective simulation."

" You don't need to worry too much about the process." Jing Wūya continued. " I will handle all the necessities as this is my Dream."

" Does Zhongli know what you're doing?" Kaeya asked. Wūya smiled ever so softly at that, shoulders sagging a little.

" Yes." Nahida understood, the ex archon would be included in the Dream. " Erosion is a rather scary thing after all, albeit the form it may take on him could manifest in different ways. I would loathe should he ever forget me." She chuckled to herself. " I would simply require a visit to your region if you would permit so. The dendro energy there is significantly stronger and would help in the formation of my Dream. That is if you would permit me so."

Chapter 44

Chapter Text

The dragon blew gently into his tea cup, steam seeping into the air. By his side is his sworn sibling, who has her eyes closed and seemed to be stewed in her thoughts. " I can feel you staring, Rex."

" Are you certain I shouldn't come along?" Zhongli offered.

" Oho, I never took you as one for being protective, brother." Wūya grinned.

" Believe what you will." Zhongli takes a sip of his tea. " The Chasm might be dangerous, I do not wish you to come to harm. Please proceed with utmost caution."

" Of course, brother. I won't be diving down where life does not exist." Sleigh Beggy are sensitive creatures, aside from sight and sound, they are the closest to inhuman a human can be without any outside tampering. Jing Wūya is one who has grown used to encountering many different beings. Because of such, she can discern what is living and what is not. Though, such a skill is not limited to her line. Many martial artists come to recognise the breaths of a soul and are able to discern what was human and what isn't. " I must finish this commission before I go visit Sumeru with the young peafowl."

" Albeit a commission from the Northland Bank?" Wūya simply smiled at her brother's attempt on testing her.

" They are human, brother. After all, how could I reject a child who'd come to me so earnestly?" She recalls Ekatrina's pleas when the young assistant had approached her directly on the matter of finding those who were trapped in the Chasm. " It reminded me of some of the things I pondered once. For when I die, at the very least I'd like my body to be whole so you can bury me with ease." She gives him a melancholic smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. Those were always the one thing she asked of her opponents who threatened to kill her.

" I see." The dragon sighed internally.

" I suppose I should be heading out now." She announced as she rose from her seat. " I might take a while so don't wait out for me."

" See you soon." Wūya paused momentarily, looking back at him curiously before bursting into laughter.

" Alright, see you soon." She never thought her brother would grow to hate goodbyes.

Due to their nature, dragons have the tendency to hoard things they consider their treasure. The more they lose their treasure, the more protective they are of the remainder. It is more of a territorial tick in a way. He especially hates when his family leaves him, his treasures. From the adepti to Guizhong and even humans like Jing Wūya. His companions, his memories, all are dear treasures to him.

Which is why it'd been all the more painful to see them go. He hated goodbyes since the war but always honored their farewells as best he can. Just as he honored his own farewell to the people of Liyue when he stepped down from being their archon.

Honoring one's farewell was something that Jing Wūya's sect had put as a principle in their teachings. One that she herself follows earnestly and the reason why she had accepted such a commission from the Fatui regardless of its pay. Her search for the lost troops will evidently either end in two clear cases. Dead or alive.

He keeps his eyes on her as she purchased supplies of food and water, tarps in case she were to drag out a body and how she spoke with one of the herbalists working at Bubu Pharmacy to expect customers should she return, reminding them to bill the Northland Bank.

The crow herself was no fool, keeping an amused grin on her face with an all knowing look in her silver eyes as she now made her way to the mouth of the Chasm. She knew well that he was watching her every step, could hear the faint teasing whispers of his anxiety by the wind. It was nearly endearing if she had the say but she couldn't ruin this for him. She'll allow it for now but would be annoyed if it went any further.

She was a capable warrior after all.

" Halt, state your business." A milelith soldier asked as she neared the crane that would take her down.

" I'm here for a commission." She explained, showing her adventurer ID. " I will down there for quite some time but kindly do not be alarmed should I return with a dead body or injured person." With that, she descends the elevator and leaving the soldiers before they could speak.

Having remembered much of the warnings the kind serpent eyed doctor had given her, she threaded lightly around the tunnels and inner workings of the Chasm. That and the fact that the bill he sent was simply outrageous. It weren't for dear little Qiqi, whom she had rescued from their young Director, the amount of debt she'd be in would be painstaking.

She understands wholly why Hu Tao wanted to bury the child. Life and death are a natural occurrence, a rule of the world. It took her quite a while to convince the girl that while Qiqi was indeed resurrected as a zombie, she was no longer her past self. Things that are dead cannot return. As much is true for Jiangshi as well. While their bodies are reanimated, their minds are completely wiped. For the brain had already been dead, so whatever records she held, whatever memories of who she was before was long gone. Qiqi was a zombie, once human, a new being. Her life before has extinguished and she now roams the land as a zombie, the same body but a different life.

Her soul wasn't there anymore either. The current personality that she has is mostly muscle memory. She relies much on it as well to remember things. Writing certainly helps as she recognises the lettering and would eventually remember. Hu Tao would accept this reasoning, no longer chasing after her but the poor zombie does keep an eye out still.

The crow avoids all manners of enemies, from treasure hoarders to vishaps. Even those odd little abyss mages which she decided to leave to the peafowl to decide. She finds the bulbous dark mud, the condensed energy from it was sickening, so she avoids it altogether. The luminescent stone they'd given her helped soothe some of the headaches that came with it.

The tumerous growth left a foul taste in the air, making her increasingly aggravated and sick at the same time.

How unpleasant, she thought. The ley lines were connected to it, bunched up and put together in a horrible bundle. Perhaps that's what the sickening feeling was, the condensed elemental energy that attracts elemental beings and harm living things that cannot handle them. It was like a collection of records and memories mushed together forcefully, a tumor in the brain or some form of wicked dementia.

" And it would be nice if you do not tail me like this." She says aloud as she paused from her walk.

" You really are something." The young woman says, turning off her elemental skill to reveal herself. " Jing Wūya, sister of Rex Lapis."

" That is me. You are?" Yelan takes a moment to process her cheerful tone.

" Yelan." She answered curtly. " I heard word that you took a job on behalf of the Northland Bank."

" I could not refuse their plea." She hummed as they continued to walk, getting further away from the dark muck. " I'm here to find bodies if you are so curious. Dead or alive, and bring them back so their families may bury them."

" Oh. That's...nice of you." She mutters, unsure if she should leave to report or do something about the situation. " Are you certain it isn't a trap? Surely someone of your stature would realise how much of a target you could be."

" A target?" Jing Wūya laughed. " No mere human would know such a thing or to know why I would be. They would have received some sort of divine reconning." She waved off. " I assure you, whoever you think is targeting me is no greater than the erosions I fear."

" Hmph." The Qixing were privy to certain details that pretained the newly discovered being that now walked among them. She has adopted a human guise quickly and even seemed much closer to one than Zhongli ever presented himself. Perhaps it's the youthfulness in the way she walked that still carried elegance and a certain playfulness she was somewhat familiar with.

" Besides," Jing Wūya added. " I have done nothing to warrant such attention. But, I wouldn't exactly know that, would I?" She shrugged. " I am only human after all."

" You're human?" Yelan couldn't contain the yell before covering her mouth.

" Yes. I am." The crow grinned.

" Forgive me for asking but how?" The young woman asked her.

" I met Rex many thousand years ago when he was younger." Jing Wūya chuckled. " I worked with him quite a bit before I was locked in some mystic amber that preserved me to this era." She explained. " Oh dear, just saying so makes me sound old."

" Just how far back are you even from?" Yelan asked.

" I'd say as far before the land rose above the sea. That's as much as I can give you, my friend." The crow answered. They past by another pool of dark mud, making both grimace at the awful sight but Jing Wūya visibly gags. " Dreadful." She muttered as they continued onward. " Should I even ask why you've followed me so far?"

" I was told to keep track of you. While your secret is mostly safe from the Fatui and other outsiders, we can never be too careful." Yelan explained. " You've adapted to this time pretty well."

" I was never one to visit larger settlements anyways. As a wandering cultivator, I had spent much of my time visiting old tribes that used to live in the mountains and borders of nations. Never have I stayed in one place for an extensive amount of time unless it was to do isolated meditation." Jing Wūya continued. " There was a time that I went to meditate in a cave for five years and when I left I found the village nearby had already been burnt to the ground." It had been Morax who'd woken her up, called her to assist him in another errand only she could do as Mnemoria practitioner.

" So sudden changes aren't that surprising for you." Yelan summed up. " Do you like it so far?"

" I do. It delights me seeing how much the world has progressed over the years. New food, technology and knowledge being brought from all over." She smiled wider. " I've always disliked the sea, so seeing the land had stretched much further now gives me relief." She kicked a small pebble in the direction of the dark mud, watching as it sinks painfully slow into its murky substance. " It also saddens me a great deal."

" Because of how much the world has changed."

" Because of how much has been lost." Wūya corrected her. " Bits of culture, knowledge from older generations, tales through history and so many things that only remain with me are all gone." Her hand hovers over the jade trinket over her hip and settled on the hilt of her sword. " The art of many teachings all scattered or lost." She continued to trail off before sighing. " But, that is the cost of time. As some things progressed, others faded. Perhaps that too is fate, it isn't something I can mull over forever."

" But you grieve."

" I grieve." Wūya agreed. " At the very least, I would like to give those children a bit of ease. In my time, having a body to bury was considered a blessing in its own right. At least they'd know for certain what's happened."

" I think I can understand." Yelan muttered. " I came down here before to investigate what happened to my ancestor." She began as Wūya listened to her tale earnestly.

Chapter 45

Chapter Text

They'd found quite a few bodies and starving Fatui agents trapped within the Chasm. Jing Wūya sent Yelan away to get someone to repair the lift, the anemo boxers helped give her a lift while she glided up the air currents. She was worried for a good minute as the crow insisted on staying to take care of the injured agents.

" Don't rush. Eat calmly." She reminded them as she poured a bowl of soup for a pyro agent.

" Why are you helping us?" He asked, voice gravelly beneath the mask.

" I was asked by the Northland Bank to bring you out. Before you ask, it was a personal request by a secretary, I believe was her job." She answered and a geomancer approached her sheepishly.

" Can I please have another bowl?" He asked quietly, behind him a pyroslinger and cryo agent were trying and failing to hide their own bowls.

" Yes, yes. Come, fill your stomachs." She beckoned them and refilled their bowls. " Broth is very filling on cold days and easy on the stomach, I remember my first meal as a child had been broth. By that time, I had spent too long without food that I cried. Shameless, aren't I?"

" Why?" An electro hammer agent asked from across the room, having just wrapped another comrade with a tarp. He sounded and looked much older than the rest of the group, with more scars and greyed hair among white. He doesn't elaborate his question so the crow proceeds to answer it however she pleases.

" I remember being very hungry as a child. The land is usually plentiful but there was a great drought at the time." Some of them have taken to sitting around her as she relayed her tale. " No crops would grow, the trees dried up and with how scarcely it rained, so did the rivers and wells. The sea was too salty that it only made you thirstier and no one knew how to purify it. At the time I thought of how terrible that so much water couldn't be drunk because of the salt." The electro hammer agent was left standing as he observed her expression. " The best thing I could do to fill my stomach at the time was to use a little trick I learned from a beggar."

She pours another bowl and offered it to lone standing agent. After a moment, he finally accepts the food and sits down with the others.

" Humans came from the earth, didn't they? So I thought it would make sense that I should make dirt cookies with mud. I'd pick up a handful, shape it into cookies let it bake in the sun." It didn't taste bad with the salty water as seasoning, she thought. Her gaze now drawn upwards to the Chasm ceiling. " This place has no sunlight, it would've been difficult to make mud cookies here." She muttered audibly.

" That's terrible." The geomancer said.

" I was luckier than some." She shrugged. " I suppose it's why I can't stand to see anyone starve. Having gone through it myself and seen others suffer, I made a promise. Whoever wishes to eat, shall eat. It is a principle I intend to follow in my death one day."

" Do you have other moral principles?" The pyroslinger asked sarcastically.

" When I kill, it is as if I myself would be. So I may strike as swiftly as possible." She answered, her silver eyes glimmering sharply at no one in particular. " That, and to always have space to drink." She added on a cheerful note.

" Uh, I've got some fire water left." The cryo gunner offered to ease the tension.

" Ah, the Snezhnayan drink. I've yet to have a sample." She hummed as he poured her a glass. She threw her head back, completely destroying the more elegant image her gentle voice had put up for her. " Good. Very good!" She cheered as loudly her soft voice could manage. " It's unbelievably strong but I see it's also good for keeping warm, hmm?"

" Yes, alcohol is very helpful to keep warm during winter." The pyro agent says.

" This is good. Very good." She rolled the r a little longer.

" You've already said that." The geomancer chuckled.

" Have I?" She pondered playfully. " I have. I have." She nodded along, earning a small chuckle from some of the company. " I'm quite happy with this, you all should eat well but try not to overstuff yourselves, yes? I'm off to find the young lady." She announced, abandoning the pot and ladle.

" Wait, what?" The pyro agent stood up. " Hang on, what lady?"

" The one down way over there." She points to a dark tunnel way down. " It smells awful but I don't mind too much."

" That area is way too dangerous. We lost half our original troops evacuating from there." The geomancer adds, immediately reaching her side. " I think you're drunk, you should rest until your friend gets back." The anemo boxers moved to block her way but the electro hammer stops them.

" My, what a kind child." She hummed. " It'll be alright, I will return with her." She assures him with a pleasant smile as she strides forward. There's no hitch in her step or swaying of any kind. Her manner of speech though strange never once slurred. " I feel energetic after drinking, really." She muttered mostly for herself but was heard by the younger agent. They watched her disappear into the tunnels, her humming echoing into the depths.

" Do you think she'll be alright?" The pyroslinger asked the others.

" I've seen those eyes." The elctro hammer says. " There's an old folktale about fairies back in my day. All manner of fae will only show themselves for one of two reasons, they either like you or they want to kill you. It was a few years ago when I saw it, a faerie."

He had been talking with his friend regarding their new positions, proud of their newly earned promotion badges. They were passing over an old wooden bridge whose railings had long rotted away.

" Don't move." They heard a voice far away said, a sharp whisper in the wind. They dared to look for its source where a young child with teal hair stood, looking nervous and gripping a notebook tightly in hand. " Please move slowly, it can- it can hear you."

They heard before they saw it, the small splash movement in the water. His friend readied his delusion while he himself had begun moving off the bridge carefully. He hissed at his friend to quite his antics and get off the bridge.

" How can you be afraid of an old bridge?" His friend declared bravely and those were his last words. It leapt out of the water with explosive speed, flat teeth caught his neck and the momentum drove them off the bridge and into the water. There was nothing but silence, not even bubbles resurfacing to indicate drowning.

He had looked to where the young child had been but found no one there. It was as if what transpired was nothing but a dream, a hallucination. He dared not report what had happened that day.

He blamed his missing friend on the Delusion Thief, adding his name to the growing body count of the mass murderer. No one would have believed him if he'd told them what he saw.

" What was it?" The geomancer asked.

" A horse." There was a collective pause among the company, looks of confusion and furrowed brows were exchanged. " I know how this sounds but I've seen their eyes. I've seen that monster and I know that boy was one of them. Her eyes were like his." He continued. " Didn't you notice? They were like rings of metal blades, her stare was so sharp I was afraid she'd cut me down. I know she's human but she's also...something else."

" I think I get where you're coming from." The pyro agent says before anyone else could but in. " I've seen the Delusion Thief, I know his eyes. They're like living flames. I don't mean that they burn with a passion, they just burn." He described. " They just burn." Another stroke of silence is shared, some of them looking down at the empty bowls they just ate more nervously than before.

" Oh, the food is fine." The electro hammer agent adds. " I don't think they're the type to poison people. It must sound cheap for them." He says as he calmly takes another spoonful into his mouth.

" We can trust it." The pyro agent says, taking another bowl. " If anything, she seems just fine. She hasn't lied a single word since she got here." He could tell by that much as a debt collector. Her demeanour was calm and incredibly lax, she saw no need to lie. Rather, she saw no threat to do so. " We best keep these stories to ourselves. There's no one in their right mind who'd believe us anyway." He continued to add. " Otherwise, who are we to forsake our saviour?"

The cicin mage remembers little of how she got into this state. Being wrapped up in bandages by a weird tall lady with silver eyes who hums a song under her breath like it's just another typical Tuesday.

" Hm, this really takes me back." She smells like alcohol, fire water precisely. " I didn't do so much in the front lines, didn't want to stand out after all. Ah, but the looks on the enemy's faces when I steal their prey right under their noses."

" Steal...?" She muttered weakly.

" Ah, awake are you?" The woman hummed. " Do you feel any lingering pain? Does anything sting aside from where I've bandaged you?" She shakes her head gently, groaning at the amount of effort that alone took. " Good. Very good." The woman nearly sang. " Where was I? Ah, yes. I stole their prey. I would snatch them up right before they could deliver the finishing blow and take the poor things all the way back behind the front lines to treat them. It was a sound strategy at the time. No one was faster than I, not even my own brother."

" Brother..." It all comes back to her as she gasps. " Koyla...!" She inhaled sharply trying to rise but a hand keeps her down.

" Be calm."

" You don't understand. Koyla, he's down there." She says between hurried breaths, her mind drifting to the monster she met at the bottom of that cliff. She fought tooth and nail against the thing, against all of them.

" I will find him but I must get you to safety first." The woman says calmly.

" No, I can't leave him! I promised we'd go home together!" She fought against her hold but to no avail as the woman lifts her up into her arms. " Put me down, I have to find him! You-You stupid milelith dog!"

" I am in no way a dog." She sucks in a sharp breath as silver eyes gazed down at her menacingly. " I am more of a crow. My brother calls me one so often. Horrible. He's horrible." She continued in a more casual tone, making their way further from her initial camp.

Having the fight wane out of her, she slumps in the woman's hold. " He's still down there, I need to find him."

" I know."

" He's my only little brother."

" I know."

" We have to go home together."

" I know, dear child. You will." They reached higher ground, met halfway by the geomancer.

" It's Katarina!" The young man announced. The pyro agent moved forward quickly, taking her out of the woman's arms.

" Nikolay..." She whispered, her hand reaching out weakly to the woman. The lady's silver eyes gleamed softly as she smiled, taking her hand in hers.

" I will return him to you." She promised and turned back to the tunnel. " Wait for me, we will leave this barren land together." They watched the end of her braid trail into the darkness before returning their attention to the poor electro cicin mage in need of medical care.

Chapter 46

Chapter Text

Ekaterina marched her way to Bubu Pharmacy, ignoring all the weird looks sent her way and stormed up the stairs with haste. She pushed aside the Harbinger who'd just arrived at the entrance and immediately looked around. An electro cicin mage looked up from where she was sitting.

" Eka..." Her voice cracked as the bank secretary immediately pulled her into an embrace. " They're back, they're back." She muttered repeatedly.

" I know, I know. Oh, Lyudochka." She whispered back.

" I'm assuming you're all representatives for the patients?" A herbalist asked, peaking his head out of the corner.

" Yes, that's us." Ekaterina answered.

" Can you identify the bodies?" They followed him to the back, leaving Childe by his lonesome in the pharmacy.

" Hello, Childe." He nearly jumps in place when he finds Jing Wūya had appeared behind him.

" Hello, Madame Jing Wūya." He greets her awkwardly, she gives him a puzzled look. " What brings you here?" She moved to answer but the secretary immediately rushed out of the room and charged towards her. " Ekaterina wait-"

" Thank you!" She threw her arms around the tall woman, who seemed just as surprised as the Harbinger was. He sees her falter for the first time, looking down at the young lady hugging her and sobbing before finally moving to return the embrace.

" Be calm." She says in her gentle voice, trying to pull away a little. " I am simply returning them to their homes."

" We will remember this kindness, Madame Jing Wūya." There's that puzzled look again. " The Northland Bank will double everything we owe you and, by the Tsaritsa, I wish we could give you more."

" There's no need." She shakes her head. " I cannot guarantee you that I will not cross swords with anyone who threaten me."

" It would've been easier if you'd just joined the Fatui." Childe joked but a pointed stare keeps him quiet.

" I would rather remain a neutral party in any of this. You are aware that I personally haven't been present during any events that would invite malice against your faction." Jing Wūya continued. " Though, if you are so insistent then leave it as a favour." She says with a wave of her hand.

" A favour, that's doable." Childe agreed, adopting a more serious tone. " However, it must be under suitable circumstances of course. We don't really do big favours." She grins, thinking over what would be considered a big favour from the Fatui.

" Very well." She agreed and the Harbinger ghosts his hand over his neck instinctively. " I'm afraid I must leave now, I am to meet with a friend soon. We're going on a trip."

" Then on behalf of the Ninth Company, I wish you a safe journey." Ekaterina says with a slight bow, earning a pleasant smile from Jing Wūya.

Kaeya makes his way through Liyue with Dainsleif in tow. The latter has no desire to meet with anymore gods, Venti was enough. Though, there was something he needed to investigate in Sumeru as well.

Watching how much more silent the young Lord Regent was when in Public. Perhaps he had grown too used hearing him talk now. There weren't many people that the Lord Regent could speak with, aside from Sleigh Beggy or his own faeries. There is a sense of security to it as well. That no matter what he says, only those closest to him understood what it meant.

" Ah, you must be the sword spirit." He barely registered the flash of elemental energy as the woman appeared behind him. " I don't think we've formally met. I am Jing Wūya, practitioner of the art of Mnemoria."

" ...Dainsleif." He replied carefully, keeping a critical eye on Diluc's teacher. This only served to amuse her as she smiled to them more cheerfully. Kaeya waved enthusiastically and signed how happy he was to see her again.

" It is good to see you again my dear little peafowl." She greeted him in turn. He makes an inquiry on her state and she continues to smile. " I have recovered much since then, little peafowl. Worry not, my little sparrow is by side." On cue, Pervases flies past them and dives back into her shadow. " In any case, we should be going. Are we all ready?" There's a mischievous glint in her eyes.

" Only if we're walking." Dainsleif dares to add. Catching the same glint, Kaeya agrees with him. As much as he does appreciates Wūya, she can be as very much mysterious and dangerous as her proclaimed brother. Another trait they shared was being merciless but kind.

" That's fine by me." She hummed. " What are your plans exactly when you get there? My projects are more... nocturnal in nature. I'd assume you all have your own agendas."

" There's a place I just remembered." Dainsleif said, eluding to his recovery from erosion. " I wanted to investigate it alongside the traveller. My initial goals still stand, I will need to investigate the area for clues."

" I see. I'm hoping to see what the young Goddess has in store for me. She sounded very eager to show me around while my project is underway." Jing Wūya explained. " From what I remember, you're looking for somewhere new to hunt." Kaeya nodded, humming the practiced tune under his breath.

Their arrival in Sumeru were greeted awkwardly by the guards who didn't know exactly what kind of greeting to give without the usual offering of an akasha. It was to their good fortune that they decided to use the same format as the milelith when registering new travellers visiting their land.

Jing Wūya goes off to meet with Nahida first, while the other two decide to browse the market. Kaeya tipped off the post office to send a letter to the traveller, earning him a scoff from Dainsleif. " Even mute, you're taking advantage of others." The captain simply shrugged, not his fault their system had exploitable loopholes.

Like any good Mondstadter, he orders just about every drink they had to offer, trying to chase the fleeting taste while never having the ability to get drunk. Dainsleif drinks as much as he does, he wonders personally if Kha'enriahns too enjoyed drinking.

" This isn't something you see every day." They turned their attention to where the traveller was walking up to them. Kaeya suppresses a thrill as he waves them over enthusiastically. " Hello, Kaeya." Lumine chuckled.

" We got your message." Paimon chimes. " Very sneaky."

" Please, have a seat." Dainsleif invited them. " I'm sure you've at least pieced together that My Liege's roots hail from Kha'enriah."

" Well, the eyes are kinda hard to miss." Paimon says.

" The name Albreich isn't only meant for the identity of Lord Regent, it is also the name of the Abyss Order's founder."

" Which makes Kaeya..." Paimon trailed off.

" The descendant, yes." Dainsleif finished. Kaeya buzzes softly, drumming his fingers along the table before standing up. " If you're certain." He signed his goodbye, saying he had matters to attend to before leaving them alone. " He wanted to scope out any nearby hilichurl camps but promised to not leave the forest for now."

" Is it really safe for him to be out by himself? Where's Diluc?" Paimon asked looking around.

" Kaeya's an adult, he'll be alright." Lumine reassures her. " I also heard that Diluc is currently being punished for a certain misconduct?"

" He is. Yes." Dainsleif nodded. " There's a location I just remembered to investigate, erosion had been difficult on me before my transcendence."

" So we just head on out?" The two moved to stand.

" Wait." Dainsleif says.

" What is it?" Paimon asked.

" My drink isn't here yet." Lumine snorted, taking her seat once again and ordering herself a snack.

Kaeya makes his way through the market, browsing around leisurely as he walked. He felt a tinge of excitement about meeting Nahida again, barely containing his feathers from showing. He practiced whistling the latest tune the seelies had taught him.

" Excuse me!" He turns just in time to catch a red of flaming red hair bound towards him. He held back a greeting thrill, reminding himself that it wasn't Diluc or anyone he knew. She wore a flowy blue dress with a horned headdress ornament topped with a partly translucent veil. " I've never heard that song before, it's really soothing. Can I ask what song it is?" He blanks for a moment, opening and closing his mouth before trying to think of what to sign. " Ah, I'm going to be late! Come with me."

He hasn't time to argue, following her as they weaved through the busy market. A pretty lady asks him to follow so he does, ill advised he knows. But his instincts already deem her trustworthy enough before he himself can decide.

The Zubayr Theatre was enormous, with a grand stage at the very centre. The platform allowed for spectators to see the stage at all possible angles. He didn't need to look too hard to see how the building was designed with the sound dispersion in mind. He couldn't help to test a note, revelling in how far in echoes in the wide building.

" Nilou, just in time my girl." Zubayr called her over. " We've finally gotten a volunteer to help us try out the new costumes."

" That's great! They were too big for me but I didn't want to waste it before seeing what it's actually like." Nilou cheered.

" Nilou." A firm voice called and in walks a young man with silvery hair and adorned in a black jackal headdress. He glances quickly at all those present within the room, his gaze lingering shortly on Kaeya. The peafowl could sense the lingering warnings of malice from him and could already smell the barest whiffs of ozone in the air.

" General Mahamatra." Zubayr greeted him.

" Cyno!" Nilou says more cheerfully. She's definitely gotten to know him better since they overthrew the government together and found a good friend in his company. " We're still working on concepts for the next Sabzeruz Festival. Are you willing to share any insights?"

" I'm sure whatever you think of will be nothing short of spectacular." He reassures her. " Is that why you've brought a tourist here?"

" Oh, I heard him whistling this really nice tune so I thought maybe it could provide some inspiration." Kaeya blinked, looking around in confusion before pointing to himself. " Yes, you. I couldn't help myself, just hearing the melody makes me want to dance. Oh, manners. I'm Nilou."

" Nilou, you can't simply grab people off the street like that." He sighed. " Zubayr, I'm in charge of this theatre." The elder man introduced himself. He nods, spelling out his name in sign.

" Kaeya." Cyno translated.

" Little peafowl?" A gentle voice calls. Jing Wūya steps onto the stage, emerging from the changing rooms dressed in a dance costume. The soft peachy colour seemed to show the fairness of her skin, the veil over her head pinned with a silver headdress. It seemed the dressers had a little too much fun as the woman was no covered in jewelry from head to toe. " We meet again, General Mahamatra." She smiled to him.

" Jing Wūya, as a guest of the dendro archon, I would advise you to pleass not wander around the city without at least informing a matra of where you'll be." He reminded her.

" Ah, but where is the fun in that?" She hummed.

" It would certainly be more favourable if our guest doesn't get lost while in another region." Cyno added. " Especially when we've received word from your brother, Zhongli."

" He would've let me wandered around anyways. Not that he could stop me. In our prime, I was always faster." Jing Wūya laughed. " I see your sword spirit has already wandered off, my little peafowl." Kaeya signed how much more energetic she seemed since their arrival. " Of course! The land is practically brimming with elemental energy, overflowing in fact. It is concerning me."

" Overflowing?" Nilou asked.

" Part of the reason I'm visiting." She continued. " I have an interesting theory regarding them and will be doing some investigating in the areas which this withering has been inflicted."

" Part of the reason?" Cyno inquired. Understandably, investigating the withering was the only thing he'd been made aware of.

" I intend to meditate and recover while I'm here. While the elemental energy is in abundance, I'll be able to take this opportunity to recover my energy as much as possible without breaking my own body." She explained. " Otherwise, I intend to spend time with the little peafowl." Kaeya smiled at her, eager to have her join his hunts and introduce her to the fae here.

Chapter 47

Notes:

Song used : Wolves without teeth - OFOM

Chapter Text

Jing Wūya watched as Nilou danced, practically floating across the stage as she practiced her routine. Beside her the General Mahamatra watched as well, all the while sneaking glares her way to make sure she didn't suddenly disappear again. Kaeya escaped the changing room, half dressed in a new attire by the costume designers. He wore a black top with gold braces on his wrists, capes of deep blue hues fluttered behind him, a matching blue vest and fur pelt draped over his shoulder. Despite how undeniably pretty he looked, the man seemed to have had enough of the designers prodding his outfit so much. This was when finally, the woman moved.

" Here, little peafowl." She called him over as he audibly hissed at the designers like a feral cat. Something seemed to shift in his eyes, the way he glared at them with wide feral eyes and hissing again before scrambling to get behind Jing Wūya. " My friends, I can understand your enthusiasm but it seems my little peafowl has grown uncomfortable. Check your boundaries." Her grey eyes glinted like a steel, the way she loomed over them gave no way for any argument.

" Where are your manners, all of you?" Zubayr scolded them. " They are guests kind enough to even try these costumes of yours. Not your mannequins to experiment styles!" He then turns to his guest where Kaeya hadn't moved at all from he was behind Jing Wūya. " I apologize on the behalf of the Zubayr Theatre, my guests. It wasn't my intention to make you uncomfortable."

" The one on the right." Her gentle voice is clear, echoing and demanding respect. She glided over to the designer who was the closest to them. Looming over him, her grey eyes glinted against the lighting like rings of sharpened steel. He could almost feel the blade against his neck. " Who do you think you're trying to covet?" Silence rang in waves.

She stood tall, like a judge over a sinner, an executioner with her sword held high. " It-It wasn't my intention."

" I am from a land of contracts, child. I loathe such blatant lies." The others had carefully backed away, leaving the lone man at her mercy. The blade of a spear wedged itself between them, causing the pathetic man to yelp.

" That man is a citizen of Sumeru." Cyno cuts in, standing between her and the man. " He will be dealt according to our laws."

" And your laws have better punishments for perverts other than mine." Hers, not Liyue's laws which he knew would have been more detailed than an attempted beheading if her posture had anything to say about it.

" We have suitable punishments for sexual harassment, especially against international delegates." The man whined pathetically as Jing Wūya tilted her head and grinned, satisfied. Two matra were called over in order to take him in while Zubayr profusely apologized for the misbehaviour of his crew.

" I'm so sorry, I hadn't known he was like that." Nilou apologized alongside her superior.

" It's alright." Jing Wūya reassured them with a serene smile. " However, I do need to get going now. I must meet with the Forest Rangers in Grandhara Village before evening. I hope you don't mind us leaving."

" Yes, of course! We've held you up long enough. Thank you for your time." Zubayr says.

" And I thank you." Jing Wūya bowed. " Goodbye for now." She waved to them before herding Cyno and Kaeya out of the building.

" They took the costumes." One designer pointed out.

" She looked quite comfortable in them. I don't think she even realised yet." Another said.

" All that jewelry." Another sighed.

" Think of it as her compensation." Zubayr sighed. " Better than starting an international incident."

" We're far enough." She says out of the blue, placing a hand over Cyno's shoulder. The Mahamatra doesn't sense malice in her voice but still reacted, turning around quickly with his weapon ready. A sparrow flies out from the shadows and perched itself on her shoulder. " Any eyes, Pervases?" She asked, looking down at the beady eyed bird on her shoulder.

" None for the night, naught til' dawn. A lone gaze from a youth, a lone gaze of a god." The little bird spoke with a voice deeper than expected.

" I see. Thank you, my friend." She smiled, now turning to Kaeya. " It is safe, peafowl."

Before his very eyes, the delegate from Mondstadt grew in size. His feet were talons, wings unfolded from his cape and the tail coat of his attire extended. The Blizzard started buzzing and huffing, rubbing his clawed hands against his own arms and shuddering. It took a good moment for Cyno to realize through his gestures that he was complaining.

" Worry not, Kaeya. He's been dealt with." Jing Wūya reassured him. " Your feathers are all ruffled up." He nods knowingly, trying to smooth out the fluffy plumes around his neck and moved on to preen his wings. " Confused, General?" She teased.

" Surprised. More like." He managed to say in the calmest voice manageable.

" Well, Gods would certainly have rather interesting contacts, wouldn't they?" She says. Now this confused him, for wasn't Lord Kusanali imprisoned for 500 years? " I'm not very close to the young goddess. Kaeya was the first to make contact with her. He is what they used to call a Fae, the Sovereign of Fae. He is indirectly deeply connected to Irminsul and was able to communicate with Nahida through a sort of link they now share."

" And what are you?" He asked directly.

" I am human, I assure you. A kind of human known by more ancient beings as a Sleigh Beggy. I was trapped in amber a few thousand years ago and was reawakened when an evil god attempted to use my body as a vessel to enact revenge on Rex Lapis." She explained in a simple tone. " All of which were recent events in tha last few months." She rummages through her things, taking out a strange pot like contraption and a kettle. " Ah, how did my brother say this worked again?" She wondered as she sets down the strange pot. She snapped her fingers, whispering something under her breath and a flame sparked between them. It danced over her palm as she brought it to the device and lighting up the stove bottom. " This adeptus device is so handy." She hummed happily. " Going off to hunt now, my dear peafowl?" She asked as the being now stood in full height, stretching his wings. Kaeya nodded. " Cyno, please do accompany him. I'll make us a meal in the meantime."

He doesn't get a word out before Kaeya head leapt into the trees. Cursing under his breath, he quickly ran to catch up with the strange being. It was his obligation to watch over the two delegates. Alhaitham had warned him beforehand that the two were not what they seem. And what did she mean hunt? The being required hunting to sustain itself? Or perhaps it needed to consume certain materials to keep itself full.

It looked Abyssal at first glance, the mask it wore didn't help much on that matter. He watched cautiously as it slowed down once they neared a hilichurl camp. One that seemed to have been recently set up in the Avidya Forest since the Forest Rangers typically remove them rather swiftly.

Speaking of Forest Rangers, he could spot two familiar heads already sneaking up a vantage point to shoot the hilichurls down. Kaeya seemed to have spotted them as well, immediately straightening his back and raising his wings before darting into the high branches. He lets out a long bellowing call, startling all those who heard it. Collei recognised it, immediately putting her bow down while Tighnari had his drawn tight and aimed at the being who emerged from foliage above them.

" Wait!" Collei managed to get between them. Cyno immediately caught up as Kaeya climbed down and cooed softly at the girl. " It's nice to see you too, Captain Kaeya."

" Collei, what is going on?" Tighnari whispered sharply darting to keep his eyes on both Kaeya and the camp.

" Captain Kaeya is visiting Sumeru as a delegate from Mondstadt and is apparently close friends with Lord Kusanali." Cyno answered with a look of both exasperation and exhaustion. " I don't know how to explain the rest to you."

" Shh," Kaeya signalled them to keep quiet, his gaze more focused on the camp below. His tail shifted, rattling slightly before stilling. He could see Black Serpent Knights this time, Jing Wūya had told him how she fought a couple during her adventure in the Chasm. Abyss Mages, two of them, the rest were hilichurls. He figures the mitachurls and lawachurls must be spread out elsewhere if so many stronger beings were gathered around this relatively large camp. He signed for the others to stay back and watch.

" I'm sorry. Am I do only who doesn't understand how that is supposed to be Cavalry Captain Kaeya?" Tighnari hissed with confused irritation.

" It's a long story." Cyno sighed. " What's the situation actually?"

" A very curious case." Tighnari responded as they refocused on the camp. " The camp is relatively new, it's being set up hastily but with a lot more threatening monsters with it. I've never seen those before." He motions to the black clad armoured monsters. " Though the traveller did mention describing something similar that could be found in Liyue's Chasm."

" There's something in the cages too." Collei pointed out. " Are those...rifthounds?" They were certainly rifthounds but there were a few stark differences to the ones they've normally seen. These hounds did not hover over the ground like haunting ghosts, nor did a dark aura ooze from their very being.

" Their bodies are more compact, fuller. The usual bone like structure of its make up seem to be covered with platings of minerals that match their own elemental energy." Tighnari observed. " There's geo and electro." Most common among rifthounds. " What is he planning?"

" They don't seem particularly agitated or distressed." Cyno continued. In fact, why do they look excited? Like they're anticipating something.

Another long call echoed, rousing those within the camp. The rifthounds threw their heads back and howled in turn before warping out of the cages with ease and each made their way to the direction of the call. The camp could see distantly where the strange rifthounds have gathered around a single figure.

Kaeya cooed at his wolves, whispering loving words of greeting in garbled buzzes. The Black Serpent Knights held steadfast to their lances, eyeing the new being cautiously as the hilichurls looked on with an odd sense of wonder. His eyes glowed alongside the very wolves gathered by his side, unblinking as they watched the camp in muted interest. They retreated into the shade of the foliage, leaving but only their eyes visible.

' Are you ready, Nahida?' He asked her, tail rattling in excitement.

" Yes, I'm already in the gardens." She giggled, bouncing on her heals.

They could hear the moment the wolves scattered away, either warping or running, leaving Kaeya alone in the shade. He takes one step forward with his talons, body hunched a little lower and tail rattling behind him to let them know he was still there. With his first step, his mouth opens and he sang. He approaches them carefully, like a bird assessing another species from a branch.

The lyrics were quick, the pacing making it sound like he was breathless, watching and circling them with a hint of excitement barely contained in his voice. The first verse ends and there is a knowing pause but the sense of rhythm ever present. He inches closer, crouching close to the nearest hilichurl who had taken a more curious step towards him and reached out.

He takes the hand, the Abyssal form melting away in an instant as he pulls the soul closer with a quickened step. They could feel the rhythm pick up but couldn't hear any lyrics to carry it. As though it were meant to be a duet. He continues to sing the chorus bridge, leading the soul to the center of the camp and as the chorus reached its height, they danced.

A flower of five petals, four white and one blue bloomed at his step as he continues to sing with fervour. The flowers bloomed in waves with his energetic dance, covering the ground with its lush glow. The Abyssal forms of all the monsters shed away the instant the flowers reach them, leaving nothing but translucent silhouettes that joined in the dance hosted by the feathered being.

Elsewhere a goddess danced in her garden, singing a duet with no partner and dancing just as vividly.

The second verse takes stage, Kaeya has slowed down and watched as the silhouettes danced around him. His head still nodding to a rhythm. The second half remains unsung, not that they would know it was already being performed by a young goddess in the city.

As Nahida takes her half, her motions follow the lyrics and on the other side, Kaeya mirrors them. They sang the chorus bridge together, still in sync as their duet takes off beautifully. They danced in place, jumping and tossing their hair around with little gasps of laughter in between.

The souls of the Black Serpent Knights watched on with fond smiles and was eventually pulled along by the crowd. More souls appeared, welcoming them and immediately taking step. The Inteyvats bloom wide around the camp, painting the ground in white and blue hues.

At the height of the chorus, the souls start to fade, leaving nothing but the flowers and Kaeya himself. Still, as he continues to sing, he didn't feel alone. He danced through the energetic chorus alongside his partner halfway across the region. Nahida danced as expressively as she always wanted, not thinking how her hair tossed around or how high she jumped as she twirled.

All their lives spent looking so proper, behaving so quietly and looking pretty. Like dolls on shelves, wide for display but never to do anything by themselves. The exhilaration of the song was liberating, it was like they had run across the whole world. Away from the fears of prying eyes, of what people would say, of expectations.

They were themselves, and they were beautiful. This was the thought they shared as their duet finally ended, the flowers fading away as they always did.

Chapter 48

Chapter Text

" Welcome back." Jing Wūya greeted them, pausing momentarily to take in the additional faces that have joined them. " I take it, you had a good hunt." She hummed as she started serving bowls of warm vegetable beef soup for them. Kaeya had a dead ley branch in his mouth, chewing on it like a child would a candy bar. " It's nice to meet you." She says to Tighnari.

" Hm? Ah, yes. Uh, my name is Tighnari." He began a little awkwardly. " I'm the Forest Ranger here in the Avidya Forest and this is Collei."

" We've met." Collei says blankly, eyes still wide. " Traveller's teapot." She answered simply before her mentor could even ask.

" Oho, so you're the one I am to meet for my research." She says in a delightful tone.

" You're Jing Wūya?" She nods, taking a spoonful of soup. He looks between her calm expression and the literal cryptid next to her.

" She's human." Cyno reassures the fox. " Mostly."

" But isn't she Rex Lapis' sister?" Collei adds. Tighnari nearly choked on his soup while Cyno was already trying to expel the piece of beef in his throat.

" Where did you hear this?" The botanist asked.

" From Lord Kusanali. We were visiting the teapot at the same time." She explained. Kaeya buzzes her way, offering her a purple flower. " Is that for me?" He nods, pointing to his eyes. " Matches my eyes? That's really thoughtful of you, captain. I'll have it pressed and keep it in my journal." He cooes at that, his tail rattling in a jovial way.

" I believe we have quite the story to tell." Jing Wūya chuckled. " But, we'll save it for later. Anyone want seconds?"

Diluc struggled to open his eyes, slowly peeling them open one by one and groaning as sensation filled him again. He doesn't know how much time has passed in the real world, it felt like months in the dream. Locked in a state of constant hunger, heat beating down on him as he struggled to use Mnemoria to at least bring back something to the fields. In the end he managed to revive the whole area.

It was a long and taxing process. Draining even. He doesn't want to go down that path ever again. His eyes fluttered shut again, sighing deeply.

" Finally awake, Master Ragnvindr?" A sultry voice he didn't recognise asked. Diluc leapt off the bed, eyes wide and alert, grabbing the nearby lampstand as a weapon and finds...a cat. The cat sat idly by his window sill, tail swaying from side to side.

He relaxed, putting the lampstand back in place as he ran his hand through his hair. " I must be going insane."

" You certainly aren't the first." The voice says again. He turns to the cat slowly, smug fluffy thing was a ginger with white paws like socks and bright orange eyes. " Startled you, did I?" The cat spoke once more. Diluc continued to stare for a solid minute before immediately exiting the room. " Oh my."

The man paced out of the room, trying very hard not to even think of what he just saw. Jing Wūya's training must've made him have hallucinations. Should he complain? He's pretty sure that was meant as punishment for overdoing it last time.

" Master Diluc?" He paused as Adeline called him. " You're awake." She gasped. " Does anything hurt? Here, you must be starving." She starts dragging him to the dining table.

" Addie, I'm fine." He tells her awkwardly, casting nervous glances at his bedroom as she leads him down the stairs.

" You're not." She huffed. " Now stay put." She ordered when he sits down. " I'll whip you up something special. Wait here." Soon there's food on the table and Diluc helped himself to the warm steaks and roasted meat.

Once his meal was over, he cautiously returns to his room to check on the strange cat. He sighed in relief when he sees nothing was there. He rolls his shoulders and neck, a satisfied crack following it before he makes his way to his personal office.

" Hello again." Very slowly, he craned his head to the bookshelves where the ginger cat was sitting snug among his things.

" Oh shit." He stared at it near cautiously, thinking of every possible reason a cat was talking to him. " Are you a fae?" He asked cautiously. Jing Wūya had warned him that some older Fae who were from previous 'Ocelli' still roam the lands to this day.

" Not quite no, but I am familiar with what they are." The cat answered, yawning as it sat up. " Have you ever heard of the notion that cats have nine lives?" He asked the man.

" You don't mean that it's true, do you?" The cat simply tilts his head and Diluc could feel it smiling. " You're kidding."

" I'm not." The cat began wandering across the shelves, hoping onto the nearest table. " You have quite the assortment of trinkets here." He purred, nudging a souvenir he'd gotten from Fontaine to the edge. Diluc catches it quickly before it fell. " That's a pretty vase."

" Don't touch that!" He hissed, keeping the vase in place as the cat passed by and leapt to his desk instead. " Who are you?"

" My name is Dusty, I usually live around Cat's Tail if you've heard of it." The cat began, sitting down on a form of sorts that was no doubt his paperwork for the day.

" Do all cats talk or are you a special case?" Diluc asked, pulling up a chair to sit down.

" Goodness, no! I wouldn't really think myself as anything more than I already am. I'm quite a happy cat if you can tell." He says, rolling down and stretching, showing off his plump belly. " I'm on my sixth life if you're curious. I suppose we start talking like humans by our third or second life. We don't usually talk to humans so consider yourself lucky." Diluc huffed, scowling.

Why speak to him? He wanted to ask but the cat seemed to read his expression and sits more properly on the desk, paws folded inwards.

" In truth, many of the older fae would want me to extend their greetings to both you and your brother. The Sovereign is also the reason of my coming." Dusty explained, now grooming his whiskers. " We cats, especially those who've lived many lives have always lived carefully and yet freely. We wanted to ask a favour, at least to you since you are here."

Fae are tricky creatures. Making deals with them can be dangerous regardless of anyone's intentions. They will do whatever it takes to reep their rewards. But they were not Fae, he could see as much. " What is the favour?"

" We need to house someone." The cat tells him.

" What is it?"

" My, so quick to judge." The cat scoffed. " Of course you'd already sense it."

" It's a certain smell I can't forget." Diluc leaned forward, resting his chin against his palm. The cat held back a grimace as blazing red eyes looked down at it, the flames flickering with a promising burn. " Looking at you carefully now, I can smell traces of him off you. It's a good thing I am what I am. If I hadn't, I would've assumed you to be one of the Doctor's abominations."

" I can understand your resentment towards such a man. Us cats strongly hate him as much as you do, perhaps lifetimes more." The cat replied calmly. " But the one we're asking your favour for isn't him."

" Isn't it? I don't care which clone you've brought to my doorstep, I will kill him when I see him." Diluc growled.

" Even if he were no older than the wolf's pup?" Silence hung in the room, the air feels much too warm and suffocating.

" He is still a risk to Mondstadt. I cannot allow it." The man finally answered.

" He has cut ties with his creator." The cat informs him.

" I'm sure you know that isn't possible."

" That man has destroyed all his other segments, including this youth." The cat says. " He is alive now solely due to the curse an ancient one placed upon him." Dusty continued. " Our kind has watched over him since the curse had taken place, he is nothing yet everything as he was. He is dead yet alive. He is alone, he was seen and they will kill him when they find him."

" And I should care what happens to one of that mad man's segments?" The cat hissed, fur rising in defence.

" That man has killed him. We, have taken him in. We, have watched over him. He is ours. Not his." The cat says firmly. " I understand your hatred, I know it. We ask only that you hide him for a while. You don't even need to care for him."

" Because he is dead yet alive." Diluc says nearly solemnly. " From what I'm understanding, this child simply can't die. Not in a normal sense that is."

" There is a way to kill him but that will only be possible by us. By cats." Dusty responded. " Should the day come we are to put him down, we will." The cat says firmly. Diluc hummed, deeply in thought as the cat watched him patiently.

" You've really come by at an opportune moment." Diluc sighed, rising from his chair. " How long has he been outside?" He asked as he picked up the cat and placed him over his shoulder.

" All day. He's yet to eat anything else other than grapes. Apologies for that." The man simply managed a small grumble before making his way out of the office.

Thunder roared through the skies as rain fell. It tapped against the glass in big heavy drops. He leans back against the walls of the small wooden shack. He curses under his breath to many names. To the Gods, to the prime that abandoned him, to the damned Fatui hunting him down, to Mondstadt for being the only place he could actually sneak into without dying and that stupid cat that made him live this way.

If he had watched his tongue, he wouldn't be bound by some stupid curse contract. He would've been better, greater. He would've given anything to reach out to that link again and call for the other segments. That is until the last build, prime, omega, killed the rest of them. Each and every one, dropped dead and erased in an instant.

It would've been the same for him too if it weren't for that cat. That fucking cat.

" Cursing me again, you little ingrate?" A voice whispered in his ear. He pulled his knees up to his chest, scowling deeply.

" I hate you." The segment hissed.

" After saving your life?" The voice tsked. " Oh, kitten. That hurts me."

" Not a kitten." He snapped.

" Well, you wouldn't be considered human either." It laughed. " Did you loathe the care of my kin so much?" The child is silent for a moment before shaking his head. " Do you miss them? The cats from Snezhnaya."

" ...yes." He admits in a low voice. The rain grew heavier, pelting his head and soaking his hair. " You're cruel."

" Perhaps I am." The voice hummed.

" Do you think Dusty can actually convince him?" He asked quietly.

" We'll see, kitten."

" Not a kitten."

The door of the Winery's mansion swings open. A few workers went about, grabbing things they'd forgotten to bring inside. The boy stayed as still as possible, trying not to draw attention to the wooden hut that housed bundles of hay. His heart hammered against his chest as people bustled about.

One by one, they started to leave. There is silence once more and the boy was almost disappointed that no one found him. Until the very same voice whispered sharply in his ear. " Don't make a sound."

He gasps as the bales of hay were thrown aside. There's smoke in the air but whatever flames were burning had been quickly put out by the rain. The boy looked up, freezing in place as his rose red eyes met with burning scarlet. Smoke rose from his frame, as though the rain was constantly putting out the flame that would have otherwise burst all around him. His body wasn't even touched by the water, evaporating upon contact.

Diluc Ragnvindr stared him down, his eyes promised a flame that would burn him with great agony. The young teen squirmed way back into the corner of the hut, back plastered so hard against the wood it cracked.

Terrified, he closed his eyes and waited for the promised flames those burning red eyes envisioned.

He stumbled forward, nearly falling to the hard floor if he hadn't caught himself. The door clicked behind him, making him flinch hard. He looked back to the man standing between himself and the door.

Ragnvindr regarded him with a single glance and he shrunk back under his gaze. He awkwardly fumbled with the collar of the furred black coat draped over his head, still confused as to why it was placed over him.

" Adelinde!" The man called out. " We have a guest."

" Master Diluc, who -" The maid paused looking from the man to the soaked teen. " Oh dear, look at you." She rushed forward, raising her hand towards him. He flinched away, causing them to pause.

" ... I'm going for a bath." Ragnvindr announced in a low voice before disappearing up the stairs.

" Over here, dear." The maid spoke softly. " Let's get you cleaned up."

Chapter 49

Chapter Text

" This is real, kitten." He hears the voice whisper softly in his ear.

" I don't believe you." He says, staring blankly at his reflection. They had given him dried clothes, a long sleeved white shirt and some trousers. They fit him well but he knew that there was no way they had such clothes ready on a whim. He knows the scent left on them weren't his or Ragnvindr's. Even the blue belt felt out of place in the house full of red.

There's a soft knock on the door. " Erwin?" The name he'd given them. " Would you like to join us for dinner?"

" You're not Miss Adelinde." He says cautiously.

" No." The Not-Adelinde replied. " But you are still required to eat." He walks over to the door, swinging it open swiftly. His eyes shifted downwards to the small faerie standing there. " I am Pavel, the household fae of flames." Erwin pursed his lip, sealing them shut as he takes a half step back.

Fae were dangerous and cunning beings as far as he's concerned. He's met enough of them to know as much, the ones on Snezhnaya were at least like that. " She is a kind one, kitten." The voice purred.

Pavel's rabbit like ears flicked and she gazed up to where the voice was heard. " Hello, ancient one." She greeted carefully.

" Hello." The voice greeted in turn. " So you're the kind of Fae that the new Sovereign brings." The voice seemed closer to her now.

" Do give your greetings to the master of the house before anything." Pavel says casually. " Come, boy. You must eat."

" Go on." He feels a force nudge him forward and hesitantly follow the small fae. " I will be with you in a moment, kitten."

" Not a kitten." He muttered as he reluctantly followed behind Pavel.

Diluc sensed them before he could see them. He placed his pen down from where he was writing a letter to Jean that he has awoken. Looking up, he first sees a grin.

A wide smile that didn't seem malicious nor kind. A cat's grin, playful, mischievous. Cunning. Floating in the air like a misplaced drawing.

A pair of eyes blinked into existence, one blue and the other orange. " Hello, Master Ragnvindr." It greeted Diluc in a voice sickeningly familiar. " A sneer or a snicker, neither are as sweet as a grin." It said as the rest of it flickered into the room.

It looked like a cat, with pointed ears and long white whiskers. But it's body was too long like a fox, the stripes a miriad of colours, trailing across the body like a chess board and frankly he isn't having the best of impressions seeing a floating cat.

" Mocking me upon entry isn't exactly the best of introductions." He says to the thing in a low voice. " State your business with that child."

" Red peppers always look the angriest though they have the sweetest cores." The strange cat purred, floating over to the window sills and walking along it. " I am Chess, the one who grins." The cat introduced itself. " That child is what you may consider my ward, he goes by Erwin today. After a friend."

" Erwin?" Diluc scoffed, it didn't suit him at all.

" I tried to tell him." The cat said. " I said it was too mundane but he thought it'd be just perfect. A flashy name takes too much attention so I allowed it."

" And what does that make you?" The master of the house asked. " A guardian? Caretaker?" His gaze turns sharper. " Master and familiar?" Perhaps it is due to his own experience or the fact that he himself was bounded to the Sovereign of Fae, he could sense contracts connected to Fae.

" You of all people should know that such a bind goes both ways." The cat says. " I'm afraid we are nothing of the sort. I cursed him." Diluc tilts his head, a habit he picked up from Kaeya. " At the time he was still connected to the last build and he was sent to my territory on a rather unsavoury task. Cats news travels far and fast, we knew when, where and how. So I found him and cursed him the moment our eyes met."

In was amidst the white snow when her eyes found his, the immediate fear in them when he realized there was something wrong made her laugh. By night he dreams of his inevitable death, the same sickening feeling of his body being deactivated, of hearing the screams and protests of the other segments as they too were shut down.

" When it finally happened, he begged me to take him in. To remove the curse, let him die properly rather than live his life in fear." The cat explained. " He would've been made a very interesting case of study for such a crude man. Curses of such degree are unheard of, a thing of fairytales." It's heterochromic eyes glanced to Diluc. " We are a thing of fairytales."

" In an age of gods and monsters, being considered a myth would sound near impossible." He sighed. How troublesome was this case. " You've chosen Mondstadt because of our current arrangement with the Fatui. You chose this house because of Kaeya."

" Other territories would've been met with too much trouble. The dragons here are restless as young as they are." The cat sways its long tail in the air huffing. " We will not sully your home, Master Ragnvindr. You have our word."

" I know better than to place my trust in Fae, much less in him." He says in a low voice. " But I will allow you to stay under a few conditions of course." The cat grinned wider, all of its teeth showing.

" Name them and I will follow."

The food was warm, that was his first thought as he ate the soup they served him. It was thick and creamy, he never knew such luxuries in so long. " Is it to your liking?" The maid, Adelinde was her name, asked him with a sweet smile.

" Yes, ma'am. Thank you." He replied quietly.

From across the room, he could see Pavel sitting above the fireplace. She was watching his every move, a neutral expression on her face but her eyes were as red as heated metal. Beside her sat Dusty, who gave him a sort of reassuring smile. " The master of the house is coming." The faerie announced.

True to her word, Diluc Ragnvindr emerged from his office and threaded down the steps. Floating above him was the cat of cats, Chess grinned her ever present smile, one that was wider than usual. " Erwin. I have spoken with your handler." The man began carefully, his expression was more tired than angry but still annoyed altogether. " You will be housed here under seven conditions. Do you understand?"

" Yes, sir." Adelinde shoots him a look as the boy shrank under his gaze. Diluc sighed and took a seat at the end of the table.

" Your name will be changed to Elias Scores. You will be living here in this house as my...charge." The word was half gritted and a glare thrown to the cat of cats. " You will not harm anyone in Mondstadt. You will never kill another soul intentionally by any means. You will be allowed to defend yourself should such an occasion arise but cannot go against the previous condition. You are to live like any citizen of Mondstadt and act accordingly. You will not associate yourself with the Fatui, Abyss or any being of corruption." He listed them down, made sure the boy took note of every single one and finally looked at him directly in the eye. " Are we clear?"

" Yes, sir." He nods, looking more surprised than scared. Adelinde looked between them both in confusion and a soft look from Diluc promised her that he would explain everything later. She smiles back and heads to the kitchen to bring him a glass of grape juice.

" Bold of you, giving that child a name." Chess says finally as he sipped his drink. The boy had been sent to bed immediately, Dusty following after him to keep him company. " You understand the weight of such a thing, don't you?"

" My teacher has taught me as much." He continued, scowling into his drink. " Spent forever in that barren place and now this." He grumbled under his breath.

Names have weight, power behind them. All old things knew of this very well. They may signify a change, a mark, a symbol of many things. Giving a name to objects is entrusting it with purpose. Giving names to living things is establishing a tie. Like an owner to a pet, a friend to one another. A parent to a child.

He loathed thinking of the last example. The cat's slick tongue was more skilled than Kaeya's. A charge, how laughable.

Yet when he saw him at that wooden shack for hay, after the anger at knowing what had arrived at his doorstep subsided, he couldn't help but pity him. Soaked to the bone, so skinny with gaunt cheeks. He will forever hate the man that has caused him great grief on his eighteenth birthday but he will not place his rage on a shivering child who huddled in the corners of a wooden hut full of hay and splinters.

He's reminded of Kaeya when his father had first found him. A cat's news travels far and among their range of gossip, they knew stories of his father's kindness in the city of freedom.

Once again he curses the cat, for using such a tale against him. He wouldn't throw the child to the streets anyways but it seems the cat was rather attached to the child. To even ask him to allow him to live comfortably under his roof in exchange of sharing a valuable network of information. He will have to contact the others in the web of informats regarding what he knows, what has unfolded. He's been arranging the information carefully, not knowing who exactly to send it to and how.

Until a cat showed up in his bedroom and office. More inconspicuous than messenger birds, slicker than hounds, cats were the best in getting anywhere and everywhere. He will admit as much. Their promised cooperation in aiding him for as long as he keeps the boy under his roof was beyond valuable to him.

They themselves even promised to extinguish the boy's life should it ever come to it. Going as far as describing the method to him. He shuddered at the thought, at the plain violence and cruelty the cat of cats could see easily turn to at the drop of a hat.

" One would think you'd be more merciful in your methods." He says to the cat.

" It cannot be helped." The cat sighed. " I did not think he would come to me after I cursed him so. I am merely taking responsibility of what I've done and will do so until the very end."

The curse, which would later be known as Score's Curse, is a curse of immortality of sorts. Where the afflicted will dream of their death until it comes and lives through it. Having been plagued by death for so long, they wouldn't even believe themselves to be alive. Nor can they understand how they aren't dead. They cannot even die properly by any normal means, not unless every part of their body is destroyed.

Their wounds do not stay, the pain never comes. In their perpetual state of constant confusion, they are suspended between knowing life and death. The only way out is by cats.

Wounds sustained from cats behave normally, the pain is real, grounding. So the only way those afflicted by the curse would die, is to be killed by cats. Small, friendly little predators who weren't made for killing beings as large as humans but the deed is possible. The deed is usually orchestrated and conducted by the cat of cats.

Death by cats is a sorrowful and painful parting. For the cats and the affiliated.

Chapter 50

Summary:

Here you go~

I'm off to Hiatus...byeeee

Chapter Text

Kaeya opened his eyes to his Dream. His people are nowhere in sight, so he searches for a flower that stood out among the Inteyvats. He spots it clearly enough, a lone little collection of white bell shaped flowers. Lily-of-the-valley.

He walks over, leaning down to inspect the little bloom. The flowers spread, creeping over the ground as his own Inteyvats did in the waking world. He's at a shore of a rocky beach, the little lillies growing over around and between the rocks. He could see below the waters where more of the flowers seem to submerged with the rocks that it grew over.

" So yer me replacement." He looks behind him where a man in a long cloak sat, holding a smoking pipe to his lips. His blonde hair is medium length, a small braid tucked behind his ear as a red cloth kept his hair neatly out of his face. He had a scar that stretched from his lower chin over his left eye, clouded and blind from the looks of it. " How do?"

" Hi." He replied awkwardly. The other man simply raised a brow before gesturing him to sit with.

" The shores be getting shorter, with what little time we have, me crew too would soon be swallowed by the bellows of the Dark Sea." He huffed a mouthful of smoke, the scent reminding him of something sweet and fragrant.

" Time comes for all beings." He said to the 'Ocelli'.

" Aye, it be." The man agreed. " I don't 'ave a lot t' give ye, I'll be honest."

" You don't have to give me anything." He says to the man and earned a wheezing laugh.

" Bullshit." He blinked, surprised at the use of language by an 'Ocelli'. " Here." He tosses a small green bottle towards him, the younger man catching it swiftly. The little bottle was smaller than his palm, like a miniature figure of the actual thing. Inside it sat a single bulb of a lily of the valley. " Cures what ails ya." He flashes Kaeya a wide smirk, a fanged tooth poking out from his lips.

Kaeya opens his eyes, small white flowers bloomed by his head. The Blizzard yawned softly and stretched before sitting himself up. He picked up one little lily, inspecting it with an interested hum.

Wasn't one of that fox guy a botanist? He wondered as he shifted his form and exited the room. " Morning, Captain Kaeya!" Collei greeted him as she sat at the table with a mouthful of what looks like an omelette.

" Madam Jing said that this was a traditional dish of the mountain nomads that used to live on the borders." Cyno said as he picked through the omelette with a fork. He garbles a word while signing to spell it out. " You're looking for Tighnari?"

" Is it urgent, little peafowl?" Jing Wūya emerged from the kitchen. " I heard Tighnari was called in over a patient. Apparently someone was found in a withering zone." A garbled buzz and Kaeya has his hand under his chin. " It is rather interesting. I'm about to disturb him. Care to join me?"

" Do not disturb him while he's working." Cyno tried to warn them, glaring as hard as he can. But, against two beings that he could very hardly refer as human, it doesn't do him any favours.

" There's no need for any of that." Tighnari says as he walked into the kitchen with his notes in hand. " The man's severely malnourished and suffered immense damage from the withering zone. Any ideas as to why he was there in the first place is still a mystery. But, we have this." He places down a pyro delusion for all to see.

The reactions to it were instantaneous. " Don't put work on the dining table! We talked about this." Collei huffed angrily at them both while Cyno scowled at it.

" It looks ugly. Get rid of it." Jing Wūya says immediately, her silver eyes shining like blades.

" I'll deal with it at the Akademiya." Cyno said, quickly swiping it off the table. " So it's a Fatui agent."

" It seems so. I've had him moved to the Bimarstan to improve his health. They'll do what they can but any extensive damage from the withering may be untreatable with what little we know. They would have to take some time looking for someone with a dendro vision willing enough to help with the healing process." Tighnari explained.

" That's quite serious. I'm assuming you require the dendro user in order to use their elemental energy to treat the withering?" Jing Wūya asked.

" Yes. How did you know?" The fox asked in turn. The crow hummed, a smile forming on her lips.

" Could you take me to there?" She says instead.

" How it is, Pervases?" She asked the little sparrow as it returned to her hand. Tighnari stayed close by, bow ready at any moment monsters would appear.

" I can recognise the essence of the dead gods." The bird answered much to his surprise. Why is he still surprised? It's flight pattern didn't even sound the same as any sparrow he's seen.

" Hm, considering what it effects and what is attracted to it..." She trails off, taking note of the dead monsters they've subjugated.

" Are you implying the withering is the result of King Deshret's death?" Cyno asked her with a careful eye on their surroundings.

" No, it is the Goddess of Flowers." Jing Wūya answered. " I know ley lines and I can see where they are connected. What hurts them. This." She points over to the withering orb. " Is taking energy from the ley lines and releasing it to the surrounding area at an extreme pace, making the air thicker with elemental energy. Plants and animals are most easily influenced as they are elemental beings as well. They're trying to protect her, what's left of her." Jing Wūya sighed.

" But, wasn't she a Goddess of Flowers? Why would all this...come from her?" Collei asked nervously.

" Gods are powerful beings. They can be birthed through great and simple things. When they die, they die just as greatly." Pervases explained while still in sparrow form. " In our time, as yakshas, it was our duty to contain the lingering resentment and anger of fallen gods so their wrath doesn't fester as they have here and in Inazuma." He finished.

" From what I've heard, even the Goddess of Salt, who died within her own domain had gone out with a great calamity of salt. Waves of energy that spread through the domain, turning all those who couldn't escape from her resentment into salt." The woman told them in a low voice. " But this is...less harmful than I thought. I'm assuming the Traveller has been helping with them?"

" Often." Tighnari confirmed.

" Alright, Pervases and I may be able to help as well. We will be able to contain the withering through both adeptal arts and Mnemoria. With the two of us, there should be significant improvement in a few days." The crow hummed thoughtfully. It would be a good place to meditate and gather her energy once again. She feels almost excited to be able to show off to her student later just how incredible her skill in the arts are.

No, no. The art of Mnemoria is to relieve the ley lines of its overflowing energy. That's what she's here for. Showing off later...will be considered reaping the benefits.

" There's still something I don't get." Collei speaks up. " If the death of a god could cause calamities then why does Liyue looke fine?" The young girl asked curiously.

" Why wouldn't it be?" The crow responded. " Rex was a dragon first, a god second." She explained. " When dragons die, their essence and body return to the elements. Like...when trees grow from dead animals." She tested the terms on her tongue. " Compost." She clapped her hands. " It's like compost."

Elsewhere, a dragon sneezed. Feeling oddly annoyed like he was being mocked.

" So that's why." Collei sighed in relief. " Thank goodness." The other two men shared a glance, deciding to not question it. " Why did Kaeya have to go to the Akademiya so early? I know he was signing but I couldn't really catch it."

" He says he has to meet with Lord Kusanali very urgently." All but Jing Wūya and Pervases looked up. A long set of white hair dangled above them as a young looking girl, wearing a simple white tunic with a vine wrapped around her waist watched them with big blue eyes. " It's dangerous here. Aside from the Sleigh Beggy, why are the rest of you here?"

Cyno's grip on his spear is tight, tangled all around her were bodies of monsters trapped in strange silver thread. This little girl wasn't human.

" Oho, I was wondering when I'd meet one like you." Jing Wūya stated with a smile. He has met well with Ariel, Pavel, Kaltel and even Càrn. " Aisling, was it?"

" Yes, that's me." The small faerie climbed down in animalistic speed with all four limbs. " Who are you?"

" I'm Collei." The girl in green introduced herself. Tighnari had his lips pursed shut, tail all fluffed with each hair on end.

" You should leave." The girl says. " You smell like sand and you smell like mushrooms." She stuck her tongue out in distaste at the two men. " You smell like the breeze, I like you. But the three of you cannot stay."

" Best not to test a Fae's patience." Jing Wūya tells them. " Go on, I'll be alright. Leave me to deal with the little spider." All three shared worried looks but reluctantly agreed, leaving the woman alone in the active withering zone.

Within the sanctuary, Kaeya lets his wings unfold and stretched out his entire Blizzard form. The Wanderer blinked, thinking back of his life of more than four hundred years and never has he witnessed such a being. Having been in the presence of Irminsul, he could feel the similarities of such a presence by such a creature before him.

The Blizzard spoke in birdsong, full of buzzes, cooes and calls. Nahida seemed to understand him perfectly, completely engaged in another conversation about dreams. Apparently, there was a lot more going on with the Cavalry Captain of Mondstadt than they'd initially believed. He has tried linking his thoughts with the captain but his inner voice was drowned out by dozens of others.

All those that called him 'Your Majesty' or 'Lord Regent'. How they held him with such high regard. As the current confidant of Lord Kusanali, he was given the bare details of what exactly was going on. Nahida had shown him how to interpret fairytales and let him read through a couple collected stories regarding the previous 'Ocelli', as they are called. Then, the subject of meeting yet another 'Ocelli' came into play.

" A pirate?" Paimon echoed.

" Yes. Didn't you hear?" He couldn't help but tease her. She was such an easy target. " Typical."

" Hey!"

" No fighting." Lumine reminded them. " A pirate sounds pretty exciting." Kaeya grinned, signing as he made motions to his eye, hand and leg.

" He had a scar over his eye but no eye patch. He didn't even have a hook for a hand or a peg leg." Nahida translated as Kaeya let out a little giggle.

" Well, not all pirates have such criteria." Lumine chuckled as Paimon laughed.

" I have met such a person once." The Wanderer admitted with a thoughtful look. " It was way back, I'd say two hundred years ago? The captain of this one ship for the Fatui had been through many battles and sustained a dozen injuries. The Doctor thought it was funny to make him look like an a pirate from the stereotypes." The Blizzard hisses slightly from the mention of the Doctor. " Right, less Fatui talk."

His tail continued to rattle but it milder as they continued their conversation. He supposed he needed to work on his people skills more. There's a small hint of displeasure in Kaeya's eyes as well. Had he been that offended?

" Kaeya doesn't usually express how he really feels so often." Lumine says to him quietly. " He's the kind of guy to brush things off with a smile or do whatever he can to gather information. You'd think he'd be all over digging for info but he doesn't now. His new instincts don't exactly let him be. Not unless he lets himself go full bird brain for a while in my teapot."

" It does feel safe." The Wanderer mumbled.

" I'm thinking of getting him an adeptal realm of his own, if possible. But, I don't know if he'd be happy with that yet." The traveller continued.

" I wanna know what sailor talk is like." They could hear Paimon say aloud.

" Well, we don't exactly have pirates here. Not that I know of at least." Nahida says and Lumine can't help but think how cute her little voice sounds. A look at Kaeya seemed to suggest he thinks the same. Something seemed to click and he digs into his pocket.

" Woah, what's that?" Paimon gasped. In his hand is a shimmering crystal like lamp grass, it was as if it was crafted by some sort of expert.

" For me?" Nahida gasped in turn as she accepts the flower. Then eats it.

" Nahida?!"

Chapter 51

Summary:

It back.

Chapter Text

Diluc made his way to the Favonius Headquarters, passing by a few guards along the way. He prepares himself for whatever questions Jean may have since the letter he sent the night prior would certainly raise a few. He's sure Adelinde and Elzer can handle the kid, if not then he'd given Pavel some authority if anything happens. Not without detailed conditions of course, Faes love exploiting loopholes.

" Come in." Jean's voice could be heard from the other side. The door opens with a soft click. " So, you're taking in a charge?"

" Yeah." Diluc nodded. " It's temporary. I hope."

" I doubt that somehow." The man simply huffed at the response. " How do you want to go about this?"

" I'm not sure yet." He considered having the kid work at the Winery but his conscience was against it. " He's an intelligent kid, I was hoping the Knights might be able to make use of him."

" Make use of him?" Jean echoed.

" Just in a sense that could occupy his time. I don't really know what to do with him. He could go on adventures but I'd rather not risk him running into any trouble without supervision. I'd rather not have a child working at my bar under any circumstances and kids shouldn't be close to alcohol." He always has this twisted feeling in his gut when he sees Diona. " I can't leave him to his own devices either." A segregated segment of Il Dottore is still his segment nonetheless.

" I understand your concerns but we can't simply go forward so suddenly. According to your letter, he's rather nervous and displaying signs of PTSD as well as anxiety." Jean lets her eyes trail over the letter once again. " Why are you looking into this?" It's a purely honest question.

Of course Diluc could say that he'd made a deal with a Fae but he had all the reasons and opportunities to decline. He could've still went on with his life even without the feline informants. It was unnecessary, but he accepted anyways. Perhaps he was nostalgic, with the heavy rain and the condition the kid arrived at his Winery.

" Call it an act of kindness, I suppose." He shrugged absently. " It's the City of Freedom, it's the right of all beings to seek such a thing." The words flowed through him as easily as the breeze. " Who are we to deprive it from him, especially one as forsaken as he." He blinked out of the trance, shaking his head.

Jean was staring at him, surprised. " That almost sounded like something Venti would say."

" Please don't." He sighed, running hands through his hair again.

" Well, how did your father treat Kaeya when he was first brought in?" The man paused, looking down at the floor as he recalled the night his father returned home with a child of blue hair and the most unique eyes. Wet hair plastered over his head, the little cape he wore was ragged and did little to hide the skinny frame and boney limbs.

" We spent the first few days letting him get used to the house. He couldn't speak common much at the time so we had to teach him slowly." Though, Kaeya was certainly a sharp one as he grasped the language far quicker than expected. With better handwriting too. He tosses Jean a questioning look, one he used whenever he thinks she might be indicating certain ideas he didn't quite agree with. Like being patient during a case or back when she tried to get him to spend more quality time reconciling with Kaeya.

" I'm not asking you to treat him exactly the same way." Jean immediately answered. " I'm asking you to give him a little compassion. Just enough to keep an eye on him at least." The wine tycoon huffs, crossing his arms. He was plenty compassionate. " You said it yourself that all beings have a right to freedom."

" I know." He sighed. " I've already given my word, there's no point in backing out. I'll take care of him for a while and get back to you on his... education." He supposed he could leave it at that.

" I'll see if the alchemist branch would be willing to accept him when the time comes." Diluc nods, the alchemist branch would certainly suite that child best. " If that is all, then would you mind joining me for a cup of tea?"

It was rare for Jean to feel comfortable enough to take a break by her own terms. Her office was usually swamped with papers, ranging from commissions to complaints and reworking schedules for the knights. The Blizzard's progressive hunts had certainly made its mark on their region and many to follow. Adding the fact that the Fae under his reign did their own part in securing Mondstadt. Although he has been warned that it is more likely to their own interest and Kaeya's personal attachment to the land, he still takes it as a win.

" By all means, Acting Grandmaster Jean."

Two days passed, as he returned to the Winery from a business meeting, he finds the servants looking around frantically. " What's been lost?" He asked immediately. The maids stammered and stuttered as they spoke, so much so that he didn't quite catch what they said. " Pardon?"

" It's Sir Elias, he's missing." The maid said nervously.

" He's not." Diluc says plainly and walked over to where the carriages were. He reaches in and pulls out a boy with teal hair and red eyes, dirt on his pants from where he was crouching and on his gloves.

" Hey!" The boy exclaimed, dropping some tools.

" See." He presents the boy, hanging him by the collar of his shirt like a stray kitten.

" Put me down." The boy growled. Diluc scoffed at the idea that this was the terrified child who'd turn up at his doorstep two days ago.

" You haven't even eaten yet, have you?" The child looks away, pursing his lips. " Let's go before Adelinde thinks I'm starving you." He says, carrying the child by the scruff still.

" Wh- Put me down at least! I can walk on my own." Diluc says nothing and only settled him back to the ground when they've reached indoors. " Stop picking me up like that. I'm not a kitten."

" You were scuttling around the carriages like one." Diluc retorted. " What were you doing?" Perhaps his tone was too rough or his expression too cold, but the child flinches regardless.

" ...I heard there was a problem with them so I thought I'd take a look." Elias answered. Dusty quickly appeared by his feet, brushing against the man's legs and meowing. Diluc glances to the fireplace where Pavel peaked from the corner, nodding.

" There's no need to do that." He says gruffly and heads over to the kitchen to look for Adelinde.

" But I want to help. I can be useful!" Elias followed after him.

" I don't require your help." Diluc says to him with a careful gaze. " And there's no need for you to be useful."

" Fine." The boy grumbled. " Then, what are you going to do with me?" The boy asked. He already knows that he would be kept under Ragnvindr's care, following his rules, but he was never an idle child. Not even as a mere segment. Perhaps Ragnvindr had deemed him unworthy of time, of use due to past grudges or ties. Maybe it's that morality thing the people here seem to hold so highly.

" In about a week's time, you will begin apprenticeship for the Knights of Favonius Alchemist branch." Ragnvindr informed him. Of course they'd still want to make use of his talents and knowledge. " They did mention they needed a hand with ingredients and someone careful enough to handle the more delicate apparatuses. You're no fragile thing so you'd survive going through Dragonspine should Albedo require any deliveries."

" Hold on, are you saying that I'll just be another errand boy?" Ragnvindr spared him a glance and scoffed. " Don't scoff at me!" The child nearly shrieked. Elias lets out a small yelp as he's swiftly picked up by the scruff of his shirt again.

" Quit fussing. It'll be good work for you." The echoes of Chess' laugh could be heard by them both.

" Fussy little kitten." She laughed and the boy's face flushed red.

" Put me down!"

" Smriti Nara!" Blue eyes watched as the children of the forest approached her.

" Hello." She greeted them in turn. Little plantlike creatures, with simple smiling expressions for faces and tiny doll like bodies scuttles through the thicket.

" How is the Kakah Nara and Tamra Cataka?" They asked her, in their arms were zaytun peaches and sunsettias. Aisling smiled at the adorable gesture, taking the fruits from them.

" They are still working." She tells them.

" But the Marana is dangerous and no Nara can keep walking after going in for long." One of them said.

" Don't worry, they're alright. Do you not feel how nice the air feels?" Aisling hummed.

" Smells like copper, like flowers!"

Marana was the memory of death, as the Aranara put it. But who's? This bitter memory of having one's life fade away so painfully, only a God could have such an impact upon the world. Aisling and her latest new Fae were known Smriti Nara, what it means may be lost to them but they're certain with the way their Liege smiles it was good.

She shares a small goodbye with the children of the forest amd went to check on the two who have never left her forest. The trees were looking a little healthier, no longer choking over the abundance of nutrients that deprived them of their balanced needs. Some of the fauna have returned to normal thanks to both their Liege and the two she was approaching.

The new Fae, warrior like faeries born from the Black Serpent Knights were very watchful and seldom spoke. A number of them have decided to go looking for the other Fae, ensuring their safety and security as always. Some have decided to scout out the more ancient ones, Fae from previous 'Ocelli' who'd reigned as Sovereign.

She spots them not too soon. Still sitting by the withering cores that have dimmed considerably, legs crossed together in lotus and eyes closed, Jing Wūya meditates. Her shadow resembled that of an illuminated beast, an adeptus who seemed to be in a similar state of meditation. Around them ener swirled and flowed at a steady pace, a sigil glowing where they sat and aimed at the withering cores.

Even with five of their greatest Yaksha, it still took weeks to contain the Marana energy of felled gods. Perhaps it is due to the continuous efforts over five centuries that had already weakened most of the withering zones that made it look so that the duo were curing the land rather quickly.

Jing Wūya would disagree. For the land was already on a path of healing, made possible only by the grace of another god. She's already forgotten her name, as heart breaking as that felt but knew it was for the best. Within her locked subconsciousness, she formed her own realm of Dreams. With both elemental and adeptal energy being supplied to her at steady paces by Pervases.

She has to be precise, alert and extremely careful in the process. In the martial world, practitioners meditate in order to form a 'core' of energy that allows them to use their martial art with great power. A 'core' is like adding a heart to the existing circuit like formation of energy in the body. This allows energy to flow more efficiently and makes it easier to manipulate.

The flying sword art uses a combination of ying and yang energy in order to control the swords remotely.

The 'core' she plans to create will allow her to lock an area of land in a perpetual state of stillness. On the surface, it would seem like she disappeared into thin air but in truth, she has entered a mirrored realm of that area.

This will be the basis of her Dream.

Unlike the Sovereigns of Fae, she is not connected to such a constellation that would allow such a deep connection between different 'Ocelli' and of Irminsul. The Dream is far too complex for herself to replicate, her mind wouldn't have been able to take it. So, she would instead bring her Dream to the waking world.

A mirrored space made commonly among Fae and older practitioners of Mnemoria as hidden abodes and sanctuaries. The reflection of the present world.

Chapter 52

Notes:

Song used - Baiana (Clozee remix)

Chapter Text

Tighnari observes the lily carefully. Bottled up in water collected from a clear spring. " This specimen is supposed to be extinct." He slowly turned to the others, Nahida and Kaeya simply exchanged a glance as the latter shrugged.

" The circumstances of its growth is very strange. We'd rather not disclose it." The traveller said with a sigh. They finally agreed to tell the others about the flowers after two whole weeks.

" This particular lily-of-the-valley is a very rare variation. Instead of moss beds, they grow over pebbles and stones next to the sea. More importantly, these flowers once thrived in the nation of Natlan." Cyno notices the way Kaeya's gaze softens at the information.

" His story would be difficult to find then." Nahida hummed.

" I'm sure we'll find talk of it somehow." Kaeya reassures her. " Even if this is an age of change, I have patience for such delicate things."

" That is true." Nahida nodded. " Perhaps we should find information through the little clues of him."

" The 'Ocellus' had been a pirate, there's bound to be talk among seafarers." To them, it would appear that the two were having a meaningful discussion but to anyone else, it's a one sided conversation filled with bird chatter. " Ah, I forgot no one else would understand."

" Our apologies, we didn't mean to leave you all out." The young Goddess apologized but Lumine was more intrigued over the concept that Dainsleif can now turn into a literal Twilight Sword. She observes where the black sword was sheathed at Kaeya's hip. The Cavalry Captain had mentioned that Dainsleif is usually asleep in this state but she could somehow feel the nervous air coming off the sword.

" It's okay, Nahida." Paimon says, breaking the silence. " So, what's so special about the little valley lily?" She asked.

" Well, it does carry some medicinal value in the pharmaceutical field. It's considered a cure all for many ailments, especially to those out at sea. But, the processing technique is long lost to time thus rendering the plant mostly useless for now." Tighnari explained.

" Perhaps we could ask the sailors around Port Ormos, see if they've ever heard of this cure all medicine." Cyno suggested.

" Sounds good." Alhaitham hummed. " And what do you think, Captain Kaeya?" The bluenette blinked in surprise. " While this may be under Lord Kusanali's request, you are the one who started the entire project."

He signed that while the plant itself is mostly known among sailors, the best source for any information for the 'Ocellus' would be the pirates themselves. Only they would truly know the ins and outs of their trade.

" I do have a friend who happens to be the captain of a great ship. Heard she was a pirate once too." Lumine added. " I could drop by Liyue real quick to check with her." Kaeya cooed, nodding enthusiastically.

" Yeah, leave it to us!" Paimon says cheerfully.

" I suppose that leaves Port Ormos to us." Cyno says as they watched the traveller rush towards the nearest waypoint.

" You can go on ahead, I'm gonna go check on Madame Wūya." Tighnari announced before leaving, Cyno following shortly after

" She's still meditating? It's been days." Alhaitham remarked.

" The ways of her art are more spiritual in nature." Nahida explained. " Some of the martial arts in Liyue are like this. Though the difference is that the current arts is more of a derivative or inspired by Adepti or Rex Lapis. Much of their fundamental beliefs revolved around them as well. Jing Wūya however, is practicing an art from a time that preceded such things."

" So legends of martial artists starving for days, were those true?" He asked the goddess. Through her odd connections to the two guests and how she somehow still communicated with them beyond physical means, he could finally see the side of her that should shine the most. The great knowledge befitting of a Goddess of Wisdom.

" Perhaps." She smiled. The words vague and seemed to differ from her usual straight answers. It seems those two may have been too much of an influence on her. " Jing Wūya is a practitioner of two lost arts and was even qualified to help Rex Lapis in his earlier years before the great archon war. Fasting, would be a small feat for someone of her prowess."

Tighnari inspected the surrounding area of the withering, noting it's state of recovery and how some plants were finally flourishing. He follows the usual trail, his ears picking up movement patterns in the air which he knew was the Faerie in charge of the area. He leaves a piece of sweet with three carnations he'd grown from the strange seed Kaeya had left for him, he didn't need to turn around to know it's already been snatched up.

His flowers were tinted white, he's heard somewhere that it symbolised luck. He had to put three flowers instead of one because Kaeya had told him that Aisling shared hers with the Aranaras. Having always dreamed of meeting them, he hoped the flowers would give him such an opportunity.

It'd been two weeks since Jing Wūya had begun her meditation in the withering zones. Whatever she was actually doing with it seemed to be working out. He picks up someone muttering, then two distinct voices were becoming clear. He calls upon his bow, crouching low so the thick foliage covered him.

" I already told you, I wasn't doing anything!" He recognises that voice, the one he'd found in the Withering Zones but disappeared during treatment. The man who'd deceived the whole village, committing acts of kidnapping young children to lure out Aranaras. Alphonso.

" Likely story." He recognises Dehya's loud voice anywhere. They come into view, the Eremite with her hands on her hip, eyes narrowed against the fully dressed Fatui agent who was missing his mask. " You Fatui really are everywhere but you've tampered with Sumeru long enough." She's reaching for her blade, as does the agent and they both froze as they hear something rustling through the leaves.

" Darn branches. You're beautiful but seriously annoying at times." Tighnari sighed internally when Kaveh stumbles into view, nearly tripping over a stray root. " What the hell? Why are you all gathered in front of my muse?"

" Your muse?" They both echoed. " Yes." Kaveh struts past them, putting up his easel and a wrapped canvas. " I stumbled upon this place while looking for some inspiration. I tried moving her but she's still as a statue, I came by a few times to check and started sketching her since I was bored." He removes the wrapping carefully to reveal his latest work, from the reactions of the other two it must be very impressive. " So what's your excuse?"

" I tailed this guy here. He was being suspicious." Dehya jabbed her finger at the agent. " Thought he was doing Fatui stuff."

" I -" He gives a quick glance at his attire. " Okay, I do look suspicious but I don't...I don't work for the Fatui anymore." He says carefully, shifting his eyes side to side as though he were afraid of someone listening in.

" Then?" Dehya continue to question him as Kaveh decided to continue working on his piece.

While he doesn't condone the action, the fox must admit that his subject is nothing to scoff at. Jing Wūya is dressed lavishly from when she was at the theatre, not having changed at all. There's a flower tucked behind her ear which wasn't there before and some fresh fruits sitting by her side.

Those fruits were changed frequently since wandering birds and animals come by to eat. He doesn't know who replaces them, but he has a few guesses. " What the- Tighnari!" His ears flick at the call of his name. " Get out of the frame, I can see you." For someone like Kaveh, his eyes are incredibly sharp.

" I can't believe you." The fox says as he steps out of hiding. " You do realise you're drawing her without any consent?" The man pauses, mouth hanging open.

" Well, I mean, I don't think she'd mind." He trails off, still quietly sketching. " Look, a Fatui agent!"

" I can already see him." Tighnari states bluntly. " Which brings me to question as to why are you here?" He asked pointedly at the agent. " Well?"

" I was hoping this withering zone was still active. I..." He takes in a deep breath. " I wanted to die here." A silence fills the space, Kaveh had stopped sketching and all three of them stared at the agent with a horrified glint in their eyes. The agent bit the inside of his cheek, residents of Sumeru were especially sensitive to topics of suicide as the tragic act was far too common among students of the Akademiya. Another issue to which the dendro archon was planning to address soon.

" Don't die like that." Kaveh, his eyes were wide and lips pressed into a thin line, spoke with a voice void of emotion.

" Don't ever talk like that either." Tighnari warned. " If the others at the village ever get word of you dying like that... If Sudabeh hears about finding your body in such a position..." He dares not to finish his sentence, swallowing a lump in his throat. Dehya says nothing, looking to her side instead.

The agent is speechless, opening and closing his mouth with no sound. " Master Tighnari!" Collei leaps forward with her bow drawn and aimed at the agent. Nilou comes running after her, sword in hand.

" Kaveh! You're drawing her again!" Nilou fumed. " You need permission! Consent!" She scolded him, jabbing her finger at his direction.

" Like her attire wasn't your theatre's doing!" He retorts with an accusatory finger. " I know the designer there and I can recognise her signature style anywhere."

" I'm sorry, your theatre dressed up the sister of Rex Lapis?" The agent said.

" The what?!" Several people exclaimed at once.

" Spill." Dehya ordered, raising her claymore.

" It's pretty recent info!" The agent says, immediately putting his hands up in a placating gesture. " Jing Wūya is the sister of Rex Lapis, she recently emerged from deep slumber in some magic amber or whatever. But her existence predates the Archon War, so there's next to nothing on her. We're told not to engage and I heard that one of the Harbingers even owed her a favour after meeting her twice." Tighnari and Collei exchanged a glance, the former shaking his head while the latter shrugged.

" We dressed up a goddess." Nilou gasped under her breath.

" I find that very hard to believe coming from you." Dehya glares at the agent.

" It's the truth!" The agent proclaimed. A quick shout from Kaveh grabbed their attention. He had jumped back, canvas on the ground and a hand pressed over his mouth in shock.

They see her standing now, her broad back to them as her head tilted upwards. " That certainly took longer than I thought." She said as she rolled her shoulders and neck. " Hmm, I'm not close enough to make the mountains sing again." She hummed as she flexed her fingers. " Ah, what does the forest want to sing?"

A strange rhythmic sound fills the air, growing louder steadily. The sound of someone beating a drum and knocking against wood joined in as Jing Wūya drummed her fingers in the air. Voices in the air started to sing in a foreign language they didn't recognise. At first some may speculate the voices to be that of Aranaras but Tighnari didn't hear their steps.

Her hips swayed, arms moving fluidly with the rhythm. Elegant curves of her fingers as she masterfully waves them along with the silks of her attire. She turns to face them in rhythm, her eyes still shut but her body started to move even more fluidly to the song that was apparently being sung by the forest itself.

The wind blew a gentle whirlwind of leaves, the colours of green, red and gold flitting about like confetti. Her silks are flying with each movement, capturing the eyes of all those who witnessed her. Her steps are elegant but firm, pressing against the ground to leave the lightest impressions upon it.

It was akin to watching a tree swaying in the wind, a bird flying through the branches, tigers stalking the earth, all these things and much more. She was dancing as though she were another beast in the forest, great power and elegant splendor in her movements. Taken by her charm, they didn't notice the eyes of the unseen watching as well.

Jing Wūya swayed, the earth guiding her every move as they always did. With every step and twirl, the leaves in the wind as the partner guiding her arms. She twirls again, fast and her silks flowed with her.

Stopping abruptly, the music halts with her. Her eyes fluttered open, silver irises gazing down to the man she stepped towards. The agent is still, mouth agape and eyes blown wide as she leans in carefully.

" Did you hear it? The forest sang." She smiled as he stuttered to answer, chuckling softly to herself. " My, I've gathered quite an audience." She stretched, giving a satisfied hum at the pop of her shoulders. " So, what brings you all here?"

Chapter 53

Chapter Text

" Hey, Dehya." Jeht greeted the sight of her dark hair. " Visiting our tribe again? I'd welcome you but..." She trailed off, leaving out the little jab she planned on her bringing the Traveller along. Instead her eyes swept over a rather strange group. Two forest rangers, a scholar with a briefcase, a dancer, a maskless Fatui agent and, her eyes swept up to the tall lady adorned in peachy silks and jewels. " Who's this?"

" Right, I'll introduce you." Jeht proceeds to ignore most of it, her eyes more on the beautiful lady with long braided hair. " And this is Jing Wūya, she's visiting from Liyue."

" Hello, young one." Her voice is gentle, a smile that's soft and sweet. " I hope you don't mind me here."

" Not at all." The young Eremite said quickly. " What brings you all here?"

" I'm here on response to a commission. Your tribe asked for an exorcist specifically, did you not?" The woman said. " These are all friends of mine." She gestured to the others. The agent remained silent. " Could you describe for me the problem?"

" Right, come this way." She leads them deeper into the settlement, earning looks of curiosity and interest by the other Eremites. Their eyes would linger particularly on the dancer and the exorcist. Though, they never stare for too long, quickly returning to their work after flinching over something. Jeht didn't catch the deep glares of silver eyes, a gaze so sharp they would've been blades.

" Hey," Kaveh calls over the agent. " How are you holding up?" The question genuinely surprised him.

" I'm alright. It isn't as if she starves me." He tries to joke but the lines beneath his eyes were far too evident.

" I still don't quite understand what she's teaching you." Tighnari finally says and he says nothing.

Jing Wūya had taken him under her wing so to speak, using the favour the Harbinger owed her to officially write him off as dead. She had taken apart his delusion, told him that he has only a few years left to live due to the damage it caused and offered him to work with her instead.

He'd been hesitant to accept, especially with how vague the work description was but like the House of Hearth she had deemed him talented. No, it's more to adaptable. She told him he had a good affinity with the unseen, though he doubts such a thing. Whatever it was, she had him reading up on cultural ethics and history of Sumeru. From those within the forests to the vast deserts, she chose the sources herself of course and mostly avoided biased works that would insult either culture.

Surprisingly, Dehya and Kaveh pitched in to help him memorise them under Jing Wūya's insistence. They would point out the finer points of their respective cultures, its symbolisms that most Akademiya scholars would ignore. They had been very reluctant at first but after a few days, they became eager to share what they knew. Whatever Jing Wūya said to them must have stirred something because they treated him like any other student studying a subject would.

" Welcome to our tribe." The Matriarch greeted them warmly, though she regarded the outsiders with a more careful gaze. " Ah, you must be our exorcist." She says to the crow with a pleasant smile

Jing Wūya simply returned it with her own. " Yes, these young ones will be helping me." She had insisted they all come along for the exorcism when she found the commission. " Could you describe to me exactly what you saw?"

" They were like little pieces of burning ash, flickering off the ground. Like a sea of fireflies that floated in from there." She pointed to the direction between some cliffs and the path to a nearby oasis. " I thought that was what they were until we heard the voices." She describes the small hums of melody, the tired sighs and sad grumbling that could be heard. " They sounded rather restless."

" I see." The crow hummed in interest. She glances to the others she's brought along with her, smiling broadly. " It seems I've made the right choice bringing you all here. I will go with the Matriarch to investigate the area, all of you should relax for a bit and mingle. I won't be long, kindly behave." With that, she follows the Matriarch down the path. Tighnari wondered when she started treating them like children.

" So, how are all of you actually going to help with the exorcism or whatever?" Jeht asked, ushering them to sit down at a nearby mat for some coffee.

" No idea. We haven't gotten the details." Kaveh answered. " So why is it that these 'fireflies' of all things seem to be bothering your tribe?"

" We tried to ignore them at first, believe us but it didn't quite work out." She recalls the many nights they'd been forced to awaken as the voices started imitating sounds of monsters at night. They couldn't dismiss them completely in case of an actual monster. " We tried attacking it."

" Didn't work out?" Dehya asked.

" You wouldn't be here if it did." They couldn't be touched either, just floating around. " Why is he here? Didn't the Fatui try to, I don't know, replace the dendro archon?" She finally points to Alphonso.

" I'm a sacrifice to appease the Gods." He says with the most blank expression possible. Collei smacked his head, causing him to yelp.

" What did we say about all that sacrifice talk?" Tighnari scolded him.

" Not to." He mumbled, rubbing his head.

" Well, Madame Jing told me that she wanted to show me something later and that it would be a big help if I were around." Nilou says. " I hope I'd get to see her dance again."

" She can dance?" Jeht asked and any Eremite in the vicinity leaned in to listen.

" She's amazing!" Nilou started going into detail on her moves, the smooth motions of her hands and feet, the way her hips swayed. " And you know what she said when I asked her how she knew how to dance like that?"

" What?" Jeht gasped.

" To quote ; following where the elements want her to move."

" Now that's just flexing." One of the other Eremite Loremasters said. " The spirits seem to be very drawn to her, they like her a lot."

" I noticed that too." Jeht said. " It feels like they would've flocked to her if they weren't with us."

" That's not surprising." Alphonso added. " One of the last bit of general information that I got from my faction was that Jing Wūya is -" Collei elbowed his ribs, forcing him to cough. " What?"

" She's a monk." Kaveh quickly covered up. Technically he wasn't entirely wrong either.

" Ah, that makes sense." The others agreed, nodding slowly. Monks were rare at present, being a stuff of fiction in novels that featured Liyue. Seeing one roaming out in the open was rare at times, though not strange.

Elsewhere, a teal headed teen had his nose in a book, a popular fairytale here in Mondstadt. He's heard enough about Fae and fairytales to know what sort of stories may have underlying meanings to it. Specifically ones that carried the rose insignia of the mysterious author. Such books weren't largely available in Snezhnaya, not surprising as each nation had their own trove of fairytales.

But the ones found in Mondstadt were especially intriguing. He searched thoughtfully what could be hidden between the fairytale's plot, why was it familiar yet not and why, would whatever it kept be hidden so well.

" Hey, kid." He raises his head, groaning in annoyance as a pink haired girl strode into the room. " You eaten yet?" She doesn't wait for him to answer, placing down a plate of grilled fish in front of him, far too close to his papers.

" Hey, watch it!" He hissed. " You almost ruined my research."

" Never heard anyone call a book report research before. But hey, first time for everything." Her cat ears flicked.

" Not book reports." Elias growled, returning to his book. " And I told you not to bother me when I'm in here."

" This is my tavern and my exclusive tea room you're using." Diona huffed, immediately marching towards the couch. " Don't you have to do deliveries for the alchemy guys?"

" Already finished earlier this morning so I'm doing my research in the meantime." He answered simply. " Aren't you supposed to be manning the bar?"

" Taking a break. Those booze heads were being weird again." Elias lowered his book.

" Isn't it too early for them to be drunk?" He asked her and she snorts.

" Whatever. Let me relax a bit." She lies down on the soft couch, sighing. She hears Elias grumble something and the sound of him getting out of his chair. " Oh calm down, it's not like I'm kicking you out. Plus, I don't get why couldn't just stick to the library-"

" Do you wanna spike their drinks?" He offered out of nowhere, standing dangerously close to the door.

" Nah, that'll be bad for business and I'll get reprimanded." She stuck her tongue out in distaste. The teal headed boy scoffs, leaving the room with a click of the door. Within a few minutes she could hear feet shuffling and cats yowling angrily. Panicked voices shouting for cover before someone frantically slammed the front door shut. She sits up as Elias walked back inside with a bright grin. " What did you do?"

" I, didn't do anything." He says as Dusty sat on his shoulder. An unamused look from the girl dared him otherwise. " We just gave them a scare, Dusty's a great actor." The cat purred, rubbing his head against Elias' temple.

" You two are menaces." She laughed. " I might lose customers though."

" You won't." Elias says confidently. She could only imagine what kind of grand accident those two orchestrated. The boy starts packing up his things and tucks away his book.

" Hey, wanna play some Genius Invocation TCG before you head off to the Winery?" She offered, taking out the decks she kept beneath the couch. " I swear I'll beat you this time."

" As if, that's child's play." He doesn't leave his seat as Diona sits across him, setting up the dices as he shuffles the deck. " Only one round, I can't be late or Master Diluc might get mad."

" You mean worried?" He tries to picture such an expression on the man's face but could only see him scowling.

" Nope. Let's play." The past few weeks in Mondstadt have been relatively tame. He spent the first couple weeks confined to the Winery's grounds, never straying far from wherever Ragnvindr could eyes on him.

He was always scowling, to the point Elias believed he actually needed glasses. This was proven quite wrong when he smiled at Adelinde and Elzer, sometimes those adventurer brats too. The first time he met them, they kept asking him to join them on adventures but he wasn't keen on it.

He would daresay that he simply entertained them because one of them was jinxed. A curse of misfortune that's activated by certain actions. Chess had taught him about it when he met the boy. In his case, it was most probable that the trigger was in fact 'adventuring'. He doesn't dare to tell the boy, not when such a curse holds no cure. Perhaps calling it a curse would be far fetched, for the nature of a proper Jinx is natural.

All things have balance.

His luck during adventures may be unfortunate but it is always balanced with priceless rewards. For Bennett's case, perhaps his rewards were that he was dearly loved by those who formed steadfast relationships with him. Such things are as priceless as they come, somehow Elias thinks he might already know that.

Currently, the teal headed boy was now working as an assistant at the alchemist branch of the Knights of Favonius Ordo. Despite his initial protests of being an errand boy to what he used to consider as mere alchemists, he was pleasantly surprised with how efficient this branch was compared to the others. Miss Sucrose was a brilliant researcher, looking into the finer details of botany and the abstract ideas that make up the world.

The Chief Alchemist scares him however. Chess said he smelled like chalk and glass to her, advising Elias to be cautious. His stone faced personality and preservations of showing emotions reminded him far too much of some of the later segments of Il Dottore. He shudders at the memory each time.

Mr Dorian was respectively much more expressive compared to his twin. An expert in matters of the investigating impurities in a chemical or of a place. Though, he was most certainly much more trigger happy, ready to use his dendro vision to trap, maim and possibly kill those he considered his enemies. Only if he were allowed, Albedo keeps a close eye on his outbursts.

Yet, he's enjoying his time. Elias would hate to have admitted it then but he does. He liked learning things while delivering supplies to Dragonspine, liked receiving books from Sucrose, liked when Albedo would share opinions with him and listen to Dorian's little philosophical rants.

He liked whenever Ragnvindr would check on him in his room, hear how he hums when he deems all is well. It made him feel secure, nestled in the blankets with Chess curled next to his head.

The land was starting to grow on him.

Chapter 54

Notes:

Spirits and fae can be both very tricky.

Any seemingly good invitation from them can be a trap.

Chapter Text

Alphonso stayed still as Kaveh helped adjust the headdress the Eremites lended them. When Jing Wūya returned with that amused smirk on her face, he was already expecting the worst. They were somewhere down the path where the apparitions were seen, preparing for the seance.

The Eremites were ordered to stay within their tents but were vaguely alluded that they were allowed to watch. Only if they follow her three rules of course. They cannot interfere with the ceremony, they are not to be seen, they are not to be heard. Not by anyone or anything that are involved in the ceremony.

" Ah, this takes me back." The woman hummed as she returned to her group. Tighnari took a whiff of the air and stared at her in disbelief.

" Are you drunk?" He asked her and the others all looked to her with the same expressions.

" Quite." She says, a lazy smile on her face and humming still. " I was offered." She shrugged before taking another swig from her gourd.

" Is that even safe before the ceremony?" Kaveh asked, finishing the adjustments.

" Necessary, actually." She says. " You'll see." She shepards them to the area the apparitions would pasd by, the sun was starting to set as Kaveh helped her draw a wide circle on the ground. " Good. Very good. Now everyone but Alphonso must step out. Find a comfortable place to sit and whatever happens, do not ever cross that line unless I ask you to. With me, over here." She guided him to the center of the circle and sat down together.

A small sparrow flew towards her, landing on her shoulder. She leaned in and they swear they saw it whispering to her.

" So it seems. Has he already left?" The sparrow shook its head. " I see." With that, the sparrow flies up into the air and dove into her shadow. " It seems that the Traveller has returned."

" Already?" Collei asked.

" We will meet with her afterwards." Jing Wūya waved off, the sun nearly sinking into the horizon. " Now, Alphonso. Close your eyes, remain still and listen to my voice. The world is a vast place where talents and knowledge revolve but are not limited to the seven elements. Here in the desert, life still thrives and wrestles through the odds in a wicked dance of strength, persistence and will. The cycle of which we follow, life and death, applies in all places. This land is not as barren as many would believe. Wouldn't you agree, my philosopher of the sands?"

A low chuckle emanates from the man, a smile drew on his lips as his eyes opened. The usual blue hue he had was replaced by a soothing glint of green. His posture changes, he adjusted the way he sits, cross legged like the Eremites do but leaned back on his palms. " One can only assume, habibi." His voice was smooth, carrying an accent similar to Cyno's. " And how fortunate of me, I've never seen one of your kind before."

" I don't think you're the only one to share the statement." She says. " So, why have you come here?"

" Visiting." He answered simply and she waited. " What? Does a father require reasons to visit his children? I simply wanted to see what the descendants of my tribe were like." From afar, the dessert dwellers who were watching in secret each stifled their reactions, remembering her warnings. " I was one of the firsts to enter her temples during the plague. I did whatever I could but alas, like the embers that burned candles, I too faded away." He sighed. " I must say, you are a beauty, habibi."

" Am I?" Jing Wūya mused.

" I would offer you a drink but alas, it seems you've already had your fill." He sits up a little straighter, leaning forward a bit. " Before I return to my rest, I beseech you, habibi. A great beauty, a blooming rose among the sands." He starts to stand, offering her his hand. " Come dance with me."

" No need for your flattery, I've no use for it." She declined his hand, standing by herself smoothly while displaying their difference in height. " But I will amuse you, only for an insense stick worth." She dared to add. He narrowed his gaze, lips pressing together in a tight smile as his deceit was seen through his words.

" You are certainly a cautious one." He chuckled, once again offering his hand. " As you wish, one insense stick worth." She takes it, their palms pressed together as they gave each other a challenging look. " My many thanks in advance, habibi."

Their fingers intertwined, a melody could be heard slowly filling the air as they circled one another another. Alphonso opened his mouth and sang, his voice echoing with praises for his partner for the night before they swiftly took to the floor.

All eyes watched closely as the two danced, their feet following the demanding rhythm of the drums as they moved. Stamping their feet on the ground and twirling. " Dabke?" Tighnari tilted his head.

" They're doing dabke?" Kaveh asked as equally puzzled.

" They're doing dabke!" Nilou gasped in excitement. It'd been too long since anyone in Sumeru has seen a dabke performed so openly. What was once a staple in weddings was banned by the Akademiya due to how loud and festive it was. Disrupting the harmony of the forest, they said.

Dehya gaped as they moved with ease, a memory of her father and his friends doing dabke crossed her mind. The desert could be a difficult place at times. Time they could spare to perform a proper dabke was always cut short due to the monsters roaming around. Everyone had to be prepared at all times for battle.

" Nilou, here." Jing Wūya extended her hand to the girl before the last minute was up and she takes it immediately before the spirit could take the woman in another turn. " When you see your chance, grab anyone." After a few seconds, she managed to grab Kaveh.

The architect grinned, knowing exactly where to take step as he joined the line. Not long after, he's able to get Tighnari in the line who takes Collei with him. " Just follow the beat, don't worry." He reassures her as the spirit led them through the dabke. They danced with exhilarating passion and rhythm that had the desert dwellers looking over in envy. " Dehya." She takes Collei's hand, completing the chain .

Laughs and cheers could be heard with each successful twirl or leap. Anyone could learn how to dabke. It was one of the few pieces of culture they shared between their borders. Seeing it performed together in such a way, with such laughter and clear enjoyment on their faces, the hidden eremites were in awe.

" Brilliant!" The spirit laughed as they finished, the two minutes ending in succession of their dabke. " You were all wonderful. What a gift, habibi!" He laughed again. " Long has it been since I've seen anyone do dabke, or did it myself. Wonderful."

" I take it you are satisfied." Jing Wūya hummed.

" Quite." He says softly, resting his head against her shoulder. " Ah, if only I were born into this age..." He mused to himself. " I would have taken to you just as quickly, habibi." She gives her own chuckle.

" I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to reciprocate. I have long given up on such things." She says.

" Oh, who could have upset you like this, habibi?" He says as he lifts his head to look into her eyes. " To whom do I owe my disdain?"

" None." She answered simply, carefully pulling away. " It is simply that I am barren." He hummed, nodding in understanding at the sentiment.

" Still," He mused. " I would have taken to you no matter what." She chuckles softly at the kind sentiment as he steps back. " Should fate be so kind, I would love to meet you again."

" Should fate be so kind." She repeated in her gentle voice. He bows to her and soon Alphonso's eyes rolled back. Dehya catches him as he slumps forward, completely knocked out. " Well, that's that."

" A bad fish has turned up on your shores." The cat of cats grinned into view as Diluc looked up from his work.

" A bad fish." He muttered, placing his quill down. " Where is Elias?"

" He's at Cat's Tail as usual. The young one there gets along with him." Chess informed him. " He's already been warned, he should be on his way back now."

Elias was indeed on his way back, just about crossing the bridge alongside Diona. " Are you sure it's okay for you to close this early?"

" Those booze heads can handle it and it's not like the other tavern is closed." The little bartender says, balancing over the edges of the bridge walls. " The other cats said you had to go home quickly, I didn't know you lived at the Dawn Winery."

" I'd rather not let that get out. It's not really, well- I don't know. They took me in." He answered. " I don't want to trouble them with nosey people asking me all the time."

" Maybe you shouldn't have gotten picked up by a famous booze head." Diona scoffed.

" Master Diluc doesn't drink." Elias states plainly as they reached the end of the bridge.

" He doesn't?"

" Diona, his favourite drink is grape juice." Elias states with a blank expression.

" But he does control the wine industry." She jumps down from the wall. " And the wine industry's the reason why daddy used to drink."

" He has started going sober, hasn't he?" He asked earnestly.

" Yeah, but sometimes he'd still drink a couple glasses for like events and stuff." She pouts a little. " It's a little better at least." The corners of his lips turns up into the smallest smile, they reached Springfield in just a few minutes. " Well, this is my stop." She says, looking to where Elias was about to walk away, waving at her. " Hey."

" What?" He stopped, saw how her eyes kept staring down the dimly lit path, her ears flicking slightly. " Diona?"

" You should stay over my place tonight." He raises a brow at her. " I don't trust the path right now."

" Will your dad be okay with that?" He asked her.

" Will yours okay with that?" She nodded towards the darkness, where he swears he saw something moving.

" Okay." He muttered. " That's creepy and Master Diluc is not my dad." She simply shrugged and led him to her home. They knock on the door, hearing frantic footsteps from the other end.

" Welcome home, Diona!" Draff said happily, pausing momentarily as his eyes laid upon Elias. " Oh, you've brought a friend." He says, a little glum.

" The road doesn't look safe so I thought he could stay here for the night. Is that okay?" The look in Draff's eyes certainly indicated that he knew exactly what Elias was, where he came from.

" I'm almost done making dinner, come in." He invites them inside.

" Draff, has the little one returned?" Olaf called out. The elder cat looked down at their guest and nodded. " Ah, you must Chess' boy. There's a bad fish in the port, you should stay for the night."

" Wait, you know Chess?" Elias asked as he leads them to the dining table.

" What cat wouldn't?" Olaf scoffed. " Sit, kittens. Dinner will be served soon."

" Not a kitten!" The two of them exclaimed at the same time.

" He's staying over at Diona's?" Diluc asked the cat of cats.

" It appears so. There's been some... oddities with the path to the Winery." The cat informed him.

" How many do you reckon?" He reaches for his hooded cloak and mask.

" Only a handful."

" Specifics, Chess."

" Alright. Seven." She rolled her eyes. " If only you and the Sovereign hadn't made such a contract."

" If it makes you more compliant than I'm happy with it." He could hear her scoff over his shoulder. " Do you suppose Mnemoria could be used in combat?"

" It hasn't really been practiced. Not until you, that is." She vaguely mentions the little tests he did. " Going for a little test trial?"

" Maybe." He tests the weight of his claymore. " The best way to deal with a bad fish is burning it, don't you think?"

Chapter 55

Chapter Text

The Harbinger surveyed the report of the ambush company he'd set on the path. It was a rather odd case for him as most of the vision users within the city have been accounted for, even the cavalry captain was said to be visiting Sumeru for the moment. The rain had washed away most of the elemental traces aside from dendro which lingers almost mockingly.

There aren't any known dendro users in Mondstadt, not on record at least. But the trail wasn't completely unfamiliar, there was a certain way that it carried itself. He's reminded of the time Jing Wūya had rescued the ninth company, the traces of dendro used to heal their wounds. He didn't see a vision but then again, Zhongli hadn't exactly needed one either. He can't deny the signature but the last report he received was that she was visiting Sumeru on a sort of cultural escapade.

" Lord Tartaglia?" He lifted his head from the papers to see the cicin mage. " There's been confirmation of a dendro user in Mondstadt."

" Oh? Do we know who it is?" He asked, itching to get to know a potential opponent.

" He's called Dorian, the twin brother of the Chief Investigator of the Knights of Favonius." A picture lands on his desk, a little blurred but clear enough to make out the shapes of the man. Dark hair, deep green jacket and the vision resting right between his collar bone, right below his narrowed gaze scowling at a cat playing with his jacket. " Apparently he turned up rather recently, just about a few months ago."

" And where was he before?"

" There's the thing. There are no records prior to his sudden appearance in Mondstadt. Not a single one of our agents from the other nations have even heard of him." She informed him. Childe rested his hand on his chin. He's rather sure the case sounded familiar.

" Alright, I suppose it's time we visit the main city. After all, we still have some diplomatic ties, don't we?" He grinned devilishly, tempting to perhaps visit the Delusion Thief while he's at it. He's been sitting around for a good few days already so he might as well take a walk.

" Elias," He looks up, no longer flinching at the call of his name. Diluc gazes down at him, neither cold nor warm. " Come with me."

The boy quietly sets down his book and follows after the man. They go outside, straight into the stables and Elias feels his stomach drop. " There, that's the one!" The man strides over to them, the boy instinctively stepped behind Diluc.

" That's close enough, Gerard. You're filthy." Diluc reprimanded him.

" Ah, my apologies, Master Diluc." The man said.

" And do control your tone." He added, Gerard glanced down at the boy hiding behind the wine tycoon.

" Did I startle you, kid? I'm so sorry." He says, trying to sound more gentle. " Over here, she's waiting for ya." Elias glances up at Diluc with uncertainty, the man nods towards the stables and reluctantly, he steps inside. " It's amazing, I tell ya. This girl don't get along with anybody." They followed him to the furthest pen, closer to the lake just at the edges of the territory. " Here she is, Everdeen. A beauty, ain't she?"

The coat and mane are a pristine white. Bright, beautiful eyes that seemed ominously blue at certain angles. Diluc knew what this was, even if it was taking the form of a horse. " She is quite beautiful." He says. " Care to explain to me again how you came to tame this horse, Elias?"

" It followed me." He answered. " I gave it some wheat before." Diluc simply hummed, giving the horse a soft glare. " Leave us." Gerard nods hastily, leaving them both in the stables, alone with the thing. " What are your intentions?" The thing raised its head, silky white main cascading over their head. It opened its mouth, wider than most horses and bared a set of fangs settled among the flat teeth.

" Child of night." It breathed, eyes gleaming like the deep dark of the seas. " This one is my partner." Ah, so that was what the underlying feeling was. He'd suspected Elias had made a contract with a Fae, he certainly wasn't expecting it to be a very old one.

" I don't remember agreeing to that?" Elias says cautiously.

" Hm, when you gave her that wheat, what exactly did you say?" Diluc pressed on. The boy looked back on the day he met the horse, it was just about a year or two and he saw the white thing standing near the shores of the lake.

It stared at him, hungry, quiet, like it could tear him apart if he stepped just a little closer. It reminded him of the other segments. Perhaps it was due to the solitary moment, where he'd been through numerous nightmares on end, having not seen the other segments for a time, he starts to somewhat miss them. It was strange.

So he told the horse he would give it some food and help satiate its hunger. Since then, it followed and even drowned, consumed some soldiers that stood too close to him and was close enough to the waters.

" I see. You weren't specific." Diluc sighed. " Fae are tricky things. You must be specific with them and clever, or they'll get you. You're lucky this one seemed only interested in seeing how you'll die one day to the cats." The horse snorted, flipping its mane back. Diluc feels a tug at his coat and finds that the boy has reached for it instinctively and seemed nervous about the horse.

" Don't be afraid." Chess purred as she blinked into existence. " She's your partner now, your familiar. Worry not, kitten."

" Not a kitten." He grumbled pointedly.

" Would you care to ride with me?" The horse leaned her head towards Elias. " I've not run through the glades in a while."

" I don't know how." He says quickly.

" Do you want to learn?" Diluc offered, causing both Chess and Everdeen to flick their ears in interest. Elias looked up in surprise, finally noticing just how much he was hiding behind Ragnvindr. " I was a cavalry captain once, so it wouldn't be a problem for me." He looks towards the cat and the horse, both seemed to be nodding to him.

" Yes." He answered hesitantly.

Jing Wūya leaned back against her seat, sipping the drink given to her. She was back in her original attire, wearing black and red again with hints of gold on her waist. Nilou and Kaveh took turns recounting their commission, surprising the other listeners the moment they mentioned the dabke they performed together.

" That's something I haven't seen in a while." Cyno admits.

" We've been working on getting that ridiculous rule repealed since most were performed on private property but it seems a number of scholars are against it." Alhaitham adds. " If they are so bothered by traditional customs, might as well be machines."

" For the first time in my life, I agree with you." Kaveh gasped.

" This land has certainly changed from the past I knew of it." Jing Wūya hummed. " Then, scholars were also considered martyrs. In their own right, the pursuit of knowledge itself is considered a battle, a war of philosophies and ideals. In all things, there is an etiquette. Pursuing knowledge, has its own etiquette."

" Does art have etiquette?" Nilou asked.

" Of course! Art itself is aligned closely with history, it is a language not many can read well and yet can be interpreted in many ways." She began. " As I have mentioned before, carpets and craft works were used in my time to send messages to dangerous places as paper was too fragile. The pursuit of knowledge is vast and whatever your goal is, to achieve it one either finds it peacefully or shed blood." Immediately they thought of the six cardinal sins set by the Akademiya. " I was a wandering cultivator at a time, my studies involved the 'conscience' of the seven elements and the variables that effect them in the ley lines. As such, the flying sword art, is more of a study on the forces of that effect the world and their effect on an object. Ying and yang, positive and negative. Of course, that's my take on the issue."

" If all things have etiquette, then are there instances where certain actions go against these etiquettes?" Tighnari asked.

" I believe they call it common sense." Kaeya garbled, causing both Nahida and Jing Wūya to laugh. The fox' ears flicked and he narrows his gaze.

" He's making fun of me, isn't he?"

" I'm afraid so." The crow continued to chuckle. " Mischievous, this one. Despite being the one who knows the seelies song."

" Can seelies sing?" Collei asked Tighnari.

" Well..." The fox trailed off, looking to Cyno who seemed to only shrug.

" Kaeya is able to hear the true voices of the sealies, that is where he learns their songs." Nahida explained.

" That is unheard of." Candace finally speaks for the first time in a while, taking in the grand info dump rather well compared to most.

" In this new age, perhaps." Jing Wūya says. " In my time, it is regarded as something of a legend. Now, it seems what was already known scarcely in the past would be considered a fairytale of the present. One shaped by beliefs and time."

" Madame Jing, as a practitioner of Mnemoria, how many elements can you control?" Kaveh asked curiously.

" I control nothing. It is the elements themselves that allow me to borrow memories of their power. That itself is usually based on how much they like you." She explained. " I suppose I have more of an affinity for dendro and geo compared to all others. My student has the affinity for three elements, a lot more versatile than myself." She says with a hint of pride. " Speaking of, any word from that boy, dear peafowl?" Kaeya shakes his head and shrugged.

The woman hummed, lips pursing slightly as her shadow moved. A small sparrow emerges from the dark, they exchanged a few words and it flies off, faster than even falcons had flown before. Trails of geo energy followed it, a golden dust glittering in the air before fading.

" I take it that was your familiar." Kaveh says.

" Pervases." The Wanderer added. " His name. They prefer the term partners."

" In crime." Jing Wūya added playfully. " But yes, should you meet anymore Fae with their partners, treat them with curteosy. Our contracts is one that makes our existence borderline blasphemous but permissable. Contracting Fae themselves in any way is also very dangerous." The discussion melted away as the food arrived and they started to chat of other things instead. Jing Wūya asked to step out, shaking her empty gourd for emphasis and stepped out of the room. Kaeya followed after, offering a quiet sign of thanks for the meal before stepping out. " Now then, little peafowl. What sort of trouble did our dear dawn light get himself into?" He wordlessly hands her the letter Diluc had sent him.

" A charge isn't something I'd imagine him to take under his wing." Especially considering his personality and what exactly he'd agreed to take care of.

" Yes, I too have heard of Master Ragnvindr's fiery temper." They looked down at where the voice had come from. Sitting by the door with a round face, an abundance of stripes and grey coat, was a cat. " Hello, Master Ragnvindr has requested you two to return to the Dawn Winery." Kaeya shifts his gaze to Wūya.

" This is new to me as well." She says without returning the glance. " You aren't Fae."

" I am but a cat." Said cat purred.

" I'm guessing this is what actually happens upon your next life." She pondered aloud. " Should I remember, cats couldn't speak yet in my time."

" They say we learned to speak after the Cat of Cats was born. What was our kin like in your years?" The cat asked curiously.

" Deceptively clever." She answered with a smile. " I still have a bit of work to do here and we are expecting the Traveller from her newest comission."

" You're saying I should return first?" Kaeya guessed.

" I will be with you soon, little peafowl." With a smile and a bow, Kaeya climbs over the balcony.

' Nahida, I must return to Mondstadt. There's been an emergency.' Kaeya informed her.

' I understand. I'll send your regards to the others. Stay safe!' He cooes voluntarily at her little voice and bounds into the night.