The Banquet

Master Azzi called out, “There is a healer here! Come here for treatment at once!”

There were sounds of a scuffle. A shout rang out, low and angry. It must be a man’s.

Master Azzi rushed forward before reaming her steps, fists curling in her robes. She gestured for them to join her, leading the way with efficiency. “We have no time for this. The divine leader… the king…” A hiss whistled through her teeth. She turned to the plain man. “I and Master Kaeya will go at once. You must assist with the situation. If it is serious, run and find senior disciples. Otherwise, you will stay in the rear and offer support to your peers. You are not to engage with the intruders at any cost. Do you understand me, Tobias?”

Tobias’s mouth had opened and shut in quick succession. He now spoke in a subdued tone, miles from his usual sunny demeanour. “I understand, Master Azzi.” He bowed stiffly before running down the hall.

A deafening crash, and another scream.

“I hesitate to paint this picture of our sect,” said Master Azzi. They were almost running by this point, but her manners were perfect as if she sat on a divan. “Our disciples are excellent cultivators. They will not face much trouble, be it vagabonds or -“

She stopped dead in her tracks. “Demons! It must be!” A vine cracked through the floorboards. She trampled it in her agitation. “Those scoundrels, picking such an occasion for their attack! With their so-called parley in the balance, they won’t leave any witnesses! We must - ”

A horrible scream rang out.

Master Azzi looked to Kaeya, but he was already gone. She had no hope of catching up. Kaeya’s steps were lighter than Nan Seok’s, even without a vision. He pushed himself further, faster.

One large, two small. One large, two small. The spots blurred into nothing.

Ahead, a cluster of disciples stood around a door.

“- is really okay?”

“He survived the first time.”

“…But… we heard him scream…”

Summoning Jayu, Kaeya shouted, “Get away! Scram!”

Weapons bristled. “An intruder!” screamed an eager disciple, swinging her sword in the air.

Tobias flicked her forehead. “That’s Master Kaeya, so show some respect!”

“Please go in there at once,” cried the girl, changing tact entirely. Her misplaced aggression was replaced with panic. “He came here just to help us, and now he’s stuck in there alone! Besides, you’ve done it before! You know how to deal with it!”

There was a loud thunk. Something heavy had fallen.

The disciples paled, parting for Kaeya. The door was marked with deep gouges and slashes. Book-sized layers of wood had been carved off. But despite the disciples’ best efforts, the golden runes shone on.

Kaeya was weightless. Untethered. He knocked lightly. With too much strength, his body would dissolve like a memory.

There was a line of light against the floor, broken only by a shadow. Someone was leaned against the door.

Kaeya asked for vodka the first time. He asked now for what he truly wanted. “Please let me in.”

From this closely, he could hear a set of laboured breaths. They were disjointed and muffled, stopping at the sound of his voice.

“You can open the door for me. I’ll protect you. I won’t hurt you anymore.”

Pure silence. Kaeya’s voice cracked as he spoke. “Let me in, Bedo. It’s me. Kaeya.”

The shadow shifted and drew away. There were more thuds, the sound of shattering glass. Several minutes passed before the runes died out.

Master Azzi was at the end of the hallway. She shouted, “Don’t go there by yourself!”

But Kaeya had already gone inside. Once the door closed, the runes reappeared. There was a layer on either side of the door, spread from the slab’s confines like wild vines.

His foot struck something hard and fleshy, and he jumped back. The light had been knocked out. With the windows so thickly curtained, only Jayu’s runes and the door’s seal were there to provide light. He stepped gingerly over the object and slashed the curtains free, dousing the room in a dim bloody light. Night would fall, and he would soon see nothing at all. 

The room itself was a mess. Tables had been upended, bodies strewn about in states of death or dying. Kaeya had stepped on a severed arm, still draped in rich blue fabric. Poor Master Haru.

The room was bare of additional furniture but for the counters and cabinets. A pile of jars had shattered just before one of the doors.

Kaeya stripped a body of its outer robe, using it to sweep away the glass. He knelt, driving tiny splinters into his legs.

“I’m going to open the door,” he said. He reached out and slowly opened it. A person had crawled into that small space. Knees drawn up, head buried in arms, that posture was unmistakable. And as the light filtered in, his hair shone like honey.

Kaeya reached out a hand. He must have heard the door open, but it was only when Kaeya made contact that his body unfroze.

He tensed, wedging himself further into the cabinet. He grabbed for the thin knife at his side. It was slick with blood, slipping from his fingers to clatter on the floor.

Kaeya moved back as he grabbed for the blade, brushing Kaeya’s leg with his frantic movements. He held the blade in front of him. His hands shook so badly, he had to use both.

“It’s me. Kaeya.”

Albedo stared at him as if he was a stranger. It had been a rough week for Kaeya, and his mind was addled with stress.

Kaeya repressed a sigh as he invoked Yae Miko’s nickname. “You know. ‘Little fox?’”

“Oh,” said Albedo, the knife falling from his hands. “Kaeya.”

Kaeya wished more than anything to hear Albedo say his name again. But now that it happened, his words were thick in his throat. He had to choke them out. “What on earth? How are you..?” His eye flicked around the room. “What exactly… happened here?”

“I didn’t do that.”

“You’re lying.”

“I…” Albedo’s eyes darted away. “I didn’t mean to, I swear. I swear, I didn’t mean to.” He wiped his hands in his robes, expression twisting as the blood wouldn’t come off. “I couldn’t breathe, and I was so afraid. And it was him, and my - my lungs were filling with water, and I was falling apart, and it was so cold - and now I’m back here! I ran away, but I can’t get away! I can’t run, I can’t breathe, I can’t do anything!”

Kaeya reached out, but Albedo shoved him away. “Is this real? Am I in hell? But that can’t be! I’m not human. I’m not even a demon!”

He wrapped his arms around himself, like he might break apart otherwise. From outside spoke a low voice. Kaeya could recognize it as Tani Haru’s. “Is everything alright in there?”

Master Azzi added, “Master Kaeya, please be careful.”

Albedo pitched forward, nearly falling as he grabbed Kaeya’s sleeve. “Don’t let them hurt me.”

“I won’t.”

Kaeya reached out again. When Albedo didn’t flinch, he pulled him to his chest. His body was tense and shivering at first, face turned away from Kaeya. But slowly, he leaned to Kaeya like a flower to the sun. “You’re so warm,” he whispered. His voice was thick with tears. “I’d forgotten what that felt like.”

Kaeya traced a finger over Albedo’s nape.

“That tickles,” he said. “Stop it.”

It was whole and solid. Only a week ago had that neck been severed into pieces. The first was found wedged by a rock. The last nearly claimed by crabs. And his skin was freezing, like that of a corpse. Albedo should be warm and happy, not this broken shadow of himself. It couldn’t be real.

“How did this happen? I don’t understand. I was dead. I know I was.”

“I put you together again. I didn’t think it would work, but.. it did. Somehow. And now you’re here.”

“So it was you? But I don’t know what to do. Everyone hates me.”

“I don’t hate you,” said Kaeya. “I would do anything for you.”

“But I couldn’t possibly repay you.”

“I’m afraid I must ask for payment anyways.” Kaeya’s voice was stuck in his throat. “A smile if you’re willing. A kiss if you’re especially grateful.”

Albedo was a statue. Even his breath had stopped. He stared at Kaeya, before mumbling, “Indecent.”

But he took Kaeya’s face in his hands. His eyes were so beautiful. They made Kaeya’s heart ache.

He adjusted his hold on Jayu.

Albedo took a deep breath before lunging forward, his lips glancing across Kaeya’s cheek. It was less like a kiss than a lip slap.

It was over too quickly. He jerked away, breaking from Kaeya’s arms. He patted down his robes, taking several deep breaths before he spoke again. “…It… occurs to me that I am not especially skilled in these manners. I apologize. Please let me make it up to you in some other way.” He spoke formally, his voice returning to some degree of his usual calmness. But his flushed cheeks rather took away from his formality, hands twisting again in his robes.

Jayu’s runes flashed erratically as it shook in his hand. ‘Behave,’ he thought, willing the sword to obey. With a last flash of light, it went silent and still. It was now a mere hunk of metal.

“That’s alright,” said Kaeya. “You can draw me something pretty. Like the sunrise. We can stay out all day until the sun begins to set. Then you can paint that too.”

“That does sound enjoyable,” said Albedo. The flush had managed to die down, his brow now furrowing slightly. “Klee can’t be up that early. Perhaps a sunset… and with her level of -“

There was a choked sound, almost like a whimper. It took Kaeya a moment to place it.

Albedo was staring at him, lips still forming words. That awful sound came again. Kaeya wished Albedo would shut up. Why couldn’t he be quiet like last time, instead of tormenting Kaeya in this way?

“Kaeya… why…?” Albedo tried to push away the sword. But flesh and metal was a losing game; the blade only sunk into his palm.

“They want to clear my status for what I’ve done. I can go home… I can be with my brother again. I can’t risk that by keeping you alive.”

“But you could be with me,” said Albedo. His face took an expression of deep shame at the statement. He spoke anyways, forcing out the words. “We could be so happy together.”

“That’s a lie,” snapped Kaeya. “And besides, who said you deserve to live? Do you even know how many people have died in this conflict? The families ripped apart, the children who have to grow up alone? Not to mention the mess you’ve caused in Mondstadt and Inazuma. The moment you disappear, it starts all over again. You’ve been selfish enough. It’s a single filthy life for thousands of others.”

“But I don’t want to die,” cried Albedo. “I want to see her again.”

From his mouth ran a line of ichor, landing on Jayu’s blade. It brightened and dimmed at frightening speeds, its hilt shaking madly in Kaeya’s grip.

“Guiying isn’t here. There’s no use in asking anymore.”

Albedo shook his head. “No. Not her.”

Each moment was a sick parody of his death. The scent of blood, the yielding resistance of flesh and bone. But unlike on the cliff, Albedo wanted to live.

Kaeya had taken him by surprise, pushed him into a corner. Jayu ripped free from his flesh only to be stabbed in again. Albedo pulled away. It missed.

Albedo grabbed the small knife, slashing at Kaeya’s face. A deep gouge opened in Kaeya’s cheek. He only pulled out Jayu to stab him again.

Albedo brought up the blade, but it was cut from his hand with Jayu’s strike. He was able to dodge the next. “Kaeya, please. I can leave. I promise no one will see me again.”

“Shut up!” Kaeya shoved him to the ground. “How can I trust you after you lied? You said you’d stay, but you left me behind.” He used his weight to hold down the shorter man, pinning his wrists above him and pushing his head to the side. Ichor spilled from some hidden wound on Albedo’s body. He had only just been put together again. He gasped, incapable of doing anything more than twisting his head.

“Stop lookingat me,” shouted Kaeya. “Turn over! I don’t want to see your face!”

Albedo only shook his head, blood and gasps bubbling from his lips. “Kaeya, please,” he said. “I need to see her.”

“You broke your promise! How could you hurt her like that? You said you would never leave her, but you were just lying!”

“I’m sorry,” wept Albedo. “I’m sorry, I know. But I need her, I need to see her again.”

“Guiying is gone.”

“No, not her - my girl. My baby sister.”

Kaeya clamped a hand over his mouth. Albedo bit like a dog as he struggled, his movements causing Jayu to miss its mark. It was aimed at his heart, but instead, it hit his stomach.

A bloodcurdling shriek ripped from Albedo’s throat. “Take it out!” he screamed. His hands twisted in Kaeya’s grasp as he began to call out hopelessly. “Guiying!Guiying! Save me, save me!”

There were alarmed sounds from outside. “Master Kaeya, are you alright?!“

“I didn’t mean to do that. Albedo - Albedo, calm down. Stop making that expression at me.”

Kaeya tried to pull away the sword, but it had dug into something hard. It could be a bone. It could be the floor. He tugged again, and Albedo let out a quiet moan of pain. Blood flowed from his lips as he tried to bite off his own tongue.

“Stop that,” said Kaeya. He released Albedo’s wrists to stick two fingers in the other’s mouth. His incisors grazed Kaeya’s skin. But instead of biting, he lay frozen in place. A tear rolled down his cheek, followed by another and another.

It was immensely difficult to look at him. This person who was always so polite and collected now wept freely. Even on the cliff, his face had been utterly emotionless. There seemed to be nothing but that now - raw nerves and pain, displayed pervertedly to be seen by another.

Tightening his grip on its hilt, Kaeya wrenched the sword free. A sharp pain came from where his fingers pressed a tongue into silence.

Dropping Jayu to the floor, Kaeya pried his fingers from Albedo’s mouth. He’d nearly grazed bone, but Kaeya let the wound be. Blood mixed with ichor on the floor.

Albedo might be unconscious but for the mutters under his breath. “Guiying… Guiying… Guiying…”

Kaeya punched the ground, scraping the skin off his fists with the violence. He continued to do so until they were pulp. Not bothering to clean the blood, he wrapped his hands around Albedo’s throat.

Albedo’s eyes lost their dazed quality. As a person might gain clarity before their death, he too had regained some of his sanity.

His lips twisted wryly before forming words. ‘You’re just like her,’ he mouthed.

Albedo wanted to hurt him. He was just as sadistic as Kaeya, and the whole world would applaud as he fell. Kaeya screamed at the top of his lungs, “What’s wrong with you? Stop tormenting me! Stop hurting me! If you’re a monster, at leastdie like a human!”

A hand traced over his cheek. It was cold and stiff, pressing a single finger to his lips.

‘Shut up.’

There was blood in Kaeya’s mouth. It was no longer sweet to the taste, instead turned bitter like sap. He spat it out, before adjusting his grip. The pulse beneath his fingers became nothing. A cold body turned even colder.

He let go. Albedo was dead or dying, and by the look in his eyes, it wouldn’t matter either way.

He was halfway to the door when he fell to his knees. Crawling forward, he leaned his head against the wall. He sat still and waited.

At a certain point, there were no longer any sounds from outside. Instead, something like a bell rang in Kaeya’s head.

It was immensely painful. The world tilted, colours whirling around him; a filthy taste stuck to his tongue.

“Simulation complete,” said Sucrose. “Please stand by.”