Érebos's Legacy
Collei was fed up, the only reason she had decided to return to Mondstadt was to help Kaeya.
Honestly, at first Kaeya had scared her a little, but she understood that what had happened had been done to save her.
It was also surprising that Kaeya had decided to save her instead of killing her at the time.
This is why Collei wanted to return the favour, when Celestia attacked the communications had been completely cut off, Collei had died after falling into the Irminsul accidentally.
There Collei was able to see how the world ended before returning and ending up back in the past, the hardest part was readjusting to living with Eleazar, also remembering and knowing things that others did not.
Instead of being sold to Dottore one day a young man with a giant hat appeared and took her out of her house before it happened.
He took her to Nahida who took care of her until she convinced Tignary to adopt her.
In the end she had discovered that Celestia had a certain reasons to restart the cycle, without doing so the world would technically be destroyed.
Still the reset didn't have to work like that, the best way to do the reset was to do it naturally, to let everything flow by itself but after hundreds of gods died in the archon war the world was too polluted to be able to do that.
Not to mention that the original owners of Teyvat were also trying to tear Celestia apart through no matter what the casualties.
If Collei could sum up who was on whose side it would be pretty simple, the Fatui want to go against Celestia because of how they are trying to gain power with the cycles, Nibelung and Dainsleif could end up being on the same side, also against Celestia and the archons were also against Celestia.
Which should by logic be an easy fight except that Nibelung and his kind cared for nothing but revenge and would destroy everything in their path, as had happened before.
For this very reason Dainsleif had had to find the ring to wake him up and stop him from tearing Celestia apart.
Something like taming him?
Collei didn't really care about that part so much, then the problem with the Fatui was that they didn't mind sacrificing lives if it meant saving most of them.
Lastly the abyss was even more complicated and information was lacking because they were against Celestia and the gods.
All of this led to an absurdly complicated situation, but the plan was simple, prevent the fight from tearing Teyvat apart and find a way to purify the Karmic debt without sacrificing lives.
Right now the best choice for the job was Ajax.
-Hey Collei, stop thinking so much, it's going to be fine.
Kuni looked at her with visible concern, while Collei wasn't one to talk much that didn't mean that being so quiet was normal.
-I was just thinking about how to keep Celestia from figuring out our plan
With a sigh she adjusted her clothes and kept moving forward, they would be too tight in time to save Crepus if they kept slacking off.
Kuni for his part remained silent.
"I find it hard to believe Celestia doesn't already know."
Obviously he didn't share his thoughts with Collei, this was a problem he had to take care of on his own.
To say that Kaeya was stressed was a given.
Diluc's birthday was tomorrow but he didn't know what excuse to make up to stay close to Diluc's father.
A curious thing about Teyvat's destiny was that it was impossible to avoid it, or so Mona said.
Unluckily for Mona, Kaeya was about to destroy that theory.
"Suck it up Mona."
The question was, what was he going to do now that Diluc was in front of him?
Take him on a date or something?
"No wait why would he do that?"
Kaeya was stressed, very stressed.
-Hey Kaeya, do you want to go for a walk?
Blinking in surprise he just nodded his head, best not to think and do whatever Diluc wanted.
After all Diluc would hate him when he remembered everything.
Following Diluc in shame they ended up taking a walk near Springvale, neither Diluc nor him spoke the whole trip, which made it very uncomfortable, in the end not knowing how to break the silence Kaeya just watched Diluc.
Diluc had grown up, and his manners had changed, he looked more and more like his Diluc, he walked more upright, talked less and dressed more modest, luckily his eyes had not lost the innocent glow that his Diluc had lost after that tragic night.
-Like what you see?
Kaeya tensed as he heard these words come out of the mouth of Diluc himself, where was the Diluc that was more oblivious than a desk? Diluc when he was young was not like that!
But hadn't Diluc been the one who had convinced him when they were little to steal a bottle of wine?
Maybe Kaeya had gotten used to the quiet, reserved Diluc, the one who didn't let him be a part of his life, and had forgotten the boy who came with a wicked grin to propose adventures and mischief.
Realising that he still hadn't answered he nodded completely red, but without wasting time, looking for a way to return the question.
-Oh how could I not? Aren't you the number one bachelor in Mondstadt?
Now more confident Kaeya smiled.
Diluc, for his part, was completely ashamed of his failed attempt and simply looked at Kaeya shyly out of the corner of his eyes.
He wanted to tell him what happened to him every time he tried to close his eyes, how he watched Kaeya suffer in silence, how sometimes he saw himself as the cause of Kaeya's suffering, how every day he looked more and more like the blurred image of Kaeya's aggressor.
Every day that Diluc grew older and looked in the mirror his face began to overlap with that of his aggressor and he couldn't sleep.
Little by little he had discovered that if he slept around the smell of some calla lilies the nightmares lessened, maybe it was because Kaeya smelled like calla lilies thanks to his perfume or it just had something to do with how soothing the smell was, still Diluc couldn't help but remember the blue haired foreigner.
-What have you been doing in Liyue?
He really wanted to know, he especially wanted to know who the children that had followed Kaeya were, one of them gave him the feeling he had seen him in a dream.
The redhead made him feel like he had fought against him at some point.
-Not much, I've helped with commissions, helped Hu Tao with her business, made sure Ajax didn't get arrested for the dozenth time, that sort of thing.
Kaeya couldn't tell him that he'd been looking for ways to trigger Barbatos' statue to get to Celestia, or that he'd been reading up on the functioning of the Irminsul.
-Sounds repetitive? Except for Ajax, does he get into trouble a lot?
Seeing Diluc's worried face Kaeya laughed.
-He enjoys getting into trouble so to speak, but it's not necessarily his fault, most of the time it's either misunderstandings or he fixes it later.
Come to think of it Ajax doesn't use his vision to handle Hydro, I haven't asked him because he, for some reason, still doesn't know that there are more people who remember.
Even Hu Tao is more perceptive than him in these kinds of cases....
It's not that Ajax was stupid, it was more that he trusted too easily and too blindly.
-Hey Kaeya, how old are you really?
Kaeya almost choked when he heard this, how had Diluc guessed that his identification card was fake? No one really knew that, Ajax might have figured it out but... Ajax wouldn't have told him, would he?
-How? Whatever, it's not like it's a secret, technically I'm seventeen, I had to lie about my age to be able to work...
Diluc stood quietly for a few minutes digesting the information, was Kaeya younger than him? Or was this a lie? Yet Kaeya seemed to be being sincere.
-Are you that young? I thought you were some kind of Adeptus?
Kaeya blinked in confusion.
-Me? An Adeptus? Why?
Diluc looked at him even more confused.
-Because you spoke as if you knew Barbatos? And you're from Liyue!
The two looked at each other confused by the misunderstandings and realizing that communication had failed them rather abysmally.
-What does it have to do with me being from Liyue?
-Because the Adeptus are from Liyue? Isn't it obvious?
-You assume that everyone who is from Liyue is an Adeptus?
-Not everyone from Liyue knows Barbatos!
Seeing the ridiculous situation they were in Kaeya couldn't help but laugh out loud, even Diluc burst out laughing.
-Hey Kaeya, do you want to come eat with us tomorrow?
The question had been asked in a softer tone than usual, as if he had been embarrassed to ask.
Kaeya meanwhile gave him a smile so soft and melancholy that Diluc could have melted right there and then.
-Sure, I'd love to.
Kaya looked at his make-up carefully, everything was perfectly in place, his clothes were spotless and Hu Tao and Ajax were still watching him as they judged him.
-Do you think it's too much?
Kaeya had already asked the same question four times so both Hu Tao and Ajax looked at him silently and replied in a mechanical voice.
-No Kaeya, you look perfect, Diluc is going to love it.
Frowning at this display of uninterest he decided to stick out his tongue.
-You could at least show a little more emotion....
In the end he decided to go with the first outfit he had chosen, it allowed him to hide weapons easily and the mobility was very good.
In the end he ran out of the establishment Ajax had booked for them, which was full of Fatui.
"What would Diluc think if he saw me surrounded by his worst enemies?"
Letting out a sigh he reminded himself that Diluc didn't know that they were technically on good terms with the Fatui, at least some of them.
"It's not that I like them, it's more that they are useful... Well I do like Ajax."
Sighing he prepared to go to the Dawn Winery where Diluc must have been waiting for him, he had offered to give him a ride but Kaeya explained that he would rather stretch his legs a bit.
Looking back he should have said yes as he would now have to run, not that it would tire him out but it was more so that someone might notice how long it had taken him to make up his mind.
When he finally passed the bridge Kaeya began to run faster than the Morax running away from his responsibilities.
When he finally stood in front of the door he began to feel nervous, what if he had arrived too early? Or too late? What if the clothes were too fancy? What if Crepus didn't want him near his son? What if?
Before he had a chance to keep walking in circles, the door slammed on his nose, Diluc was standing in the doorway, looking at him as if he had just committed the worst sin of his life.
-Kaeya! Oh Barbatos! I'm so sorry! Can you stand up?
Coughing in discomfort Kaeya sat up and gave a reassuring smile.
-Don't worry, I'm all right, my pride hurts more than my body, honestly.
Diluc looked him up and down.
-I'm pretty sure your nose is bleeding and that you fell flat on your ass on the ground...
Kaeya blinked before replying.
-Details
In the end they decided to eat at the tables outside quietly, Diluc had taken the day off, this left Kaeya time to eat with Diluc and then take a walk to where Crepus was supposed to be, if he got there in time he could kill Ursa and avoid catastrophe.
-Hey Kaeya, what do you normally like to do?
Kaeya, after thinking about it for a while realized that he didn't know how to answer, since he had returned to the past he hadn't had time to rest, no matter how many friends he had made he didn't have a hobby as such.
-Uh, I guess I enjoy drinking in company? Reading something once in a while is good too...
Diluc stared at him silently not knowing what to say.
-Have you been drinking for many years? Isn't it illegal in Liyue to drink underage?
Kaeya looked him seriously in the face.
-Diluc, underage drinking is common everywhere, it's just that in some places it's more frowned upon, in fact I was thinking of buying some wine from you to bring back to Liyue, sharing it with my friends would be great.
Diluc blinked in confusion.
-But you're a minor, I can't sell you the wine?
-According to my identity card I'm two years older than you, right?
After a few minutes consideration Diluc gave up, it wasn't as if Kaeya was going to stop just because he refused him, surely he could buy the alcohol if he really wanted to.
-Just a bottle, and take it with you, no drinking it here and getting drunk.
Kaeya smiled sweetly at him.
-Oh my Diluc, do you see me as someone who would get drunk on just one bottle?
In the end the meal turned out to be quite enjoyable, to the point where Diluc forgot that he was supposed to return the rigged coin.
-It's time for me to go.
Diluc fiddled with his fingers before replying.
-How long are you staying this time?
"Today is probably my last day here."
-I don't really know, until Hu Tao finishes her work I guess.
Really nervous Diluc finally asked the question he wanted to ask the most.
-We'll still be in touch when you leave, right?
"I don't think you'll want to keep in touch with me when you can remember."
-Of course, if you wish.
The smile was forced and Diluc for some reason knew it.
-If you cut off contact with me and don't really respond I won't forgive you, that's a promise.
Kaeya sighed and decided that even if Diluc didn't want to talk to him it wouldn't hurt that much to go back to the situation they were in before.
-Okay, even if you don't write back I'll send you letters every week, happy?
Although Diluc didn't understand why he wouldn't write back he nodded happily, as long as he could talk to Kaeya he would be fine.
When Kaeya finally disappeared from his sight he realised something.
"I forgot to give him the coin!"
Wasting no time he went to change into more comfortable clothes for walking, hopefully he would catch Kaeya in time to return it to him.
Kaeya watched as Crepus quietly returned from his business trip without realising that the Ursa was about to attack, without waiting Kaeya launched himself at the creature first.
Originally Dottore would be the one to deal with the monster and this would give the Fatui more political power in Mondstadt.
If he thought about it, the Fatui would surely get him into the mess by calling him a subordinate of Ajax or lie about his identity.
"They'd probably make Ajax out to be the hero or some fairly important soldier."
As soon as Ursa saw him she started attacking blindly, honestly Ursa was dangerous only because her attacks were very capable of damaging Crepus, plus Kaeya didn't want to reveal his vision yet.
So blocking all of Ursa's attacks while preventing Crepus from getting hurt was a bit tiring.
Crepus meanwhile was confused at what was happening in front of him.
-Kaeya? What's going on? Isn't that Ursa the drake?
Kaeya replied as he did a backflip, dodging one of Ursa's claws.
-Good question, all I know is that it's a slightly annoying bug, Master Crepus please take cover.
Honestly the battle was going absurdly well, Crepus was within a considerable distance and Kaeya was about to finish.
-Kaeya, Dad? What's going on?
Diluc who had just arrived was immediately attacked by Ursa, Kaeya who was on the other side immediately set out to move as fast as possible, but Crepus beat him to it, using his delusion he appeared in front of Diluc and intended to block the attack using his body.
Luckily Kaeya managed to get there in time to stop him using his vision, creating a protective barrier.
When he finally checked that they were safe he cut Ursa's throat with a slash.
As he returned to them he realised that the delusion had taken a chunk out of Crepus' arm, leaving his skin completely torn, the bone showing.
The wound was bleeding continuously as Crepus tried to keep his son from crying.
Diluc seemed to be in a state of shock, so without wasting any time Kaeya took out the bottle of alcohol and handed it to Crepus, who looked at him in confusion.
The blood loss must have been considerable as both Diluc's shirt, which was torn as they had tried to use it as a bandage, and the floor were covered in blood.
Knowing how to heal with his vision wasn't going to help completely in this situation so he grabbed the bottle he had given Crepus and helped him drink from it, then poured its contents into the wound to disinfect it, this allowed him to see the rotting parts of the muscle and the almost shredded bone, eaten away by something Kaeya couldn't tell what it was.
"Honestly it would have been better if I had pure vodca, but beggars can't be choosers."
Once that was done he used his vision to heal most of what was left of his arm, still it was obvious that the delusion was not such an easy thing to heal.
"I'm going to have to ask Diluc to cauterize the wound with his vision."
-Diluc, I'm going to need your help for a moment, could you use your vision so that his wounds stop bleeding, don't worry, if you can't I'll use my sword, hot metal will do as well.
Diluc nodded without speaking, little by little Kaeya guided him on how to do it properly, once finished the bleeding had stopped and Crepus, who was a little drunk from the alcohol ingested had not suffered as much pain, even so he had ended up fainting.
" Still, his arm is so destroyed that an amputation is probably the best thing to do".
-How did my father end up like this? That power he used... what is it?
Kaeya, knowing that withholding information from Diluc would be futile, simply sighed.
-It's a delusion, they are created by the Fatui and incredibly dangerous to the wearer, it's a surprise your father didn't die using it.
Diluc looked down at his hands, still processing all that had happened on his birthday, the whole morning had been amazing, his knights had thrown him a surprise party and let him leave early to spend the afternoon with Kaeya.
Kaeya had promised to keep in touch, everything was going well, why was he next to his injured father crying in Kaeya's arms?
Not knowing what to do, he hugged Kaeya even tighter.
-The Fatui, I'm going to kill them all.
Diluc could tell Kaeya tensed at this but decided it was because of the cruel words that had come out of his mouth.
"I hope I didn't scare him away."
The next day he woke up in the winery, his father was recovering well and they even talked for a while, when he realised that his father did not need his help he decided to run to Kaeya.
Arriving in Modnstad he began to hear rumours about the Ursa.
-Did you hear? Ursa is dead!
-I thought this would never really happen....
He smiled happily thinking about how everyone knew how amazing Kaeya was now, honestly even he was impressed, last night he hadn't been able to notice it but now in clarity he had realised that Kaeya had a vision.
-Did you hear who killed her?
-Wasn't it one of the Fatui? I don't remember his name...
Diluc blinked, the information was incorrect, how had these rumours started?
"Whatever, the truth will come out later anyway."
Arriving at the Goth Hotel he observed several Fatui soldiers leaving, among them Kaeya was talking quietly with Ajax.
"How can he be so calm after seeing what their inventions have done to my father?"
Still he decided to calm down, surely Kaeya didn't want to cause a scene, besides he was too far away to hear the conversation.
Diluc decided to wait for the Fatui to leave, when this happened the soldiers saluted Ajax and Kaeya and ran off to barbatos knows where.
Diluc looked completely blank at this, Kaeya had not even blinked at this behaviour and Ajax had even waved goodbye to them.
His eyes at that moment met Kaeya's and he involuntarily took a step back.
Kaeya must have realised that something was wrong because he said goodbye to Ajax and approached him alone.
"Please tell me this is not Kaeya."
But once he saw him up close it was obvious that he hadn't got the wrong person, the same Kaeya who had helped him the night before, hugged him and reassured him the next day was with the enemy nonchalantly.
-Why?
At that moment Kaeya must have realised that Diluc had been watching for some time.
-Please Kaeya, give me a reason to believe you are not with them, tell me you are doing this for information... Please
His voice broke at the end of the sentence, unable to continue, but Kaeya just looked at him sourly without making any excuses.
Seeing this Diluc grabbed the collar of his shirt, crying.
-Don't you dare ever set foot in my house again.
Kaeya at the irony of those words could not help but laugh, Diluc was gone now and all he had left behind were bitter tears.
The next day Kaeya was no longer in Mondstadt.
Collei on the roof of the Goth Hotel watched how it had all ended.
Fujin and Kuni still working on the destiny alteration just looked at her at the same time, not stopping working even so.
-I was just thinking about how sad Kaeya must be right now, he almost left without telling Ajax and Hu Tao...
Kuni just sighed.
-The idiot thinks it's his fault when he literally saved his father, I would have been mad at that idiot instead of crying away where he wouldn't be bothered.
Collei sighed, they would soon be able to contact Kaeya but for now they could only watch.
-Did you get the information on Ajax yet?
Fujin's robotic voice answered her.
-Assimilation almost complete, we can leave in twelve minutes and thirtysix seconds.
With a sigh Collei looked at Mondstadt.
"I really want to say hello to everyone..."
Lisa smiled softly.
-What I wanted to talk about, you know I don't have much time left to live, right?
Nahida could only nod, since the cycle hadn't been restarted correctly, Lisa was still in risk of dying.
-Have you thought about a solution?
Lisa smiled, this time more melancholicly.
-Not necessarily, for now listen to me until the very end.