Chapter Text
The moment Diluc saw Venti lift his bow, he clasped a hand over the teen’s – god’s? – shoulder. “Leave Father to us.”
Venti stared at him. “Master Diluc, there is no guarantee he is still there at all.”
“Either way, let us handle it,” Kaeya interjected. Diluc watched as he swung his sword with expert ease. “It is… family matters.”
Venti’s gaze softened. “Of course.”
Wind blew around them, strong enough that Diluc had to close his eyes. When he opened them again, Venti was gone – though the unmistakable feel of Barbatos’ presence was there, still. The wind twined around them, and Diluc could almost believe that he was stronger, faster.
He could work with this.
“It’s the lector,” Kaeya whispered to Diluc. “That’s the key to all of this.”
Diluc nodded. “Then we’ll deal with the lector first.”
Easier said than done, with how readily the lector used Father as a shield. Still, Diluc didn’t spend three years fighting Fatui scum while trying to keep the candlelight that was his life alit in the midst of Snezhnaya’s unforgiving snowstorms for nothing. Fighting with a handicap was something that he was intimately familiar with.
It was hard to fight with Father’s life on the line, but both Diluc and Kaeya knew how to turn the environment to their advantage. Diluc had no qualms about kicking water from the shallow pool around the statue all over Father so Kaeya could freeze him in place. It gave them enough leeway to go for the lector, at least until the freezing effect broke apart and they had to freeze him in place all over again.
“You think you can freeze him longer?” Diluc asked between pants as they dodged the lector’s attacks.
“Sure, if we want to risk nerve damage,” Kaeya panted back, which, fair.
Father certainly wasn’t making the fight any less difficult. Each time the freezing effect wore off, his Delusion lashed out with black flames and burning chains. Diluc, familiar with how the Delusion worked, easily dodged the attacks. Predicting where they would strike wasn’t hard when he’d known how to wield the weapon. It wasn’t by any means easy, but it was possible. Unfortunately, Kaeya didn’t have the same experience and suffered hits that Diluc could dodge.
“Would you stop,” Kaeya growled as he tried to dodge an incoming chain, hissing as it nicked him at the temple. “Father.”
Father… twitched. There was a blink and a pause.
Diluc had no time to ponder it. He splashed Father again, allowing Kaeya to re-freeze him, then turned his attention to the lector. With a cry, he unleashed Dawn to burn the lector to crisp.
The lector met his attack with one of his own. Orbs of Electro formed, rushing Dawn, to Kaeya, to Diluc. Kaeya dove away with a cuss, while Diluc simply sidestepped – the orb was nowhere near close enough to put him in harm, but just in case the lightning jumped. Dawn, meanwhile, went down in a blaze of glory – quite literally, bursting into flames – but not before burning the lector severely.
Kaeya darted in, nearly a blur with how fast he was. With a swift slash, he summoned three chunks of glacier ice to circle around him and simultaneously shot a spray of unforgiving Cryo at the lector. The lector grunted, clearly feeling the pain from the resulting melt reaction. Without letting him gain ground, Kaeya shot another spray of Cryo, then slashed – though the last attack didn’t do much damage, blade skidding against the Abyssal armor.
Father whipped around, arm raised and Delusion crackling. Diluc tackled him to the ground, scrambling to pull the Delusion away from his hand.
Father retaliated with a powerful punch that landed squarely on his chest. Diluc fell with a wheeze, struggling to catch his breath, only to lose more by coughing. Despite it, he rose and lifted his claymore, ready to swing once more.
Chains, wreathed in black flames, shot and twined around his limbs. For the second time that day, he was pulled down, slamming painfully to the ground. He grunted, inwardly thanking that he didn’t bite his tongue off.
“Do not interfere,” Father rumbled, voice distorted. “Your turn will come soon.”
Fighting fire with fire was generally not a good idea, but Diluc couldn’t just leave the chains be. He called to his Vision’s powers and willed fire to burst out, attempting to burn away the chains. To his surprise, it worked – the Vision’s flames burned away the Abyssal black fire, and the chains clinked and disappeared along with it. He pushed himself up and pulled Father back down, managing to land him in the shallow pool.
“I’m sorry, Father,” he said through gritted teeth, and went ahead to join Kaeya’s battle with the lector.
Kaeya had apparently sprayed the lector with more Cryo. He caught Diluc’s movement and immediately shifted to accommodate his arrival, allowing Diluc to wreathe his claymore in flames and swing it mercilessly to the lector. The force of the impact, along with the resulting melt reaction, pushed the lector back.
“I tire with this,” the lector snarled. “You struggle against the truth, even when it stares you in the eyes. Khaenri’ah needs you.”
“Should’ve thought of that before you left me alone at some sideroad in the middle of a downpour,” Kaeya snarled back.
The lector growled, slashing his hands. Three Abyss Mages materialized, all three wielding Hydro. Diluc clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Kaeya froze the mages before they could even lift their wands. Before Diluc could do anything, an arrow shot past them, exploding in a vortex that pulled the mages in. It pulled at the lector, as well, but the lector swiftly teleported away, closer to where Father was.
Diluc turned with a scowl, unsurprised to see Venti there, bow out. “We told you to leave it.”
“No, you said to let you handle your dad,” Venti argued. “I won’t meddle so much, but I won’t let you face this alone! Dawn Winery makes the best wines!”
“Of course it’s the wine,” Diluc grumbled, batting a fireball with his claymore like a baseball, letting the vortex of gale swirl the Pyro energy and swallow the mages in an inferno. The vortex dissipated and spat the mages back down, still burning and clearly winded. Kaeya finished them off with a quick spray of Cryo.
With a flourished swing, he turned to the lector. “Any more tricks up your sleeve?” he asked. “I’m getting tired of this game. I’d say it’s been fun, but that would be a lie.”
The lector let out a noise that might have been a scoff. “There are too many interferences here. Barbatos should learn to let mortals handle their own affairs.”
“Not when you want to take one of mine. Not when you’ve already taken one of mine,” Venti replied, perched right up on a roof, crouching with his bow on the ready like a sniper. “I will respect their wishes to fight on their own, but that doesn’t mean I won’t help.”
“I will not let you interfere again.” The lector brought his hands together. A blast of Electro rushed out, but instead of electrifying him like Diluc thought it would, it formed a dome around him, Kaeya, Father, and the lector. He heard Venti cry out just before the dome closed off.
Kaeya studied the dome. “I see. So there’s another trick, after all.”
“You will come home whether you like it or not,” the lector said. A portal appeared behind him. “When you see the truth – of the world, of the Abyss and Khaenri’ah, and of yourself – you will see things our way.”
“I think it’ll just make me resent you, actually,” Kaeya argued.
The lector tilted his head at Kaeya, and Diluc had a twisted feeling that he was pitying Kaeya. “Whether you like it or not, the truth is you do not belong here. Not that it matters. The Abyss is razing Mondstadt to the ground as we speak, and there will be nothing left. Mondstadt cannot be a home with nothing on it but rubble. However… Khaenri’ah will always welcome you.”
“You underestimate our forces,” Diluc scoffed. “The people of Mondstadt will not stand idle while you attack.”
“Perhaps,” the lector conceded, “but in a war of attrition, the Abyss has the upper hand.”
The portals, Diluc realized. He pursed his lips. They’ll have to find a way to close the portals later, but right now, all they could do was focus on the battle right in front of them. Hopefully Venti would know a way to close the portals.
“It doesn’t matter. We’ll stop you anyway,” he said instead, pushing the issue aside. He gripped his claymore tighter. “Now, are you just going to stand there and talk, or are we going to fight?”
“The time for fighting has passed. Haven’t we agreed already that the game is no longer amusing?” Instead of the lector, the distorted answer came from Father.
“No more games now,” the lector said.
Abyss mages teleported in, wielding Cryo and Pyro. Father’s chains rose again, black fire dancing. Electro crackled along the lector’s armor. Gritting his teeth, Diluc readied his blade. Kaeya did the same.
Two chains shot to them, slipping between, each wrapping one of them and yanking them apart. Diluc jammed his claymore into the pavement to stop being dragged around, but the mages descended on him the moment he did. With uncanny accuracy, they shot fireballs and ice shards at his hands, pelting his gloves and attempting to crush his fingers. Eventually, he had to let go of the claymore and let it dissolve into golden particles.
The moment the claymore dissolved, he fell, still dragged backward. This time, he was lucky he managed to get his hands underneath him to break his fall. It didn’t matter much, since the mages rushed ahead to trigger their elements to attack. Panicked and without his weapon at hand, having no room to swing his sword even if he had it, Diluc called to his Vision’s powers and let flames wreathe over himself in an attempt to form a shield.
“Diluc!” Kaeya called out.
Diluc turned his head to look at him, gritting his teeth. “I’m fine, I can handle this. Try to – “ his eyes widened. “Kaeya, watch out!”
Kaeya furrowed his brows in obvious confusion, but as he turned, he tensed. A portal had opened by the lector’s side, and Father had produced more chains that immediately wrapped around Kaeya. Kaeya squirmed, managing to get an arm out, but not much else.
“Time to go home,” Father said, monotone and distorted. Kaeya and Diluc’s realization dawned at the same time, and their eyes widened, Kaeya yelping while Diluc yelled a no when the chains around Kaeya yanked.
Diluc tried to rise up, but Abyssal fog fell on him, obscuring his sight. He inhaled sharply, willing his Pyro to burn hotter, but it was getting hard to think with the rising panic. The mages’ chatters filled his ears. He tried to ignore it the best he could as he concentrated on keeping his Pyro up, but the flames slowly dwindled.
It felt like Abyssal fog was everywhere, choking and squeezing. Diluc gasped in a breath and felt Abyssal fog fill his lungs. The mages’ laughter echoed around him as he coughed. The taint latched onto his skin and seeped, and he wondered why the mages didn’t try to attack at all.
Their chanting gained a rhythmic quality, buzzing in his head, each word echoing oddly. He frowned, wondering what they were talking about. The Abyss Mages’ chanting and hillichurl’s words had always sounded like gibberish to his ears.
But now, drowning in Abyssal fog, something about the chanting felt… odd. Like he was still having difficulty understanding it, but the intent and meaning had cut through the language barrier and given him a direct connection to what their intention was straight into his head. There was glee in their voice, and anticipation, and grim satisfaction, like seeing an annoying fly that had been buzzing around your head finally get squashed. Change, he thought they said, one of ours. Turn. Turn. Change into one of us.
Father’s imagine flashed in his mind, covered in black Abyssal smog that solidified into an armor. Fear cut through all senses. With newfound determination borne of fear and panic, he reached into his Vision’s powers and yanked as hard as he could, frantically praying to Barbatos and Murata both for blessings. If he was any less rattled, he would have thought twice about praying to Venti.
The flames blazed anew, covering him from head to toe. He wasn’t fireproof, not by a long shot, but somehow he retained enough presence of mind to control the flames so his hair and clothes wouldn’t catch fire. The Abyssal fog dissipated, burned away by his Vision’s powers. The mages’ words melted back into nonsensical chatters as he dashed away from the crowd, desperate to get to Kaeya.
Kaeya, meanwhile, was still wrapped in chains. His free arm clawed at the cobblestones in a desperate attempt to keep himself in place. Even afar, Diluc could see blood at his fingertips, likely from him digging his unprotected fingers into the rocks. He had created crude ice constructs to practically glue his arm in place, but it was clear that he was still being dragged back.
“It’s useless to fight back,” the lector said. “We would prefer you intact, but if it comes to it you will still function without an arm.”
The mages shrieked behind him. Panting with exhaustion, Diluc let Dawn loose and let the bird fly to the mages. He didn’t bother checking if his attack connected before rushing to Kaeya, lifting his blade and trying to break the chains.
His claymore connected with the chains and broke two of them. The lector immediately appeared, crackling with Electro, and he had to jump back to avoid getting electrocuted.
“Diluc!” Kaeya called.
“Talk to Father!” Diluc yelled. “I think you might be able to bring him out of it!” With that, he turned his attention back to the lector, rushing forward.
The lector simply floated back, creating distance between them. Abyss Mages approached. Belatedly, Diluc realized he was surrounded. He clenched his jaw and glanced around in alert, noting that his latest attack had managed to kill two Cryo mages and one Pyro mage. He was still at a severe disadvantage, but at least he had better odds now.
“The Abyss didn’t change you,” the lector said. “As I thought, Celestia’s blessings protected you.”
Diluc readied his blade. “What did you intend to do to me?”
The lector tilted his head. “Crepus Ragnvindr was not a perfect creation,” he said. “While we can control him well enough, his body eventually succumbed to the Abyss’ powers and changes. Other humans die when the Abyssal powers sustaining them leaves. We do not think the Abyssal powers sustaining him can leave at all.
“We wondered if it is because he is a mere mortal. We wanted to see if we can use Abyssal powers to control a Vision holder. Hence, you.”
“And you did not succeed,” Diluc said. “So what do you plan to do with me, then?”
“We had hoped that you would be a leverage,” the lector said, “but now that we cannot control you, there is no need for that. A puppet is useless if it does not dance to your liking. No; you simply must die so you can no longer interfere with the Abyss Order.”
Diluc was tired. The continuous battle was tiring, he hadn’t had enough to eat, he was fairly sure he was lightly dehydrated, and having used Pyro to burn off Abyssal energy was not something easy to do. He was sure he would still need Lumine’s help later, since in the end he wasn’t capable of purification. But if the lector intended to kill him, then he wasn’t about to stand still and let them do it easily. He lifted his claymore, wreathing it with Pyro, stoking the dying embers back to life. Hopefully, he had enough fight in him to make sure he wouldn’t come out of this as a corpse.
Not to mention they were in a bad spot. Diluc could hear Kaeya, softly talking to Father, borderline pleading to be freed. Even afar and wreathed in his Pyro, he could feel the cold of Kaeya’s Cryo reaching out to him, as if trying to get support. He reached back as well as he could. His mastery over Pyro was never as tied to his feelings as Kaeya’s was.
The lector threw a ball of Electro to him. Nimbler than he thought he would be, Diluc dismissed his blade and rolled to the side, then took the blade back to bat away fireballs and ice shards shooting his way. Unfortunately, the fire and ice blocked the sight of an incoming attack – a second ball of Electro the lector threw at him after he threw the first.
He couldn’t help the surprised scream that came out of his mouth. He fell to the ground, struggling to stand while spasming. The mages’ laughter and jeers barely registered in the loud ring in his ears.
Shadow fell onto him. He looked up to see the lector looming over him, arms raised as Electro twined, building up. Diluc realized immediately that the attack would kill him in an instant.
“Damn you,” he bit out. The lector didn’t seem to be bothered.
“Father, please!” Kaeya’s voice rang out.
Chains jangled and rattled. The Delusion’s powers appeared and slammed into the lector, pushing him away and making him fall on his back, then curled and wrapped the mages, slamming them to the ground. Diluc gasped, turning back.
Kaeya had been freed from the chains, slowly rising to his feet. The ice around his arm had disappeared but Diluc could see the tell-tale signs of ice burns on his skin. Father was by his side, kneeling, the Abyssal fog around him trembling – no, Father was trembling.
“Not… my… son,” he heaved, rising to his feet. New fear struck Diluc. He had no idea what would happen to Father. Didn’t the lector say he couldn’t be separated from the Abyss anymore?
“Foolish mortal,” the lector growled. “We gave you life.”
“One I did not ask for,” Father answered immediately, “and one I would gladly trade away for my children.”
The Abyssal powers that kept Father alive quivered and rose, staining the air black with corruption. Diluc pressed his knuckles into his lips, feeling bile starting to rise from the Abyssal powers that polluted the air.
Father staggered forward and bent to grasp his shoulder, and Diluc jolted. More Abyssal corruption seeped into his skin through his clothes. Father didn’t seem to realize.
“Father…?” Diluc managed to ask.
Father glared at the lector. Diluc could see the black in his sclera slowly peeling off, showing the flecks of white underneath. “You’ve been in my head,” Father growled at the lector. “I have to thank you for that. Now get out.”
Father’s sclera slowly turned whiter as the Abyssal fog around him grew thicker. The dome around them broke, bit by bit splintering into shards that dissipated in the air. Father took in a sharp breath, bared his teeth, and willed the Delusion’s chains to grab the mages and the lector.
“Without my presence to ground you, you will not last,” the lector said, awfully calm as he knelt, straightening his back. “The Abyss’ powers is too deeply steeped in your heart that dying will not come easily, but the air in Mondstadt reeks of Celestial blessing. You will rot.”
“I will gladly take that if my boys are safe,” Father said, low and rumbling. The chains rattled as they yanked, flinging the mages into the portal. The lector stood his ground, digging his foot and knee into the stones.
Diluc pushed himself, springing to his feet and calling to the last dregs of his power. Fire bloomed around him as he called for Dawn the last time, sending the Pyro construct to the air, letting the bird’s fire set the lector aflame. Kaeya followed soon after, running ahead with his sword gripped in his good hand, practically shining blue-white with Cryo energy, the sheer biting cold leaving a trail of mist in the air as he ran.
The lector slashed at him, sending Electro to Kaeya’s running figure.
Kaeya blinked out of existence and appeared above the lector, eye glinting with concentration, the sword in his hand glowing as he lifted it, tip down. Gravity took hold and dragged as Kaeya plunged down, stabbing the lector at the head right from above.
Cryo energy exploded out, likely from Kaeya channeling his powers through the sword. The lector fell back, shards of Cryo stabbing out from the inside. Kaeya followed the trajectory and folded into a roll, standing up and turning around, bouncing with momentum from the fall, still ready for battle. The sword in his hand was nothing more than a hilt and a nub of metal. The blade had shattered in the last attack.
None of them could see if the lector was still alive and ready to fight, even if Diluc was fairly sure he was dead by then. It wasn’t like they had the chance to check – Father immediately grabbed the lector with a chain and flung him through the portal. Abyssal fog flared around him as the portal closed.
Father was closing the portal.
Diluc had no idea how. Perhaps it had something to do with the lector mentioning he was grounding Father. He had no way of knowing, now. But Father was closing this portal, and with luck, he was also closing the other portals around town.
The dome around them had dissolved. By the time the portal was closed, Father was clearly out of energy. He staggered and fell.
Diluc scrambled to catch him, slowing his fall and guiding his descend to the ground. Kaeya was at his side in an instant. There was a soft clatter – the broken sword had fallen.
“Father,” Kaeya called, frantic. “Are you – the Abyssal taint – “
“It’s strong,” Father confirmed. “I don’t think anyone can purify this. That lector wasn’t lying when he said I would rot.” He grunted in pain. “I might even be fully conscious the whole time.”
“But that – “ Diluc stared at him in horror.
“It would be painful,” Father said. He looked up at the sky, and Diluc could see the clouds rolling lazily, reflected in Father’s red gaze. “Death… would be a mercy.”
Diluc’s breath caught in his throat. His mind flashed to the fateful rainy day. A dragon, rising seemingly out of nowhere. The clinking of chains. The Delusion, eating its master from the inside out. The dagger, slick with rain, glinting ominously with lightning’s glow as thunder rolled.
The dagger, sinking deep into flesh.
Father, lifeless, rainwater stealing away his warmth as Diluc sat motionless, gripping his unmoving body with an impossible wish and impossible prayer.
Father’s hand, warm with life and steeped in nauseating Abyssal taint, rose. Trembling, he cupped Diluc’s cheek. “I will not ask you to do the impossible again,” he whispered.
Diluc’s sight blurred.
“Does any of you have a knife?” Father asked.
Kaeya produced one – a short dagger, similar to the one Diluc had used when – similar to the one he had used. Short, but noticeably sharp, and clearly more than enough to serve its purpose. “Why would you need this…?”
“The lector said I would rot,” Father answered, “but I can feel the corruption inside me. I think… if I stab my heart, it should just kill me. It would be better than to rot until I am no more.”
Diluc gasped. “Father – “
“I will not ask you to do the impossible,” Father reiterated sharply. “I had been wrong to ask the first time. I will not ask the same again.”
Even so, he trembled as he raised the dagger, its tip already aimed at his chest. When he tried to plunge it down, it instead fell as Father lost his grip. He growled in frustration, gripping the dagger, but he had no energy to lift it back up.
Diluc took in a trembling breath. “Let me help.”
“No.” To his surprise, Kaeya was the one who spoke. He took Father’s shaking hands in his own, no less wracked by tremors, and held it up. “I’ll do it.”
“Kae,” Diluc breathed.
“You bore the burden last time,” Kaeya whispered. He didn’t meet their eyes. “Let me bear it for you this time.”
“I can’t allow you to do it,” Father protested weakly. “It’s not right of me to ask you to shoulder the burden. What kind of Father am I, to ask you to kill me?”
“What kind of son am I to allow you to waste away in pain?” Kaeya shot back. He took in a shuddering breath. “It’s okay. At least this time we know we’re parting with nothing left unsaid.” He lifted his hands.
Diluc stopped him when he wrapped his own around Kaeya’s. “I’m not letting you do it alone.”
Kaeya blinked. “Luc?”
“I know what it’s like,” he said. “We’ll bear the burden together.”
Kaeya sniffed, staring at their hands – Diluc over Kaeya’s, Kaeya’s over Father’s, Father’s over the dagger. “I love you, Father,” he whispered.
Father smiled, weak but genuine. “I love you too. Both of you.” He blinked a few times as tears fell. “I am so, so proud of you. I can’t ask for anyone better. You’re the best sons any father could ever ask for.”
Diluc nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He did anyway, gritting out choked words, voice cracking, “Forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive,” Father assured. He let out a laugh. “You’re not killing me, Diluc, Kaeya. You’re setting me free.”
The tears spilled. Diluc sobbed, feeling like his heart was clenching painfully. Kaeya sniffled by his side.
“Remember to always have each others’ backs, okay?” Father whispered. The Abyssal taint was growing stronger, spreading like fog in early winter, seeping into Diluc’s skin. “Tell Adelinde I’m sorry I can’t join dinner tonight.”
Diluc nodded mutely. He blinked away the tears, feeling them rolling down his cheeks.
“I’m so proud of you,” Father whispered. “I will always be proud of you.”
He tugged the dagger down. Diluc and Kaeya complied with the silent request.
The blade sank in.
Diluc wasn’t sure how long it they sat there in silence, holding Crepus’ cooling body. He watched in silence as the rot slowly overtook him, black Abyssal taint staining his clothes, the gloves on Diluc’s hands, and the shirt on Kaeya.
They were a mess. Tears and snot aside, the battle had taken a lot out of them. Burn marks littered their clothes, both from fire and electricity. Some parts were ripped. Sand from the beach also stuck in places they shouldn’t be in. Their hair was all mussed up and messy, singed and staticky. It was always impossible to hope that anyone could come out of a fight looking pristine, but this one had been especially brutal. More so when he considered the emotional side of it.
He jolted when he heard footsteps coming closer. When he looked up, Albedo was there, dragging a foot that was obviously hurt – sprained, at the very least. He held his shoulder gingerly. Behind, on the path to cathedral, several others made their way to the church. Jean leaned on Lisa as she limped along, Klee at her heels. The child was practically the only one without any obvious injury. Klee herself had Noelle’s hand in hers, dragging her along to the cathedral as Noelle babbled something to her – probably trying to convince Klee that she was fine and didn’t need healing despite looking like she was about to crash. Behind them, Huffman dragged his feet, Barbara on his back. Not passed out, but from the looks of it she was pretty much out. Amber and Fischl leaned on each other as they walked, clearly spent. Oz was nowhere in sight. Razor – and what a surprise, to see him in the city at all – had Bennet on his back, cuts and bruises littering his body, leg bent at an odd angle. Rosaria trailed at the back of the entourage, sharp eyes surveying the scene as she kept her weapons in her hands – a throwing knife and her trusty polearm. She had obvious cuts around her body, but she was one of the few with lighter injuries. Her gaze met Diluc’s and she gave a brief nod, reassuring.
“We managed to defeat the Abyss Order forces in the city,” Albedo said, words clipped, not even bothering with greetings. “They opened portals throughout the city. After they’re closed we beat the stragglers. Knights and Adventurers that are still able to move are currently dealing with the damage.”
Kaeya sighed. “I’m glad the townsfolk are safe.”
Albedo nodded. His gaze fell to Father. “May I ask what happened here?”
Diluc’s voice lodged in his throat.
Kaeya seemed to realize it, as he took the initiative to explain. He talked in clipped tone, clearly at least dissociating a little as he recounted everything. There were definitely some things he glossed over, like the Abyss’ interest in him, but the way Albedo’s gaze sharpened made Diluc think he knew anyway, somehow.
When Kaeya was done, Albedo’s gaze dropped to Father. He frowned. “The decomposition rate is much higher than other cases’. We should rush it and arrange a burial quickly.”
“No. No burial,” Diluc blurted. At Albedo’s questioning gaze, he took in a deep breath. “I’m not taking any more chances. We’ll go with cremation this time.”
Albedo nodded. “Go to the back of the church. I’ll talk to the sisters, but I seem to remember they have a separate building for cremations around there.”
“Right.” Diluc gingerly lifted Father’s body up, frowning at how fragile it felt in his arms. “We’ll meet you there.”
Kaeya led him to the back of the church. There was a small stone building there, separated from the main building. Technically, it was in the grave area, but it was built far enough away that it looked like it stood all alone, just within the boundaries. Kaeya tested the door, and when it didn’t open, he sighed and summoned Cryo onto his hand. He pressed a fingertip at the keyhole, concentrating. In a few minutes, he’d managed to open the door.
“I can’t believe my brother is breaking into the church,” Diluc sighed dully as he followed Kaeya inside.
“Technically this isn’t really the church,” Kaeya defended, as if it was any better.
It wasn’t long after that Sister Jilliana appeared, took one look at Kaeya, and sighed. “Captain, you know as well as I do that you could’ve waited a little for me to unlock the door for you.”
“Sorry, Sister,” Kaeya said without an ounce of regret in his voice.
She shook her head in a way that clued Diluc that this conversation had happened before. “In any case, Captain Albedo gave me a brief rundown on what happened. You wish to use our crematorium, then?”
“Yes.”
Sister Jilliana nodded. “Traditionally, we are to have a ceremony beforehand, but I suppose we are pressed for time. Regardless, let us have a quick prayer to wish for Master Crepus’ peaceful departure. May the Anemo Archon bless his journey to the afterlife…” She pressed her hands together, muttering prayers. Diluc bowed his head slightly, mostly out of respect – he had not been the most religious man, and finding out that Barbatos was really Venti didn’t make him any more devout. By his side, Kaeya kept silent, having never been a believer in the first place.
Sister Jilliana’s prayer didn’t take long, which was nice. Sister Victoria or Sister Grace would have taken much longer, Diluc was sure. She made her way to the back of the building, unlatching the wooden wall and pulling it aside. The wall turned out to be a sort of built-in shelf, each nook filled with wooden caskets. They were crude, more like cheap boxes than intricate caskets often used for burials, not even painted or sanded. Sister Jilliana pulled one, and Kaeya immediately went in to help her.
“Thank you,” Sister Jilliana said. “Now, normally we would ask family of the deceased to bring their own caskets, but we also have these for people who have no family or friends who can provide one. Since we’re on a tight schedule, we’ll have one for Master Crepus.” She scrunched her nose. “I’m sorry we only have lousy caskets. They’re definitely not fit for someone of Master Crepus’ status.”
“No. It’s alright.” Diluc stepped closer as Kaeya opened the casket, and he lowered Father into it. He thought he would be more emotional about this. Choked up, perhaps, or upset. Mostly, he was just tired. “Pretty or not, it’s all going to be ash in a bit.”
It was a familiar sight, to see Father inside a casket. This time, he was a lot more beat up, a lot less put together, wearing what was as close as casual wear for him instead of the suit he was outfitted with for the burial. But he unnaturally still, almost peaceful face was the same.
How odd, that he could look so peaceful with how he died in the first place.
Sister Jilliana led them out of the lodge, gesturing to the pile of firewood set up outside, piled high against the wall. “Since we cannot throw dirt, putting a log of wood during the cremation process is often seen as a way to honor the dead in place of that. And then…” she hesitated. “Normally, someone with Pyro Vision would keep the fire going, but Brother Aiden is off helping in the city…”
Diluc sighed. “It’s fine. I can do it.”
“You’re tired from the fight and you’re clearly close to elemental exhaustion,” Kaeya pointed out in protest.
“I can handle it. It’s okay.”
There was no one else to ask. Amber was more adept at using her Vision in short bursts, lighting up her arrows and creating quick fire rain that was as devastating as it was quick – as Outrider, she honed her physical stamina much more than her Vision skills, as she needed it more during scouting missions. Bennett was simply untrained in using his Vision for a long time, and his control was still shaky. Asking him to keep a fire going, and most likely at a constant, stable, and high temperature, would ask the skill and stamina he just didn’t have, especially after a long battle and getting injured. And Klee would be the last person Diluc asked for help when it came to keeping a fire going. Age aside, she was more likely to blow Father’s body to bits than burn it down to ashes.
They brought the logs inside, making multiple trips until Sister Jilliana deemed they had enough. Diluc was sore by the time he put the last logs down, but Sister Jilliana wasn’t finished yet. She directed them to a stone table at the other end of the lodge, away from the wooden wall, separated by a stone wall. The table had odd walls around it, the insides blackened and charred. Belatedly, Diluc realized this must be where they would burn the bodies.
Sister Jilliana reached up, taking a dangling rope into her hands and pulled. It took several tugs, but the roof above the charred table opened, letting the sun in and illuminating the lodge. Dust rained on them. Sister Jilliana nonchalantly waved away the dust as best as she could and tied the rope at a jutting metal rod on the wall, possibly to keep the roof well opened.
“Help me arrange the firewood,” she requested. They got to work, arranging the logs on the table, then putting the casket on top of it. Sister Jilliana then instructed them to arrange more around the coffin.
She handed a log to Diluc and Kaeya each, smiling sadly. “This is when you should wish him a safe passage. After that, we’ll close the casket, put more logs on top, and start the fire.”
Knocking at the lodge’s door drew their attention before they could take the log. They turned to see Jean there, leaning at the door, a tired smile at her lips. Behind her was a whole entourage – Albedo, Klee, Amber, Lumine and Paimon, Lisa, Rosaria. Diluc blinked at the group.
“I hope you don’t mind if we join you for the funeral,” Jean said. “I would like to pay my respect to Master Crepus, if possible.”
“Of course we don’t mind,” Diluc said, exasperated. “He was close to you, too.”
Someone dashed closer and crashed into Rosaria, who was at the back of the group. “Oof! Sorry, sorry!” Venti’s voice rang out, clear and loud. “I hope we’re not late. I brought Miss Adelinde!”
The group parted to let Adelinde in. Her face crumped at he sight of Father, and she clenched her fists over her chest, taking a deep breath.
“Sorry, Addie,” Kaeya said. “We couldn’t have that family dinner after all.”
Adelinde took another deep breath and forced a smile on her face. “It’s alright. I’m sure you tried your best,” she said, lifting a hand to cup Kaeya’s cheek. He leaned into her touch. “Now, I believe it’s best if you hurry along. We’ll have to make sure you two get good rest after this.”
Sister Jilliana pressed a log into Diluc’s hand. “Oldest family member first,” she said, then took a step back to give him space. Diluc weighed the log in his hand, sighed, and put it on the side of Father’s casket. His mind flashed back to the day he attended Father’s first funeral. I’m sorry, he had said back then.
He breathed out, closing his eyes. “Thank you, Father,” he whispered, “for everything.”
He stepped away to let Kaeya place his log, catching him murmuring his own thanks and hopes that Father would find peace. Adelinde kept her silence as she placed her log before she joined him and Kaeya. The rest of the procession went quickly, with how few people attended. It didn’t take long until Diluc and Kaeya needed to close the casket.
With an exhale and a slam of his claymore, Diluc sent Dawn to scorch the wood. It didn’t take long for his Vision’s power to engulf everything, and then it was just a matter of keeping his attention to make sure everything burned well. It still required careful redirection, since some of the logs were a bit damp, but the fire held.
Sister Jilliana ushered them outside. “Let’s go. The lodge may be well ventilated and has a ceiling window, but we still shouldn’t stay inside and inhale smoke. Master Diluc, can you keep the fire going from afar?”
Diluc nodded. “As long as no one disturbs my concentration.”
“Of course.”
They ended up standing together some ways away from the lodge, silently watching as the fire Diluc kept going licked higher. At this point, he wasn’t even actively keeping it going, he was just making sure the temperature was high enough that everything would be reduced to ashes. Still, with the battle still fresh in his mind and the sting of the wounds he sustained still sharp, his head had begun to develop a dull ache that pulsed along with his heartbeat. Inwardly, he sighed. He’d probably pass out for at least twelve hours after this, with elemental exhaustion creeping in.
Jean sidled closer to him and Kaeya. “I’m sorry about your loss,” she said, soft and regretful. “And I’m here to say it for Barbara, too. I’m sure she’ll be here if she could, but she passed out from elemental exhaustion.”
“She joined the battle?” Kaeya asked, clearly surprised.
Jean smiled. “Yes. It surprised me, too. Fischl, Amber, and Sister Rosaria guarded her all the while. She single-handedly ensured that our side suffer no major loss.”
The smile in Kaeya’s face mirrored Jean’s, proud and fond. “Atta girl.”
“She’ll be fine. She’s recovering,” Rosaria said, joining the conversation. “On that note, the other kids wanted to attend, too, but Razor had to make sure Bennett doesn’t get up and aggravate his injuries and Fischl is suffering from vertigo from switching sight with Oz too much. Noelle insisted she could come here then help with cleanup and Sister Victoria is making sure she’s staying in bed.”
“They don’t have to come, they need their rest,” Diluc murmured. He winced. Actually, he might prefer to shut up for now. Talking made the headache worse.
“Besides, they didn’t know Master Crepus,” Kaeya said. “I wouldn’t blame them for deciding not to attend.”
Rosaria snorted. “Sure, but they know you and Master Diluc.” She let out another snort when Kaeya stared at her blankly. “Funerals isn’t just for mourning the dead, you know? It’s also for the living.”
From the way Kaeya blinked and fell silent, it was clearly food for thought for him. He was soon distracted by Klee taking his hand and leaning into his leg while Albedo stood by their side in silent support. Adelinde joined them by Diluc’s side, putting her hand on his shoulder comfortingly. Lumine and Paimon drifted closer, Paimon silent for once, while Amber took a position near Jean and Lisa. Venti stayed a little further away, farthest from the fire and smoke, plucking a quiet, somber song on his lyre.
They stayed until the fire died and the ashes cooled, watched as Diluc, Kaeya, and Adelinde collected the remaining ashes into an urn. They’d decide later what to do with it.
“Let’s go home,” Adelinde said to the empty quiet that descended after they were done.
They stood by the waterfall near Dragonspine that connected to the river by the winery. The icy winds from the mountain chilled Diluc’s back even through the coat he wore. He had been consciously raising his temperature to keep warm, and he wasn’t unaware of how Kaeya shifted closer and closer, clearly seeking warmth. Perhaps they should finish this up as quickly as possible and get back to the winery to grab Adelinde’s world famous hot chocolate.
Ideally, she’d be here too, but she insisted the two of them do it alone. As much as Diluc wanted to insist she join, there was nothing he could do to change her mind.
They had climbed up to the top of the cliff, and Diluc watched the rushing water that plunged below. If he followed the river, he would eventually arrive in Stone Gate, wading in the shallows of Sal Terrae. Further down the current, he would arrive in Yaoguang Shoal and the oceans beyond.
He wondered if Father would have liked that. To travel the world, to be scattered and be one with the wind, the seas, the land. But Father had always enjoyed the moments in-between his business trip, when he could take a moment to breathe and watch the stars, listen to the trickling of the stream, and the singing of the birds and the crickets.
Diluc thought he might like it. And there was a guarantee that what happened before would never happen again.
He imagined it would be hard to resurrect someone if the pieces weren’t all there.
Kaeya handed him the urn he had in his arms. “Oldest first,” he said softly, loud enough to be heard above the rushing water.
Diluc took off his glove and shoved it in his coat, taking the urn. He carefully took off the cork that kept the content inside, handed it to Kaeya, and took a fistful of Father’s ash, kneeling on the shallow water and letting the ash fall into the water, mixing in and carried away into the river below, watching the too-fine grains mingle with the wind and be blown away before it could sink into water. Kaeya followed his example, ungloved hand taking a fistful of ash and releasing it into the world. Methodically, they emptied the urn into the river, then rinsed it.
“Goodbye, Father,” Kaeya whispered.
Diluc handed the urn to him. “Youngest has the honors.”
Kaeya took it, scuttled closer to a jutting rock, and smashed the urn into it. The freezing water swept away the broken pieces. The current would drag it under, and the weight of the ceramic would drag it into the bottom of the river, where it would rest forever between rocks and other pieces of broken urns. He put his hand into the water, letting it wash away the remaining ash still sticking on his skin, and Diluc followed his example.
Kaeya sighed, looking down at the rushing water. “What now, Diluc?” he asked. He turned to Diluc, eye sharp. “What are we, now?”
Diluc stared back. He couldn’t fault Kaeya for asking, but a part of him was equal parts fond and exasperated. Silently, he stood up and offered his hand to Kaeya. “Now we go home, baby brother.”
Kaeya stared at it, gaze following the lines on his ungloved hand. He clasped is with his own, freezing cold and slightly wet from the river water. “Okay.”
As they glided back to the road back to the winery, Diluc eyed the rushing river, wondering how far Father’s ashes had gone. He landed lightly on the ground, following the river’s current with his eyes.
“Diluc,” Kaeya called. Diluc turned to him and watched him tug his glove back on. “Let’s not keep Adelinde waiting.”
He let a small smile quirk into his lips, pulling his own glove out and put it on. “Yeah. Let’s ask if she’ll make us some hot chocolate.”
Kaeya mirrored his smile as he nodded, bumping their shoulders together as they walked back to the winery.