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Kaeya, cavalry captain for the Knights of Favonius, could never forget that day. The day he got his vision, and the day the Cryo archon had saved his life, by granting him his very own Cryo vision. Kaeya hadn’t really had much of a chance to meet his real father, since he had been taken in by Diluc’s father, Crepus. He and Diluc had… never really been all that close. Sure, they trained together and stuff, but they were never truly like brothers. Kaeya had always fallen short of Diluc’s natural skill and abilities. Unlike Kaeya, Diluc had a vision, a Pyro one too. He wielded a powerful claymore, while Kaeya used a smaller, lighter sword. Diluc had a vision, Kaeya did not.
Well, he didn’t have one until the night that their, no, Diluc’s father had died. It was the day of Diluc’s coming of age, when he and his father had gone out together. Kaeya had only recently joined the Knights of Favonius during the time. He had been surprised when he had come across Diluc with Crepus’s dead body. Crepus was the owner of the greatest wine industry in all of Mondstadt, well-known as the Dawn Winery. It manufactured many wines and fine alcohols. Crepus had shown his son(s) how to process wine, and both of the boys had taken short lessons on winemaking every day for a few months. Diluc, like his father, had a natural capability for winemaking as well. Once again, Kaeya fell short of Diluc’s skill.
A few days after Crepus’s death, Diluc left Mondstadt. No one knows where he had gone, or wether or not he would return. In the meanwhile, the old cavalry captain of the Knights of Favonius had recently retired, and a new position had opened up. Kaeya and Diluc’s friend, Jean, had been promoted to acting grand master. After a few months had passed, Kaeya had been promoted to the cavalry captain.
Even with Diluc’s company in the past, Kaeya had lots of time alone. During those times, he would practice his sword skills, trying his best to perfect them. Being the cavalry captain of the Knights of Favonius and not having a vision made him a great assassination target. Kaeya had often had to fight off multiple assassins trying to steal his life. Kaeya however, was no longer weak. He now had the capability to take care of himself, and he was successfully able to arrest every single assassin. On December 5th, Diluc returned to Mondstadt.
Their reunion did not go as Kaeya had expected. When they first met up again after months, it immediately resulted in combat. Over time, although Kaeya had gotten stronger, Diluc had also gained new attributes and skills. Once again, had Kaeya fallen short of his “brother’s” skills.
“At first there was darkness, and then there was light.” Kaeya remembers Crepus telling him those words a long time ago. “Without darkness, the light cannot prevail.” And here he was, walking into endless darkness. ... *am I.. dead…?* He had silently asked himself, as he strolled through the tranquil dark. It was deathly silent, and there was nothing. No-one. There was nothing there until Kaeya heard a voice, a light, and a hand stretching toward him. “No one should be forever trapped in a darkness such as this,” said the voice, as Kaeya was lighted into the light.
When Kaeya awoke, he was greeted with Diluc’s claymore pointing at his face, lit with Pyro. Suddenly, a cool frost lit the dark of night. Ice empowered Kaeya’s sword, and a cool breeze carried out on the winds of Barbatos. Diluc, knowing he could not kill someone who had just been blessed by one of the Archons, left Kaeya where he was.
Ever since Kaeya had been granted his Cryo vision, he had some very interesting dreams. It was always the same voice he had heard in the darkness, and it would always say the same thing. “The Tsaritsa’s will shall be fulfilled.” These dreams had disturbed Kaeya, and one night he had sat alone on the windowsill of his room, gazing out into the open grassy fields of Mondstadt, billowing in the soft breeze.
Kaeya had ignored the dreams until he was visited by the Tsaritsa herself in one of his dreams. “Greetings, Kaeya,” she had said once. “No one should be forever trapped in a darkness such as the one you have faced,” she continued. “I have an allegiance. They are known as the Fatui.” She laughed softly, as Kaeya flinched. The Fatui had been invading Mondstadt, and threatening the Knights of Favonius. “Relax, my dear friend…” the Tsaritsa said, as she extended a hand. “Everyone in the Fatui serve me. They carry out my one and only will. Do you know what that will is?” She had questioned him that night. Kaeya shook his head, and the Tsaritsa continued once more. “My one and only wish is for everyone to be at peace. For no one to be bound by other people. I want a world where one day, we, the seven archons, can step down from our positions, and join you in the ranks of a mortal. I wish for everyone to be equal, and for there to be no archons.” She looked at him. “Shouldn’t we all be treated the same as everyone else?” She waved her hand around at the darkness. The black of night wavered, and slowly transformed into a snowy terrain.
“Welcome to the lands of Snezneya,” the Tsaritsa had told him. “Every one of my most loyal Fatui members have all experienced struggles similar and even worse than you have. Yet, they serve me, in hope for a change in their lives. In hope for a better future, and everlasting peace.” She looked at him, Kaeya’s frosty blue gaze reflecting in her own. “So,” she continued. “Will you join me, Kaeya?”
Slowly, Kaeya reached out his hand to grab hers. “I’m sorry, Jean, Diluc, Amber, and everyone in the Knights of Favonius.” He whispered. “I’m sorry, Crepus, and to the father and mother whom I never knew.” He hesitated, before continuing. “I’m sorry, but I must leave you behind. I must leave all of it behind. I must forget the past and move on towards a better future.” His hand touched hers, and the Tsaritsa disappeared, leaving only a Fatui’s mask in his hand.