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alchemy noun
al·che·my | \ ˈal-kə-mē \
plural alchemies
Medical Definition of alchemy (Merriam Webster)
: the medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy whose aims were the transmutation of the base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for diseases, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life
beings of soil are bound by imperfections— yet from soil springs chalk, and chalk is free from fault. yet, it seems that beyond this world with its fake sky and whose stars have lights that stray, there exist a thousand other substances borne not of soil nor chalk and a thousand more worlds with different rules.
the flask at albedo's desk proves it— from the outlander's very being is an unusual sort of energy, something almost familiar but had no name. perhaps, if albedo spends more time with the outlander, he'll get his answers. yet his time is scarce and albedo's borrowed time is slowly ticking away like one of those timed bombs he helped klee make. albedo dreads the moment it comes, it creeps like a poison with a chokehold on his throat. albedo could only hope that this outlander— and mondstadt— would be strong enough to contain the aftermath.
albedo does not know what he is made of. he has only known his existence was a mistake— some error left unchecked. his earliest memories are that of soil and how it births life— of battles to be won and secrets to be kept. alchemy has given him life, it is only prudent that he study the science of why his heart beats and his lungs breathe.
maybe, just maybe, albedo would eventually find the truth of why he was made, only to be abandoned by his past masters. perhaps when he pushes back enough with his alchemy, the gods will look down from celestia and give him the answers he needs. sucrose, gods bless her, warns him whenever he tries something that may upset the fragile balance they as alchemists protect.
those he brings to life crumbles to dust. what comes from dust returns to dust, that is something ingrained to albedo's mind. sometimes, albedo likes to think about where he'll return— will he return to somewhere amongst these fake stars, a corrupted piece of the heavens? will he just cease to be with something else taking his place? there are so many questions that he must find the answer to before the ticking stops and the clock resets.
but for now he contents himself with the outlander's help, the sword he gives them sheaths perfectly into their hand— the festering desire of corruption not affecting them in any way, albedo could only sigh in relief. he contents himself to teaching sucrose and timaeus the least dangerous parts of khaenri'ahn alchemy, seeing the building blocks of knowledge present itself. he contents himself with klee's ever-there presence, a warmth that he has not experienced anywhere else.
albedo could only bide his time to seek new wisdom amongst the scattered details that this broken, upside down world has given him. the stars shine bright in mondstadt, and the breeze assures him that at least for now, mondstadt— and the people in it— is safe.