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This was strange. No. There’s a better word for it.
“Asinine.” Albedo says, his usually calm voice shaking with well just pure shock. Kaeya nodded in agreement.
A ruin grader had appeared out of nowhere and blasted away the Frostarm Lawachurl that tired to attack them.
Kaeya and Albedo were ask to go to Dragonspine to locate some adventurers that wander off and got lost in the snowy peak.
“You’re both the best fit for this. I would send Eula but she’s already out doing a different mission.” Jean explains. “Albedo you know your way around the mountain and Kaeya-“
“I’m a Cyro user. A wise choice.” Kaeya smiles and Jean rolled her eyes a tad but smiled nonetheless.
“Where were they last seen?” Albedo asks.
“Very close to where you have a camp set up.” Jean answers.
“If they’re smart they’ll find it and stay there till we find them.” Kaeya hums. The two captains gather what they need and head out.
It didn’t take them long to find the group of adventurers. They did manage to find Albedo’s campsite before they could freeze to death.
“Doesn’t the adventurer guild have guide lines for when you can go up the mountain?” Kaeya asks as Albedo makes sure they have them all.
“Jean said there should be seven of you. I’m only counting six.” Albedo speaks up.
“The other guy went looking for help.” A lady speaks up.
“AAAAAAAAAH!”
“Well speak of the devil.” Kaeya hurried out along with Albedo. They find a guy running away from a Frostarm Lawachurl that did not look happy. He stumbles and hides behind the two captains as the Lawachurl roars and is about to attack when-
Kaeya wasn’t sure if he should be happy or more ready for a beating. The Ruin Grader gets in front of the captains as the Lawachurl gets back onto its feet. It charges at the Grader which easily stops it by the forearms. The Ruin Grader’s core began to glow and the captains grab the adventurer and sprint back into the campsite.
“GET DOWN!”
BOOM
It’s quiet. Scarily quiet.
Albedo and Kaeya glance at each other, silently asking the other if they should take a look and see if the Grader is still there. But unfortunately that question was answered for them when they hear heavy footsteps heading towards them. They saw the legs and arms of the Grader and watch as it lowers itself to one knee and someone jumps down.
“Excuse me? Anyone here?”
A female voice asks before the owner walks all the way in. The group of adventurers huddled together while the knights get ready to draw their weapons as the woman walks over as if she didn’t just jump off a Ruin Grader that weirdly came to their rescue.
“Who are you?” Albedo was the first to ask.
“Do I not look oddly familiar?” She asks.
“You do. But I don’t want to assume.” Kaeya narrowed his one visible eye.
“I’m Lumine. Aether’s twin sister.” She finally says and walks over to Kaeya, taking his hand and giving a soft kiss to the top of it. “And I’d like to talk to you if that’s okay.”
Albedo only watches as she guides Kaeya out of the campsite like he was royalty, still holding his hand and the other on the small of his back.
“Um….Sir Albedo?”
“What is it?”
“Your vision is glowing and shaking….”
——
They reach the bottom of the mountain rather quickly thanks to Lumine. Her being carried by the Ruin Grader with Kaeya on it’s shoulder, leading them all out.
The group of adventurers thank them all for saving them and hurry away, most likely heading back to the Guild. Lumine hops off the Grader and helps Kaeya down once he’s lowered off the shoulder.
“Go back to where you were now.” Lumine orders the Grader. It turns around and walks back into the mountain.
“You said you wanted to talk to me. About what?” Kaeya asks.
“I heard what my mages did to you.” Lumine says, a hand faintly brushing against Kaeya’s side. “I didn’t think much of it at first but then I realized who you are.”
“Wait your mages?” Albedo stops her from saying anymore.
“Hm? Did my brother not tell you?” She watches the two who seemed lost, making her sigh. “I’m the one controlling the Abyss order. I’m the Princess.”
“-And before you draw your weapons and pick a fight. I am not here to cause trouble.” Lumine quickly adds as she holds her hand up. “I’d simply like to talk to Sir Kaeya alone if I may.”
“No. You can’t just say you’re the leader of the abyss order and then ask to talk to a captain of the knights alone.” Albedo interrupts.
“I wasn’t asking you.” Lumine only spared a glance at Albedo and turns her head back to Kaeya. “May we have a small chat? It won’t take up too much of your time, Sir Kaeya.”
“I suppose I have time to spare.” Kaeya answers. “Why don’t you head back to the city, Albedo. I’ll catch up soon.”
Before the other captain could protest the two of them walk off and left him alone. Like he was going to leave that easy.
“Like I said before. I paid no mind that my mages really had it out for you. But after learning what was going on, I understand why my brother threatened them. Though the two of us are on separate paths right now, I do not wish to cause him too much trouble.” Lumine explains, taking Kaeya’s hands in her own. “Especially since I’ve finally met the one that’s captured his heart.”
“On behalf of my Abyss Mages. I’m sorry they aimed their anger at you, Sir Kaeya.” Lumine bowed her head and then looked back up him.
“Oh…well there’s no need for apologizes, Lumine. No harmed down. I’m still standing.” For the first time in a long time Kaeya wasn’t sure how he should react. Lumine, Aether’s lost sister, who he just met and learned is with the Abyss Order- is apologizing to him. What even.
“Hm.” The outlander hums, letting Kaeya’s hands go but reaching one up to cup the right side of his face, running a thumb over his eyepatch. “I see why my brother fancies you.”
She slips her thumb under the eyepatch and slides up, making it fall off. But the captain doesn’t react, the longer he’s around her, the more he feels a familiar aura.
“I knew it.” Lumine says after a moment, looking at Kaeya’s right eye. It was a darker blue and the star shape was a bright white, a scar running down the skin of his eye and eye lid. The strange energy coming off Lumine was making Kaeya feel light headed, the outlander must’ve noticed and guides him to lay down, having his back rest against her front while she sits on her knees.
“You’ve been away from home too long.” She says, making him look up at her confused. “I hope when my brother finishes his journey, he’ll bring you with.”
“This world is no place for you nor I. Prince of Khaenri'ah.”
How did she…
“Rest. I’ll bring you back to that Alchemist.” Lumine whispers to him.
~~~~~~
“You knights really shouldn’t over work your most important captain.” Lumine walks over to Albedo with Kaeya on her back.
“What happened?” Albedo walked over faster than he intended to but didn’t care, taking the sleeping man off Lumine’s back and holding him bridal style in his arms.
“Must’ve gotten sleepy from looking for those silly adventurers.” Lumine shrugged before walking away, a ruin guard appearing from nowhere waiting for her. Albedo only watches her as his grip on Kaeya ever so slightly tightens.
“If I find out she’s done something to you, I swear to the Archons….” He growled under his breath.
——
“You wanna send a message to Aether???” Klee’s eyes sparkle as she stares up at Albedo. The alchemist is always so busy he hardly ever asks Klee about anything but now here he was, asking her how to send a message to the ever traveling Honorary Knight. “Come on! Klee will show you!”
She takes his hand and drags him out of the room and out of the headquarters.
“What’s big brother gonna say?? A new experiment? New bombs??” Klee then gasps. “Are you gonna talk about mister Kaeya????”
“What? No no!” Albedo was quick to dismiss that thought. “It’s just- something important that I need to discuss with Aether in person.”
“But that sounds an awful lot like mister Kaeya to Klee.”
“Klee no.”
Klee gets them to the teleport but before she shows him how, she looks at the two Fatui diplomats and glares.
“Go somewhere else!” She demands. “Klee knows you Fatui wanna know how we contact Aether!”
“And why should we listen to a kid?” The guy asks.
“Cause I’ll blast you like fish!” Klee holds up one of her bombs and that made the pair turn heel and dash away. Albedo looks at the little girl and chuckles softly.
“That’s the plushie your mom left for you from the Archipelago, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. But they don’t need to know that.”
Klee hook the plush back onto her backpack and turns to face the teleport, tapping it and a map of Teyvat appears. She moves the map around before finding the Traveler in Guyun Stone Forest, Liyue. She taps on the teleport in the forest and the little screen turns blue.
“Ahem.” Klee clears her throat. “Hi mister honorary knight it’s me Klee! I have Albedo here too isn’t that amazing???”
As she spoke words appeared.
“Your turn!” Klee moves back and lets Albedo go. He stares at the screen for a long while and sighs.
“I need to talk to you about something important. In person if you can.” Albedo says. He steps back and looks at Klee.
“That all?” She asks. When he nods she taps send. The screen closes and the teleport glows and the message was sent. “Easy peasy!”
“Thank you, Klee.”
——-
“Yeah Aether!” Paimon cheers as Aether throws the man he’s up against over his shoulder and he taps out.
“HA HA! Just as I’d expect from the one that knock that Fatui group down a few pegs!” Beidou laughs. The traveler shakes hands with the other fighter, praising him as a skilled fighter despite the loss.
“Aether you said you receive messages from your friends through the teleports right?” Kazuha spoke up as the blond walks over.
“Yes I do. Why?” Aether asks. The samurai points off to the distance and the outlander noticed the teleport was glowing.
“Paimon will check it out. You focus on the Clash.” Aether nods as his friend flies off to the teleport.
By the time Paimon came back the Clash was over and Kazuha had taken back his old friend’s vision.
“Um Aether?” Paimon says once she finds him. She floats over to him and whispers in his ear. When they move away, he looks at her and then to Beidou and Kazuha.
“Uh-“
“Don’t worry kid. You’ve got time, go.” Beidou crosses her arms and smiles as Aether says thank you and dashes off with Paimon right behind him.
What in the worlds does Albedo want to talk to Aether about that was so important?
.
.
.
“YOU MET MY SISTER?!”
“Aether there’s no reason to shout.” Albedo said all too calmly as he closes the door to his lab.
“I think there is. You met Lumine! My sister! The princess of the Abyss Order!” Aether says loudly.
“I understand that but that isn’t the reason I wanted to talk to you. You in time will face her.” Albedo explains. “My concern is that she knows about Kaeya.”
“Wait you know-?” The alchemist cuts him off.
“Yes.” Albedo answers, running a finger over the star mark on his neck. “It’s not hard to tell but that’s all I know.”
“So Lumine knows Kaeya’s from Khaenri'ah…that is worrisome.” Aether hums.
“You think she’ll harm him?” Paimon asks then back tracks when Aether’s eyes go dark.
“Aether calm down.” Albedo orders and the Traveler smacks his own face lightly. “All I know is that the Abyss energy that was coming off her effected Kaeya.”
“Where is Kaeya?” Aether asks.
“In his office. He’s fine but, he hasn’t been as chatty and snarky as he normally is.”
Kaeya stares out his window, the paper work on his desk long forgotten.
“This world is no place for you nor I. Prince of Khaenri'ah.”
Those words have been echoing in Kaeya’s mind for hours. He stands up and walks up to the window he was staring out at, taking his eye patch off.
“I know I don’t belong here. So where do I belong?” He mumbles to himself.