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Kaeya’s foot skid on the ice. He twisted his body towards the snowbank to break his fall.
“That’s…going to hurt” he grimaced.
“Hrrggg”
Kaeya turned towards the oncoming lawrachurl who wielded his human sized shield like a banner. Two hilichurls with crossbows waddled behind the beast and if the situation couldn’t get any worse, he heard a language that only meant one thing…
“proditor hic moritur” a shrilling voice spoke. The hiluchurls and lawrachurl paused before stepping aside for their master. A bright white orb began to approach the captain as the image of the cryo mage became more apparent.
“Oh? What an amusing situation” Kaeya slowly stood leaning against a nearby tree. He cradled his ribs while raising his sword “if only you were hydro, or perhaps pyro, I might have a fighting chance. But here you are” Kaeya smirked “quite a challenge indeed. Whatever shall I do”.
“The Monstadt captain is an enemy of the abyss!” the mage shrilled “and will die!” it suddenly flung an ice crystal at the captain who promptly leapt to the side. With a deep breath and a grin, Kaeya ran forward ignoring the mage in favor of the hilichurls. With three strikes the archers were all but dust and dissipated into the snow.
“And now for you” Kaeya ran up a hill around the lawrachurl. His hands dug into the snow, and he winced as they were losing all feeling. Despite being a cryo allogene, the sheer cold of Dragonspine could fell anyone man, or gods alike…except mages and hiluchurls apparently.
Ignoring the pain, Kaeya pushed forward onto a large boulder, immediately jumping down towards the back of the lawrachurl where his shield was absent. It cried out as his sword made a large gash onto its back. Enraged, it whipped the shield around throwing Kaeya across the snow path with a loud thud. The force drove him sliding towards a nearby ledge with a lot more speed than Kaeya liked. He dug his fingers into the ground using the momentum to turn his body upright and stab his sword onto the path. Settling right before the cliff, Kaeya looked up with his one star eye.
“You’ll pay for that” he growled before lunging. The lawrachurl acted in kind intending to meet him head on “wood or not, my ice is strong” Kaeya yelled thrusting out a burst of crystals with all his might. The chunks hit the shield splintering the wood into pieces and passing right through the lawrachurl’s body, giving it no time to collapse before it dissipated into dust.
“Homicida!!!” the mage shrieked. Kaeya turned just before an ice crystal made its way into his skull.
“Heh, almost forgot you-agh!!”
White hot pain shot up Kaeya’s body and black dots clouded his vision. He couldn’t help but curl into himself clambering for the source. His ice-cold hands suddenly felt warm liquid oozing onto the snow.
I have to look up…I need to see where the mage is… Kaeya gasped finally opening his eye. To his favor the mage was cackling to itself while dancing in a circle, chanting its winning song. Kaeya tried moving but immediately collapsed onto his left leg.
“Agh!” he yelled even more to the mage’s delight. Looking down, Kaeya found the source of the blood and his stomach churned. A large piece of wood was sticking out of his left thigh. Shrapnel from the lawrachurl’s shield must have lodged itself into him. Cursing the Dendro archon, Kaeya attempted some semblance of a fighting stance. The mage would only self-amuse itself for so long, and he had no pyro user around…not that he would be around anyway.
“Now the traitor dies!”
Kaeya turned towards the shrill voice as it disappeared into the void. A gust of wind blew Kaeya back onto his knees as the mage reappeared next to him, waving its treacherous wand.
I must do something. Think captain, think…My ice just needs to be stronger than its…
Kaeya closed his eye, gripping his sword, concentrating all he had into feeling his Vision. There was a certain limit that you never crossed. It was ingrained in every allogene he knew, and he felt it strongly. It was a feeling, a voice telling you to stop before going too far. Kaeya had always wanted to test it, but self-preservation had always stopped him. But he was going to die here. He couldn’t run and he couldn’t fight a cryo abyss mage alone. He was alone, and no pyro Vision user was coming for him…at least not the one he wished would. This was a do or die situation.
Break the shield and then he’s all yours Kaeya breathed deep.
The air thinned and crisped with snowflakes twirling into a gale. The power rose and swirled around the calvary captain. The abyss mage stopped in its tracks, hesitant as the wind picked up and wove around its enemy. Kaeya sat on his knees, face scrunched as he dug his hands into the snow before him, drawing from the natural element.
“I-will not die…” His eye snapped open, the star pupil glowing as it glared at the mage “not here”.
There was a large cracking sound as Kaeya flung his body back. The storm reacting to him lashed out in a flurry bursting from his body to everything nearby. The burst only lasted a second. Ice spears shot out like bullets cleaving straight through trees and rocks alike. Bare earth and grass that had long been hidden appeared before Kaeya, blowing all snow and ice away. Kaeya gasped and slumped forward. An ice wall surrounded him 20 feet high, and he surmised, 5 feet thick.
“Heh, so the limit is a lie, *cough cough*” Kaeya cupped his mouth pulling his hand back to a blood-soaked glove. “Or so I thought” he dryly chuckled. Kaeya gingerly made his way to his feet, using his sword as a crutch. He eyed his surroundings. The ice wall was all he could see, that and the ash sky.
“Perhaps that was too much” he stumbled towards the glacier placing his hand down and willing the wall to melt. The moment he relied on his Vision again, his knees buckled, and he found himself in a coughing fit with blood splattering onto the grass.
“I *cough* can’t stay here…” push through the pain he gasped placing his hand once more onto the wall. He had to get out before his leg became infectious and the sheer cold froze him for good. “Melt…” Kaeya ignited his vision, and the coughing started all over again. He grit his teeth pushing down the bile and blood. His lungs flared and felt like they would burst. “Melt…” He shoved his hand through the wall feeling it break as silver would through ice. He steadily rose to his feet pushing his whole body through the wall. Mist began to rise, and he felt the wall give way. There was a crack and Kaeya suddenly found himself on the ground again, but this time on the other side of the wall. The fight had brought him a good way north. He was now on the Snow-Covered Pass instead of the Entombed City where he was originally scouting. The Traveler had said there was a mural there that might be of interest to him. Kaeya would have a word with Albedo eventually on why he never thought to bring this up in his reports. Of course, Kaeya knew the man had his secrets, like his throat bearing the Khanrian crest or how he practiced Khemia.
With a grunt, Kaeya stumbled to his feet, giving great care to his left leg. The Adventurers’ camp was closer than Albedo’s at this point, and downhill.
“Heh, well, this certainly has been an entertaining day” he winced. This would be much more interesting when Jean found out he went off by himself into Dragonspine without telling anyone. A very interesting day indeed.
Kaeya surveyed his surroundings in search of the abyss mage. His strike was all he could muster, and he prayed that was enough to break its shield. Hopefully the blast took all of it down. He hobbled forward onto the path. Even if it was alive, he was in no state to fight it and he needed to seek refuge as soon as possible. He eyed the splintered wood and slowly kneeled to take one as a staff, it would be sturdier than his thin blade which was meant for slashing not bearing his weight.
“Non efugium” A chill ran down Kaeya’s spine as he quickly turned. Claws dug into his chest as he arched away only to find more digging into his torso. He crashed onto his back clutching the new gaping wounds. The Abyss mage danced before him, its hands covered in blood, his blood. Ice crystals began to dance around it as an alchemic circle glowed beneath its feet. It was regaining its shield. Kaeya shifted onto his elbow. He needed to kill it, but he had no energy, and his vision wasn’t reacting now either. He grimaced eyeing his impending doom.
“nan nan uwuuuu!” It waved its wand above its heads with glee. Kaeya laid back down in the snow with a grin. He chuckled at the stupidity of the moment and resigned himself.
THUNK
A high-pitched squeal caused Kaeya to look up. The abyss mage was fumbling at its mask before slowly turning to ash. An arrow fell where the creature once was. Kaeya squinted. He knew that arrow.
“Kaeya!!!” Footsteps came nearer crashing beside him. Large amber eyes stared into his. “Kaeya, are you alright?!”
“Outrider Amber” Kaeya winced getting onto his elbows again “I recall you were assigned to watching Klee today”.
Amber set aside her bow as she sat beside him.
“I was, but Albedo said he wanted to see her, so I took her to his lab…that’s not the point!” she shook her head “You’re bleeding!”
“How very perceptive. You’ll make a fine detective if you ever quit being an outrider” Kaeya chuckled. Amber’s cheeks turned red as her face scrunched into a pout.
“This is no time for jokes! We need to get you to a healer as fast as possible!” She reached inside her pouch pulling some medical cloth out “What were you doing out here alone anyway? It’s too dangerous for a cryo Vision user. You’d have better luck in a volcano than here!”
“You underestimate your captain. I had everything under control” Kaeya winced as Amber began wrapping his leg. Amber pulled a little tighter.
“Uh huh. And what do you call this?” she gestured to the ice wall behind them “I’ve never seen anyone use that much force. You were in a tight spot and over did yourself, didn’t you” She finished with a tight knot.
“That’s a little chummy and disrespectful to a commanding officer, my dear outrider” Kaeya steeled his gaze at her. Amber blushed, sitting back with her hands on her lap.
“My apologies, captain”
“All in the past now” Kaeya laughed waving his hand. “But reaching the adventurer’s camp would be a wise decision before nightfall” Kaeya extended his hand towards the pyro archer. She nodded taking it and hoisting him up. Kaeya immediately collapsed as his vision blurred. He clutched his spinning head, the overuse of his Vision and the blood loss had taken their toll.
“Kaeya, take it easy!” Amber slid under his shoulder, pushing his chest to keep him upright. She bit her lip as she felt how cold he was to the touch.
“I’m…f-ine…” Kaeya wheezed. Amber rolled her eyes and took a deep breath, resisting the urge to punch him.
“Do you think you can stand? The camp isn’t too far. If you stay close to me, I can keep us both warm” she nudged his shoulder. Kaeya took a shuddering breath and began working his legs. It took some time but they were able to make it up and take a couple of trembling steps.
“Perhaps…I am not at 100%...” Kaeya grinned through a blood-stained mouth.
“Finally! Some real truth from you! C’mon we can do this! We’ll have you in ship shape in no time!” she burned her Vision brighter to warm them both. “Y’know, Jean is going to kill you for going alone like that!”
“Heh, C’mon Amber, cut an injured man some slack” Kaeya took another shaky step down the mountain leaning more heavily into the girl as they went. Her warmth was making him more sluggish and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and sleep all the pain away. He heard her grunt beside him.
“Maybe I’ll talk to her” she mumbled “only if you comply with lady Barbara completely! And the moment you’re healthy, no slacking off!”
Kaeya chuckled.
“It’s a deal”.
Everything was very warm. His body had no intention of moving as it lay like a black hole just drawing in gravity. His eyelids felt like thick cotton that refused to be removed. He would like nothing more than to fall back into dark bliss, but there was this noise…voices? Insisting on disturbing his peaceful slumber.
With all the strength he could muster, Kaeya opened his eyelid. It was bright, very very bright and blinding. He could vaguely make out some shapes. One was blue and gold and the other was red.
“Give him a week of bedrest and then start physical therapy on week three”
Kaeya knew that voice.
“Shouldn’t you be telling your sis-uh I mean, lady Barbara this?”
His vision cleared and he made out the figures of the acting grandmaster and Amber. They were situated right beside him with Jean’s back to him. He turned his head gingerly around the room. He was in the knight’s headquarter chambers. Kaeya inwardly thanked whoever decided that above sending him to the Cathedral. He had been many a times and somehow sister Rosaria was always his caretaker, which had its perks because he could saunter off when she had a smoke, but she also was very fast at tracking him down.
“Kaeya, you’re awake.” Jean’s soft voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned to find the two starring at him with concerned glances.
“How long was I out?” he croaked.
“Just a day” Jean sat on the bed taking his hand. “How are you feeling?”
“Just tired.” He gave a weak smile.
“Okay, good, the medicine is working. Let me know when you’re ready to try getting up”
“I will-”
“-because you’re going to be walking straight to my office for a very long discussion about what just happened” Jean stood up straight with a glare. Kaeya began sweating. Ah, yes, he upset the acting grandmaster. So much for Amber helping a fellow out.
“Haha what can I say, just the consequences of the job” Kaeya squirmed in his bed.
“Oh, there will be consequences alright” Jean stomped towards the door. She stopped and turned right at the entrance. Her face softened and there was a hint of a smile “please, just take care of yourself and be careful next time. I don’t know what I would do without you” she nodded and closed the door behind her with her footsteps echoing down the hall.
“Well, that wasn’t so bad” Amber twirled her hair.
“Until I’m better” Kaeya groaned. Masking his discomfort through a smile. he turned to Amber. “I suppose I never extended my gratitude for saving me.”
“Oh, yeah” Amber beamed “I’m always willing to lend a helping hand!”
“Quite right” Kaeya chuckled. He found himself growing thirsty and eyed the table for water but instead found a large bouquet. “Flowers? My, I never pictured you the sentimental type, Amber”
“What? Oh those. Those aren’t from me. Lemme see, there’s a card” She reached into the flowers and pulled a red tag. Her eyes ran over it a couple of times before looking towards the captain. “It doesn’t say who it’s from only ‘condolences. That’s a little boring.”
“Indeed, quite boring” Kaeya frowned. Only one person was that boring. He smiled to himself turning towards the window.
Perhaps he really does still care