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Albedo lay limp on the floor, unable to move. He could hear everything; he could see everything; but he couldn’t talk or even do so much so as twitch his neck, limbs, or extremities. The best way to describe how he felt right now was like a ragdoll, and that was basically how they treated him. Stuffing him awkwardly into a cart, dragging him into this house, giving up about as soon as they got to the basement and just dropping him down the stairs, letting him tumble like some crash test dummy. Albedo vaguely felt pain, but not by much. He couldn’t feel much of anything at all.
“Well, well, the toxin is still quite active. Impressive,” a voice crooned, the pale masked man with a dark long coat taking a few steps closer to where Albedo lay by the wall to crouch down and pick up his chin to inspect it.
“We told you twenty-four hours, didn’t we?” a woman’s voice countered impatiently. When she came into view, Albedo recognized her as one of the two who showed up in his house that night after he collapsed to haul off his unresponsive body. Albedo still wasn’t sure how it happened; the best guess he had was that he ingested the poison from his tea, but it disturbed him greatly to wonder how it got there. He made the drink himself; when did it get laced? Either he had an intruder from the start who did it stealthily and took advantage of his dulled senses from the late-night exhaustion to render themselves unnoticed, or it was in the cup itself, or the tea leaves, or the water. It…could have been the water, actually. Albedo thought he noticed a vague scent but decided that it must have come from the experimental solution he was working on earlier. That is, unless the delivery method was something else entirely.
“Granted,” the woman continued, “it will vary depending on the size of the person, and if he is a homunculus like you say, I definitely can’t make specific guarantees for that.”
The masked man let out a low laugh as he (finally) let go of Albedo’s face. “Ho ho, no worries, this result is satisfactory regardless. I only wish we could have had more of this toxin, like what was promised.”
“Hey, be happy we got you this much,” the woman bit back pointedly.
“Technically, you mean I got you ‘this’ much,” another man, Albedo’s other late-night visitor, countered in a jesting tone.
“Oh, save it—don’t think I’ve forgotten how you abandoned me back there.”
“Hey, you’re the one with the fancy Delusion, right? I figured you’d be just fine.”
“I was up against a Vision-wielder, Dagger. A good one. I didn’t have much of an advantage at that point.”
“Yes, I know, our chances were that bad, and that is why I grabbed as many vials as I could reasonably carry and got out of there. You’re welcome.”
“Hmph. Insufferable.”
Albedo used his limited range of vision to study the three in the room with him as best as he possibly could. The masked man was a bit hard to read—he had something of an unearthly aura, and his movements were slow and deliberate. Albedo got the picture that he was the one in charge, or at least, he was the client and the other two were the mercenaries, or something. The two people bickering certainly stood in stark contrast to the poised masked man in the probably-high-priced coat. They both wore the kind of well-worn utilitarian clothes that would suit a common adventurer or mercenary. If he were to guess, Albedo would say that the woman might be Sumeran, and the man could be Mondstadtian. Thus, in hope of a clue, Albedo put the most effort in studying him—tall, red hair, scar on his right hand—but no, he didn’t recognize him.
Albedo tried his best to assess the people here and also what they were talking about, and also tried his hardest to distract himself from the state that he himself was in. It was a deep, unique kind of panic, not being able to move no matter how hard he willed it. He wondered if he would have preferred a conventional restraint that he could struggle against, no matter how futile that struggle may be. All he could do now was wait. He didn’t know what they wanted with him. It brought him a feeble comfort knowing that even if they sliced him open, he might be able to put himself back together again, but it disturbed him realizing that, from what they said, they knew what he was. They knew he was a homunculus, which was dangerous for him in the hands of people like them, but he didn’t know to what end. He didn’t know what they wanted, and even if he did, what he could do about it?
The masked man gave a low chuckle. “Well, perhaps, you could make it up to me by receiving a second try? Make more of the toxin, and I will pay you well for it.”
“Sorry, going to have to decline on that one,” the woman countered without argument. “I’m not going back to the Avidya Forest anytime soon, not with those madmen still around.”
The Avidya Forest. They came from Sumeru, then. From what Albedo could gather, the two people who captured him were likely mercenaries of some sort who were also responsible for the creation of whatever toxin it is that has Albedo paralyzed now. Could it be a poisonous mushroom, perhaps? Albedo knew Sumeru had a good share of those. They dealt with far more hostile flora than Mondstadt did, that was for certain. However, from the two’s argument, Albedo could guess that they ran into some kind of opposition. Perhaps, they were discovered by the forest rangers there, or the matra?
“So that’s the reason you offered to work with me, I see?” the masked man commented with amusement. “Because you failed your old job and needed another.”
“Pfft, don’t act like we didn’t do a good job retrieving your homunculus alchemist friend,” the woman sneered. “Thanks to us, the fool didn’t suspect a thing. Besides, you’ll probably dissolve if you get exposed to the outside air, right?”
“Oh? Is that what you think, now? What a preposterous notion.”
“Save it, Mr. Mask. I know you aren’t human.”
There was a short moment of silence. The masked man laughed. Albedo rushed to think. Was he…?
The masked man transformed himself, revealing what must have been his true form: an Electro Abyss Lector. “Impressive guess!” He continued to laugh with menace. “Behold! It is I! Agnarr! Bringer of the truth of the Abyss!”
“Save the theatrics. Just tell us what comes next,” the woman scoffed.
The Lector chuckled and then reverted back to his human form. “Well, that depends. Is the truth one in which you wish to partake? Or do you consider your business done here?”
“You said you planned to take him under your control,” the red-haired man spoke up, a fiercer glint in his eyes than before. “I want to see you do it.”
“Is that so?” the Lector mused. “Although you are humans, you have interest in the secrets of the Abyss?”
“Look, buddy, I don’t care,” the woman retorted. “Whatever business you have, whatever heads you want to see roll, it doesn’t matter to me. Look, let’s just say that our last job put me in a bit of a bad mood. I really wouldn’t mind bashing a few heads around to relieve the stress, if that’s what you want. Of course, payment would be appreciated, too. However…” She turned to look pointedly at her companion. “I have a feeling that for Dagger, this is personal, right? If you got something in mind, I’m open to lend a little help, as long as it isn’t something ridiculous.”
‘Dagger’? Was that supposed to be his name?
Dagger laughed and shook his head. “You know me well, Shadow. So to answer your question, yes. I would ‘side with the Abyss,’ or whatever this is, because I know a good opportunity when I see one.”
“Well then,” the Lector said, sounding satisfied, “I shall continue to employ your services, although really, there is little more to be done. The next step is an act of alchemy, you see. I shall bring our friend back to the light of truth. His master is a traitor to the Abyss, but by coming under our control, he shall atone for that sin. This, indeed, is the purpose of the paralysis. The ritual shall work only when there is not an iota of wicked resistance within him. When the deed is done, your work will be finished. I will keep him close, until the opportunity for his service to the Abyss shall arise.”
“Hmph, so you wish to keep him around as a pet until later?” Dagger scoffed. “You’re too patient. Why wait, when you could have revenge now?”
“Oh?” The Lector appeared intrigued behind his mask. “What is this fire in you?”
“Agnarr, is it? You can give Shadow her share of the money like you promised, but for me, I ask only one thing: give me Albedo’s reigns, after you finish this ritual of yours. All I need is one day. I’m using him for my revenge, and I’m sure you’ll benefit from the result, too.”
Albedo’s heart pounded faster, trapped inside of his chest. His reigns? He didn’t want to know what that meant. He needed to do something. Anything. As mysterious as this was, he sensed in his gut where this was going, and…
“I want the Acting Grandmaster’s head.”
There was a beat of silence. The request was final.
“Ha! Well…I wouldn’t decline.”
“So it’s settled?”
“Yes, of course. And I believe now…” He turned back to Albedo, lifting his unresponsive form from the floor, walking to place him on a table inscribed with an alchemical circle. Albedo read the notes rapidly, piecing together what this was, seeing the patterns he knew came from the creation process of a homunculus, or more specifically, the creation of a puppet—it was nothing he had seen before, but he tried desperately to figure it out, because he had to know how it could be undone. It was all that he had left to find; he already knew, from their conversation, exactly what they wanted to do with him.
“…it is time to begin.”
+++
Albedo walked towards the entrance of the Knights of Favonius Headquarters with slow but steady gait. His own stress tightened its hold over him by tremendous leaps with every step, but still, the sensation of walking was eerily natural. There was nothing forced or robotic about it. It felt as if he were doing this on his own accord, until the moment came that he would intentionally try to stop moving or even just slow down, and then everything in his body would rebel against him, forcing him forward with loud shrieks of pain. He would keep trying to resist, but there would be no results. It was useless.
There was a key difference, in alchemical theory according to Khemia, between the creation of a homunculus and the creation of a puppet. A homunculus was meant to be a complete being, with autonomous thought and motion in a way that would, should success be gained, make them indistinguishable from the natural beings they were made to emulate. A puppet was also, in a sense, an autonomous being. They could have thoughts and feelings that no one wrote into them directly, and, theoretically, move and speak like anyone else. The difference lay, then, in the fact that they were programmed. A puppet could be given a number of directives in the onset of their creation that they would then abide by according to their own deductive reasoning. Although they would act autonomously and even think of themselves as their own being, their creator’s hand would be forever present in the very way in which they think.
Thus, despite the name given, puppets weren’t merely dolls under direct control of a puppeteer. They were just beings of intelligence that passively carried along a puppeteer’s will even in their absence.
Of course, Albedo had little firsthand knowledge of any of this. He was too young to have known Khemia in its golden days when being practiced by Khaenri’ahn alchemists, and in the rest of Teyvat, the creation of life in any form was a power usually reserved to the gods. Most everything he knew was from his master’s old books. He wondered if that knowledge could help him now.
Albedo could still think freely, although he must admit that if his thoughts were being controlled, he might not be able to know. Greeting some of the guards on the way in, it seemed as if his words, for the most part, were free for him to choose as well. This all seemed to line up with what little he gleaned from the alchemical patterns on the circle in that split second he had to study it. They appeared to have superimposed on him the mental structure of a puppet. He had his own will to a degree, but he was forbidden to blatantly disobey a directive. Granted, if he was a puppet truly, he wouldn’t even be able to formulate thoughts of resistance, but he knew already that this procedure of the Abyss Lector’s would be far from perfect. His body may have resembled an inert lump of matter because of the paralysis, but his mind was far from frozen in place. He still had a self and a will that they attempted to overlap with this, and that wouldn’t be quite so easily dissolved.
Albedo stood in the center of the entrance hallway just inside the Favonius headquarters, feeling like he had been suddenly released. He didn’t have any urge to move anywhere. He immediately tried to see what turning back would do, but of course, that wouldn’t work. His body wouldn’t let him. So, he had to stay. He had to wait?
“Well, hello, Albedo! Haven’t seen you all morning.”
Kaeya. Albedo’s heart stopped. He turned around to face the Calvary Captain as he addressed him, feeling far, far too close in distance to him. He took a subtle step back and was able to manage it. Was anything going to happen now, he wondered? Was Kaeya on this “Dagger” character’s hit list too? For all his understanding of the nature of puppet’s not needing an active puppeteer, he wondered if Dagger was somewhere pulling his strings right now, that Abyss Lector probably watching him close behind, both of them monitoring Albedo’s every movement. And…they could, actually. Albedo remembered—there were easy ways for a master to let themselves see and hear through a puppet’s eyes and ears. If they thought of that, there was no way they weren’t doing that with him right now.
“Kaeya,” Albedo greeted, his throat feeling numb. “Good morning.”
“Hmm?” Kaeya raised an eyebrow immediately at that, leaning back with arms crossed, but a trace of suspicion clear in his eyes. “What kind of robotic tone was that? Everything alright, Albedo? Or have you just not been sleeping again?”
Yes, thank you, please believe that something is wrong. If there was anyone Albedo could count on to be paranoid, it was Kaeya. “No, everything’s fine.” He shook his head. “I just didn’t get much sleep last night, like you said.”
No! Albedo didn’t actually mean to say that. For all the times he had indeed lied to people with similar words, he actually didn’t mean it this time. Stars, that must mean that Albedo really wasn’t as in control over his words as he hoped. Of course, it wasn’t like whatever directive they programmed into him would allow him to reveal the fact that he was being controlled or any other details of this plot. Albedo hurriedly tried to formulate words anyways, tried to will himself to say something, but it just wouldn’t come out.
In that case, he was going to have to be smart and say something. It was better than allowing the programming to speak for him.
“I was up working on an experiment,” Albedo said, repeating truths to push the words out. “Just a personal project, in my home. I made another crystalfly. Also, I noticed that my windowpane was dirty. I need to clean up around my house, honestly. Also, I had the most terrible tea—” Albedo broke off there, going into a coughing fit.
He looked up expectantly. Kaeya was looking at him like he had just grown another eye. Yes! Albedo felt a rush of excitement. Midway through his spiel, he had figured out something he could do besides revealing the plot—he could act absolutely insane. It was a start, anyways.
“Come, there’s something I need to show you,” Albedo spoke in a calmer voice, these words not at all his own. He started walking against his will again, this time in the direction of Jean’s office. Albedo’s heart seized up again. Please don’t be there—
Jean wasn’t there. Albedo felt relief, but he also couldn’t leave the office.
Kaeya followed him in and shut the door.
No, please don’t shut the door! What if I—!?
“Albedo, what you talking about?”
“I’m—archons! Celestia!” Albedo babbled, suddenly losing hold of what to say. He felt the urge to say something else more soothing but fought to derail that. “Have you ever looked at the stars before, Kaeya?” he blurted out. He was feeling more resistance, other lines of babble he was coming up with somehow not making it past the filter. No, he needed something better than that. He needed to speak in code. How could he do that? “Doesn’t it…clear your mind, Kaeya? Stars? Your eye is a…window to the soul.” Archons, what was he saying!? Albedo was starting to grow convinced that he really was insane. No, wait, he kind of was. “The…the truth! The light!” What were the things Abyss Lectors were always babbling about? Would that clue Kaeya in? “Behold! The light of the Ab—Ad astra abyssoque!” Really? He couldn’t even just say ‘Abyss’?
Well, at least Kaeya definitely knew something was wrong. “Albedo.” He was much more serious now. “What are you talking about? Did you inhale something during that experiment of yours last night?”
“Yes! And I must show it to you! Come with me alone to Dragonspine! I’ll show you something incredible.”
Ha, really? Really? That’s what this auto-speak was going to come up with? That was the most ridiculous excuse he ever heard!
“Hmm, I’m sorry, but I believe I’ll pass.”
Yes! Thank you, Kaeya!
“I don’t suppose there was anything here you wanted to show me? Why did you bring me to Jean’s office, Albedo?” Kaeya’s expression seemed amused, his form relaxed as he leaned against the desk and cocked his head at him, but Albedo knew he must be onto him. He may not be the best at judging people, but he’s known Kaeya for long enough to know how much mistrust and suspicion he could hide behind a smile.
Albedo wondered what to say. He felt a shiver course through his body on the inside that failed to show itself on the outside. He didn’t hear enough to make out their plans, not in their entirety. He passed out almost as soon as the alchemic “ritual” was complete. Even now, he felt phantom pain ripple through every nerve in his body and tear into his skull. When he woke up, he was outside in the streets of Mondstadt and “free.”
“I needed a moment of privacy, actually,” Albedo spoke with words that were again not his, filling the absence from his hesitation. He spoke calmly, with a gravely serious tone. “There’s something you should know. And Jean as well, once she arrives. It’s…about Diluc. I’m concerned about his condition.”
What? Albedo puzzled over what that meant. He sounded oddly sane, now. What was he talking about?
“What are you saying?” Kaeya asked him, tone artificially light. “If you’re worried about his abysmal sense of humor, I’m afraid that there truly is nothing I can do.”
“It’s not that,” Albedo said. “It’s about his health. I’ve observed him for some time, and I fear his health is deteriorating. He hides it from everyone, especially from you. But I can see that he is growing weak. And I…” he paused and took a somber breath. “I fear I know the cause. Kaeya, I know that Diluc used a Delusion for three years.”
Albedo’s conscious mind tensed. That was true. Everything about Diluc being sick was a blatant lie, but the part about the Delusion was true. Albedo never talked about it with Kaeya, though; there was never a need.
Why say this now? Was this supposed to be proof? Was this supposed to trick Kaeya into thinking he was really himself?
“Hmph, well, I figured you might.” Kaeya quirked a smile, eyeing him warily. “Diluc is terrible at subtlety, and you are captain of the investigation team for a reason. So what are you saying, Albedo? Do you believe that the Delusion is the cause for his sickness?”
“It is a likely cause, yes. He’s stronger than most, but it is unlikely that he escaped its effects entirely. It’s just been catching up to him, slowly. Kaeya, can you help me? With the investigation?”
No, he needed to stop. Albedo tried to grit his teeth and fought to just get his words back. He couldn’t keep letting this go unfettered. He didn’t know what his puppeted self was about to do. Stab Kaeya in the back? He needed to get away from him. He needed to stop—
He heard the opening of the office door. In the next moment, Jean walked through.
“Oh!” she seemed slightly surprised. “Kaeya, Albedo, what are you doing here?”
“Having a discussion in private,” Albedo spoke. “I apologize for the intrusion.”
“Oh…not at all.” Jean walked in and shut the door. “Actually, I’m glad to see you,” Jean said, her expression instantly making it clear that something serious was going on. “Something strange has happened—multiple knights who were on duty today never showed up to their posts. They aren’t in the barracks. I just sent away the guards in the hall to check on their homes. There’s eight of them unaccounted for—it seems far too many to be a mere coincidence.”
She sent away the guards? Albedo’s heart twisted in fear. She may think it unnecessary at this time, but that made them alone…
“I see,” Kaeya acknowledged with a look of intense thought, clearly taking this very seriously. “What are their names? Actually, may I…?”
“Yes. Since you both are here, I would like you to come with me to investigate.”
“Understood,” Albedo said in a voice that sounded just like something he would say at this time. “We should hurry.”
Albedo stepped closer to them—quickly. Far too quickly. He headed towards Jean by the door, with Kaeya a few paces away by the desk, which was much too far away. In the same motion in which he seemed to head for the door, he felt the shimmer of the weapon subspace parting around his hand—
“Not so fast.”
Albedo felt a shock of cold. His hand automatically recoiled against the icy blast shot between himself and Jean. He felt pain sear through his fingertips. Then, before he could do anything else or even inspect the wound, Kaeya grabbed firmly onto his wrist.
“Kaeya!” Jean recoiled, eyes wide in pure shock and confusion. “What—!?”
“My apologies,” Kaeya said with an unreadable smile. “I got a little ahead of myself. You see, Albedo had a terrible night’s sleep last night. I think that he really should be getting some rest, rather than rushing into an investigation.”
“Kaeya,” Albedo said with a voice as if he were confused, “what are you talking about?”
“I don’t know. You tell me.”
“Kaeya!” Jean’s voice was firm and clearly suspicious, but not in the right direction. “Tell me, what is the meaning of this?”
“Simple,” Kaeya said, “Albedo hasn’t been himself today.”
“Then you would attack him?”
“Hmph, it’s alright.” Albedo smiled deceptively, his weapon space feeling just in reach. “It was only a joke.”
“Oh, was I?” Kaeya spoke back, eyes set on him as if boring into his soul. “Then tell me something: why beat around the bush so much? Why ask me into Jean’s office on a false pretense? The Albedo I know is so straightforward and blunt, it’s painful.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“Well, you’ve been talking such nonsense today, perhaps you don’t know because you really are that sleepy, hmm?”
“Kaeya, please. Remember why Jean came? We have a situation on our hands. We need to leave.”
No, he needs to STOP.
Albedo’s hand froze. He fought to stay it. He fought to just stop talking. He fought to do something, anything. He couldn’t let these puppet directives just take over without resistance. It shouldn’t work as smoothly as it was. It shouldn’t be this easy.
If Albedo had the ability, he felt that he could laugh out loud right now, just laugh and cry in pure delirium. They were going to make him kill Jean. Somehow, this puppet was going to find the moment it needed. He had feared this, so many times. He feared that the day would come when he would lose control. He feared that it would come completely outside of his will, and that he wouldn’t be able to fight it. He may look and talk like a human, but he knew the truth. He was of the same stock as Durin, and Durin almost destroyed Mondstadt once. He was the product of a heretical art, and he could be corrupted just like the rest of his master’s…
Unless it was the intention from the start. He could never quite rule that out…he didn’t know enough. Master never gave him any reason that he was intended to be anything other than her student, someone who sought knowledge and birthed life just as she did. There was nothing wrong with it. There was nothing evil about that. His master was like a mother to him, even now. He didn’t doubt her…or, he used to. Sometimes, he had thoughts on the matter. Sometimes, he doubted her goodness. He knew the consequences of what she created. He heard so many stories about the “evil” black dragon Durin and what he did to Mondstadt. He had personally fought Riftwolves coming out of Wolvendom and knew exactly how much they hurt the real wolves there—and Springvale, for that matter. And he knew they were not all that was out there; he witnessed himself so many other creatures that she had created—creatures that never bothered him back then, but would surely make a normal human weak with terror.
He knew his very existence was a risk. He hoped he would never let it come to that. And yet, here he was, losing control over his body for an entirely different cause other than that abyssal corruption. First dealing his imposter in Dragonspine, now this… It was as if the universe itself was toying with him, reminding him, making him wish that this was the disaster he feared and not some other thing he had to figure out on the fly. They transformed him into a puppet, so he needed to transform himself back.
Well, that too is an assumption, isn’t it? If he was a puppet from the very beginning, then he would never know, would he?
“No! Stop!” He recoiled violently, stumbling backwards as much as his feet would allow him. His hands clutched his head as he felt his nerves violently shatter in pain.
He then realized that he actually managed to say that out loud.
“Albedo!” Kaeya spoke first, his previous façade betraying a flash of some kind of emotion, maybe panic.
“Don’t listen to me!” Albedo’s real self told them.
“Albedo, what happened!?” Jean’s eyes definitely portrayed panic. She summoned her sword, and none too soon. “Are you—!?”
Albedo summoned his sword at last. He ran at Jean, and his blade clashed violently with hers. She threw him backwards in a defensive stance, making him stumble briefly. Kaeya shot Cryo at his feet and was positioned behind him in an instant. His swung at Albedo’s sword hand, hitting the blade upwards to make him lose his hold on it. Albedo was disarmed in a heartbeat, but he didn’t stop there. In the same instant, his hand reached to grab Kaeya’s arm, glowing with pure Geo energy. He emitted shards of Geo that cut into Kaeya with multiple small incisions. He was bleeding when he recoiled back.
He broke free from the ice. Before he could retrieve his fallen sword, however, Jean hit with him the force of Gale Blade, throwing him straight back into the bookshelf. Multiple books fell and hit his head on the way down. For a moment, he was left stunned.
“You’re outnumbered, Albedo,” Kaeya angled his sword at him but didn’t use it. “If you are Albedo, that is. Just a hunch, but I highly doubt it.”
“What are you talking about?” he said, the puppet having the audacity to remain calm. “Of course I am.”
“I’m not!” the real him managed to say right after that. “I was—” he broke off with a cough. He choked on himself as if he had need to breathe. He felt beads of sweat begin to form.
It can’t be perfect, he reminded himself again. You can’t impose a new will on top of a soul that already exists. It isn’t that easy.
“He’s being controlled,” Jean realized out loud, a look of horror dawning on her face. “But who—”
Albedo got up without warning, releasing Geo crystal spikes at his feet that were aimed at Kaeya. Without his sword, it wasn’t nearly as strong or focused as Tectonic Tide, but it still did a number on the flooring. Kaeya dodged backwards, and Albedo seemed to attempt to retrieve his sword. However, he was outnumbered. It was a dumb plan, really, making his move now. Albedo was immensely grateful that he hadn’t manage to just stab them in the back when they were alone.
Jean struck him back with another charged burst and Kaeya came on top of him. Before he knew it, he was knocked down to the ground, flat on his stomach with Kaeya’s knee on his back and hand holding his right arm back behind him, as if he were a criminal about to be detained.
Honestly, that was fine by him.
“Ab…Ad…Astra!” Albedo tried to speak. He tried to stay calm, and figure this out. This was only programming, he told himself. This was a set of directives, and they kicked in when they thought he could trick Kaeya and Jean to make him say…whatever he had to, he supposed. They wouldn’t let him reveal the plan, but he would try to say whatever else he could. “The…Dagger!” He could say it. Yes, he couldn’t say Abyss, but maybe those humans were fair game. “Dagger…name! Dagger! Shadow!” Would they know who that was? Albedo didn’t pay enough attention to the people of interest in Mondstadt, honestly. Kaeya and Jean, on the other hand, might know. Then again, it’s not like that name would mean anything. He mentally kicked himself for assuming it would. Obviously, those were codenames. No parent would name their kid ‘Dagger,’ probably. “R-Red hair. Scar on his right hand. Slightly…tall. He…” Albedo froze up, then. His mouth wouldn’t say anything else. He struggled against Kaeya’s hold on him, but he wasn’t strong enough. Frankly, he probably wasn’t as physically strong as he was normally. He did have a rough night, after all.
“Albedo! Albedo, can you breathe?” Jean spoke to him in earnest, crouching down to meet his eyes.
Albedo was able to nod. Technically, that wasn’t true, because he didn’t actually have to breathe, but he got where Jean was coming from.
“You’re describing who did this to you, correct?” Jean asked him, looking as if her mind was racing. “I…we need more than that. I can’t think of any suspects at large, or…wait. Wait, is…?”
“Lisa,” Kaeya said simply, as if something dawned on him, and now it was Albedo’s turn to be confused.
“The letter!” Jean exclaimed. “I…I don’t think Albedo was informed; it just came two days ago. Her old colleague gave her the notice to look out for…” Jean stopped talking then, running over towards her desk instead. Albedo heard a rustle of papers. “That…yes, that was it. Those were two of the codenames given: Shadow and Dagger. I think Albedo was trying to tell us the names!”
So that was it. Albedo’s heart pounded faster. That must be it. They got it.
“The…para…” he couldn’t figure out what else he could say. What else he could possibly get out? “Don’t drink the water.”
“We need to hurry,” Kaeya said suddenly. “Jean, you’re going to have to keep Albedo restrained. I fear the other knights are in grave danger, so I need to move. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Jean, I think they’re targeting you directly, so keep hidden, please. It’d be better if they believe Albedo may have succeeded.”
“I…” Jean sounded like she was about to protest. “Kaeya, I trust you, but you have to promise me you’ll be careful. Stay safe.”
“Yes. I will.”
+++
Kaeya suspected that they would try to run.
The situation with the other knights was a distraction. He knew it could be serious, so he found Amber at once and dispatched her to meet up with those other guards. He, however, had another goal: he needed to catch these people before they escaped the city.
The idea that they were in the city before was only a hunch, he knew. He just knew that he saw Albedo last night, and Albedo was supposedly fine, then. Whatever happened to him happened in the span of twelve hours, at most. It would make sense if they worked from a close vicinity, remaining on standby for whatever they meant to do next.
However, Kaeya’s other hunch was that they already saw and heard everything that just happened in his and Albedo’s and Jean’s confrontation. Kaeya had some suspicions already about Albedo’s…constitution, although neither of them ever spoke of it outright. Him merely being not a human was hardly a problem to him, but it left some very unfortunate possibilities as to what they might have done to him. They included that one small detail that if they were to control his mind, they may very well have hijacked his eyes and ears as well.
He made sure to watch his words in front of Albedo at the end, to make it sound like he was only going to check up on the missing knights. However, in mentioning the letter, Kaeya had a feeling that Jean’s words would make them realize a few things: namely, that they weren’t anonymous. They were wanted criminals already, and for all they knew, every guard in this city could have been informed of their descriptions.
Kaeya wished he had the time to do just that. He was aware that he needed as many eyes as possible, but that was hard to come by. Eula and her team were outside the city. Lisa was on her day off, and he had no idea where she was at. So, he got a hold of a messenger to send a message to Eula, and he went to Vile first. As luck would have it, Vile was indeed aware of two new visitors who just so happened to be driving a cart through the city in the dead of night. It wasn’t exactly the most inconspicuous thing they could have done, although it alone wouldn’t have driven any guilt on them. However, Vile knew where that cart ended up.
The house was empty, when Kaeya found it. He didn’t take much time looking through it, as he had people to chase, but that basement was…a sight, to say the least. Kaeya was no alchemist. He didn’t know what those runes meant in the slightest, but he had his guesses.
He also sensed traces of abyssal energy, down there, whatever that meant.
However, the important thing was, Lisa’s friend from Sumeru had delivered intel ahead of time. So, he knew that this “Shadow” character had a Cryo Delusion. Unfortunately for them, even Delusions left traces, and Kaeya had been graced with the real deal—he had elemental sight, and he could use it now. He followed the trail out of the city and sent a second message to Eula’s team on the way out.
He found the pair in Wolvendom, where they dared to believe that they had the chance to take a moment of rest. He didn’t bother to hide himself, this time. He just walked in and watched his quarry jump in surprise and get ready for a fight. Kaeya quirked a little smile.
“Well, well, if it isn’t old Hubert. It’s been a while. Or, should I say ‘Dagger,’ now? Is that what you’re going by? Pfft, a little on the nose, isn’t it? Couldn’t come up with a cooler nickname than that?”
“Hmph,” Hubert responded in a half-laugh. “Kaeya. Oh, I’m sorry, Captain Kaeya,” he spoke in a mocking tone. “I don’t suppose this is the part where you expect me to bow down in awe?”
“No, but this is the part where you could come quietly. The other option is much more painful. For you, of course.”
“’Come quietly,’ you say?” Hubert laughed, having the audacity to appear cocky about it. Behind him, his companion—“Shadow,” Kaeya presumed—seemed to ready herself for a fight. That was fine. Kaeya could take them.
“What do you mean by that?” Hubert continued. “Are you going to arrest me? For what?”
Oh, he was trying to play dumb. How cute. “Well, violating the terms of your exile, for a start. Secondly, how about…abducting a captain of the Knights of Favonius? Performing illegal experimentation on said captain to hijack his brain? Need I continue?”
“How dare you talk to me like that,” Hubert seethed, his glare making no effort to disguise his hatred. “I was a knight far longer than you were. You were practically a kid when you and that Gunnhildr decided to ‘clean house’ with us. You dared called Eroch a traitor, when he knew far more about how to run the knights than you ever will!”
“Run the knights?” Kaeya echoed, unable to not find this terribly amusing. “Last I remembered, Varka was the Grandmaster, even then. What was this about Inspector Eroch ever being in charge? Well, I know he thought that. He circumvented leadership at every opportunity. And you helped him do that. The kickbacks must have been nice while they lasted, weren’t they?”
“I did nothing wrong!” Hubert shot back at him. “You were the real traitor! How dare you exile me, just for doing my job!”
“Ah, yes, you’re right. Exile was far too good for you,” Kaeya mused. “It seems all we did was pass you on to be our neighbor’s problem. I think, however, today would be a good day to make it up to them by finally taking care of the trash, don’t you think?”
With that, Kaeya came in on the attack. He knew that wanted to fight him, and he was ready for them. He crossed blades with Hubert, but Shadow came for him just a moment afterwards, unleashing the Cryo from her Delusion. She wasn’t bad—neither of them were. They were agile fighters, and clearly used to fighting in the wild. The brush and brambles wasn’t about to slow them down. Technically speaking, Kaeya was outnumbered, but again, he did have an advantage. He had the real thing.
He unleashed his Glacial Waltz on them as soon as they got near, shocking them with the icy shards. Shadow let out a ranged attack to counter him that he dodged.
They danced like this for a little while longer before they decided to make a run for it. Kaeya ran after them, but luckily for him, he had bought enough time. Eula and a couple others from her company showed up mid-chase, and it was all over from there.
“This is what happens,” Kaeya, though breathless, finally got to say to them. “This is what happens when you mess with Mondstadt.”
+++
“I’m sorry. I’m…so sorry.”
Albedo couldn’t stop shivering, even though it was all over now.
Kaeya and Eula actually managed to catch them. Albedo was able to ask to be brought to that house they found, so he could see the circle and reverse it. He wasn’t able to do it himself, though. No matter how hard they tried. So, they had to bring in Sucrose to do it. He was going to have to explain things to her, but she was now busy with another thing. Apparently, what happened with the missing knights was that they were paralyzed by tainted water. Gratefully, no one had been there to take advantage of them while in that state. Some help had already arrived for them before the investigation was launched—communication was just a little slow.
Albedo was alone in that house with Kaeya and Jean now.
“It isn’t your fault,” Jean assured him, holding his hand while letting out a small flow of healing energy.
“I was careless. I shouldn’t have let—”
“No, no, we’re not hearing of it,” Kaeya countered in the same beat as Jean. “Should you have been more careful? Probably. Should we consider better security for the homes of our knights in general? Also yes. But,” he spoke pointedly, pausing only briefly to take a breath, “we’re not going to blame you. Not in the slightest.”
“I…yes,” Albedo conceded. “However, my nerves—I’m sorry, I still don’t feel right. I believe that the reverse alchemical procedure did work, but…” But he still felt like he was cracking apart at the seams. He vibrated ceaselessly, and he couldn’t stop it.
“We’ll keep watch,” Jean promised. “We’ll watch you until we’re sure.”
“Th-Thank you.”
“It’s fine. You’ll be okay. We’ll make sure of it,” she continued.
“I was scared,” Albedo said, still trembling, finding himself clutching onto Jean’s hand tighter even though it served no practical purpose. “I really feared it might have actually worked. If I had the opportunity to stab you in the back, I… I tried to keep in control. But I couldn’t.”
“But it didn’t work, now did it?” Kaeya offered. “Considering your description of what happened, I say you did quite well. But anyways, not to worry. We can keep the details of this story between us, so that no one else out there gets ideas. However, if anything does happen again?”
Kaeya shrugged, his smile one of perfect confidence. “Well, let’s just say, that if you ever do lose control, you can count on us to always find a way to bring you back.”