Chapter Text
As a concept, death is fascinating yet foreboding, a complete mystery to the average individual. Regarding the subject, certain questions are asked—what happens next, where does the soul go, is there a God?
The dread of the unknown is a common fear amongst humanity, the all-consuming nature of darkness and mystery breeding the worst of the worst within the mind’s imagination. The fangs of danger linger—How did they die? Can it kill me too? It is within the ingrained instincts of survival where caution and wariness is bred and festered.
Bloodshot eyes of amethyst stare at ruby reds as a boy weakly slumps downwards, the pain from his chest drowned out by his sorrow.
“Diluc,” the boy calls, clutching at his chest. “I-I really am sorry.”
“Why- Why now of all times…” Diluc looks down, the rage he feels abated for the moment as he allows himself to feel the sadness threatening to swallow him whole. He allows himself to scream in agony. “Kaeya! Why now!”
Kaeya smiles at him—a smile dedicated solely to Diluc, only used for Diluc—and it breaks him. Diluc raises his father’s knives and goes to strike the final blow, fiery rage and indignation, but his body doesn’t allow him to, striking at the ground next to his friend’s head.
“Idiot,” Kaeya laughs at him, all condescending and miserable. His voice is as cold as the cryo vision he has just gained. “Weak fool.”
“Shut up, traitor,” Diluc says back, too weak to even look at Kaeya’s face. He stands, eyes emptied of its fire. He walks away.
Kaeya stares at his back, watching his friend walk away. His tears begin to flow freely as he watches the boy walk away, as he finally allows himself to mourn for Diluc’s loss and the death of this sweet life Kaeya has let himself indulge in. Looking down at the cauterized scar, the heat from the flowing fire of the blade having effectively shut the damage internally, and he smiles pathetically for the last time, a stark contrast to his eyes drowning in tears. The Kaeya he allowed himself to be is now dead.
“Are you done playing family, Kaeya?” A new presence calls, an old, domineering man staring down at the fallen, crying boy.
“Uncle Pierro?” The boy’s eyes widened in surprise. “Why-”
“You no longer have any ties to this land, don’t you?” Pierro replies gruffly, kneeling down to offer a hand. “I’m not a cruel man, boy. We, Khaenri’ah, only have each other.”
“Stop.” Kaeya laughs, “That’s the worst recruitment tactic I’ve heard yet.”
Looking at the direction Diluc went, he sighs. “I guess you’re right though; Just say what you want to actually say, Uncle.”
“Join the Fatui, boy.”
“Like I have a choice,” Kaeya gets up slowly, still clutching at his scar. He calls on a large blizzard, challenging those found in the peak of Dragonspine, freezing everything surrounding him to death in a show of cruelty, a declaration of his dying connection to the country of freedom.
“That’s so sad!” A young boy cries out, setting down the controller he was using to play. “Big Brother, why is Mr. Kaeya’s story so sad! Is Big Bro Kaeya this sad, too!?”
“Teucer,” his brother laughs, looking at his friend who shared an uncanny appearance to the character on the screen as he ruffles Teucer’s tiny tuff of hair. “It’s just a bit of storytelling. Kae is ok, we promise.”
“Yeah, Teucer,” Kaeya laughs at the worried boy, “Listen to Big Brother Ajax, I’m ok. More importantly, did you like the game?”
“If Big Bro Kae says so,” Teucer nods before brightening up as he excitedly babbles, “And yeah, I did! The fire and ice were so flashy! Mr. Kaeya’s sword skills were super fancy too! I can’t believe you guys made it, you guys are so cool!”
“Glad you liked it, little man!” Kaeya laughs, before glancing up at the door opening up to reveal two more people.
“Oh, took you guys long enough!” Ajax grins as he gets up to helps his two friends, “Teucer, Big Bro Kaveh and Thoma are finally here with the pizza, just wait for a bit longer with Kae ok?”
“Sorry for the wait, traffic was terrible” Thoma smiles sheepishly, setting down the plates, before he focuses on the boy of the hour, “Hey, Teucer! Your brother Ajax told us you like strawberries, so we got you a strawberry smoothie.”
“Whoa, really! Big bro’s friends are so kind!”
Kaveh chuckles in amusement as all four watch the boy scamper to get his drink, before addressing the elder brother, “Speaking of, you should probably send Teucer back to your parents in an hour. You might not make it back in time for ‘curfew’ and get locked out.”
“Thanks for the heads up, Kaveh,” Ajax groans, thinking of the stupid school policies. “Why do we even have curfew in college again??”
“Because of weirdos, dude.”
Kaveh notices the open console as they all eat and chatter away, “Oh? You guys let him played Kaeya’s route?”
“What?” Thoma looks up at the screen and huffs at the two babysitters looking away guiltily, “You guys let him play one of the sad stories? Were you two bullying him?”
“Did you like it though?” Thoma asks kindly to the boy who was now pouting tearfully again.
“I did, but why is Mr. Kaeya’s story so sad? Why did he become a villain!”
“Sorry, sorry,” Ajax snickers, not a hint of remorse. “You wanted to play, and it just so happened to be the screen we were working on.”
A text message pops up on his phone at that time, “Oh, seems like time’s up. Mom and dad are at the gate, time for the boy of the hour to go home.”
“Boo!” Kaeya points his thumb downwards. “Teucer hasn’t even played his big bro’s route yet.”
“Big Brother has a route?”
“Yes, but you have to go now. Kae, stop spoiling my little brother, that’s my job.” Shaking his head, Ajax picks up Teucer’s stuff and holds out his hand to join them together. “I’ll be back in a bit!”
“That was fun, Big Bros! Let’s play together again!”
As the two brothers leave, the door closing, the three remaining boys look at their little pet project.
“Good to know that the game’s at least enjoyable,” Kaeya laughs as he lets Thoma hit his arm.
“Seriously, couldn’t have even let him play with the aranaras or something?” Thoma huffs, hitting at his arm again.
“Hey, we just forgot ok! By the time we remembered, Teucer was in too deep and too curious about the ending!”
Kaveh hits him this time, no remorse for their friend. “Dumbass.”
“Guys, we should probably work on the Inazuman sections for a bit, I noticed the story felt a little rushed.”
A blonde boy wanders around the shores aimlessly, lost and shipwrecked in a foreign country. His green eyes hold in a subtle panic, fear of the unknown gripping at the boy’s entire psyche.
“What do I do now?” Thoma asks himself, pathetic and ravaged in his appearance. He remembers once again the terrifying monster that had risen in the sea foam and how its beady eyes stared at him, so soulless yet so demented and oh so green, its tentacle striking down the boat Thoma rode on. Shivering in fear, he dares not warm himself with his newly acquired vision despite its affinity for warmth and fire.
A man dripping with an air of self-importance smirks, watching the boy agonize in conflict. It was a delectable look on the boy, he thinks, but he should help the child out. After all, the young hero had inadvertently saved him from the abyssal creature his men had accidentally released in their voyage. Saved him from the headache of ridding those idiots, too, truly efficient.
“Young boy, are you scared?” He asks, face contorting into one of comfort and compassion.
“I- Yes, I am, Mister,” Thoma replies, complete and utter honesty as he stares doefully at the elder. “What about you, Mister? Are you ok, too?”
“I am ok,” the man smiles, “A young, bright boy had saved me from a terrible creature, after all.”
Thoma blushes at the hand petting his hair, before nuzzling into it, seeking comfort in this stranger.
“Yes, it was magnificent. Such control of your element despite having just manifested. How can I repay you, boy?”
“You don’t need to, Miste-”
“Nonsense. My little hero deserves recompense. Name your price, I’m quite wealthy. After all, the boat you rode on belonged to me.”
“Then,” Thoma looks up, taking out a locket that showed his father and mother. “My father- I was supposed to find my father in Inazuma.”
“Are you asking for help to search for that estranged man, boy?” The man laughs cruelly, remembering the crazed look in the boy’s eyes when slaying last night’s monster. Torching the tentacles long after its death until it crumbled to ashes and carried by the winds. “You lie terribly, boy.”
Thoma freezes, forced to remember not his fear and trepidation, but his excitement and joy at the overwhelming taste of power. His cruelty had taken the forefront of his instincts from the night
“You must remember I watched your show last night,” he smiles, bowing in a show of grace, “I am Pantalone, Ninth of the Eleven of Snezhnaya. The owner of Northland Bank.”
“The excitement you felt last night,” Pantalone starts, ignoring Thoma’s attempts to clutch away at his senses, as if blocking memories of his enjoyment. “I can provide it to you. Work for me, work for the Fatui, boy.”
“No- I- That cruelty wasn’t me-” Thoma refuses weakly, yet his mind flashed to the memory of the monster beneath him and his expression sports the same demented look from last night. Ahh, that’s right, the beady eyes he remembers came from his reflection. He smiles up at Pantalone with those terrifying eyes, “I’m a good person, Mister.”
“But-” Thoma begins, attempting to look diplomatic despite his excited smile, “I can help Mister more, protect you from those monsters when they pop up again.”
“Your type are truly terrifying,” Pantalone smirks as he snatches away the locket, throwing it in the direction of the sea. Outside Thoma's conscious control, his pyro vision activates and burns the scrap metal and paper. It was a flimsy chain attempting to tie him to his estranged parents. Barely the remaining vestiges of his old life.
Sending his family off, Ajax looks at the time and groans loudly. “Fuck, gotta run back, huh.”
“Ajax?” A feminine voice calls, attracting his attention.
“Oh! Ms. Celeste!” He greets back at his teacher before noticing the stack of supplies in her hands. “Need some help with that?”
“Ah, yes please. Just need to drop it off in my classroom,” she smiles prettily, grateful for the offered help, letting the boy take the heavy crate she was carrying and picking up leftover scrolls of papers. “Was that little boy your little brother?”
“Ahh, yeah, Teucer came to visit me and the guys. He actually played the game you’re helping us with!” Ajax chats away, bright-eyed as he always is when it comes to his family, setting down the supplies as they’ve arrived. “He played the Kaeya route and almost cried, it was adorable.”
“You seem good with children, Ajax,” Celeste comments, crowding the boy into the corner. “That’s quite admirable.”
“Thanks, Miss Celeste,” Ajax chuckles nervously, backing away from the pressing breasts. “I try to be a good example for my little siblings.”
“He particularly enjoyed Sumeru and Fontaine, enjoying the implemented technology in the game area, so thanks for the suggestion!” Ajax continues, still walking backwards from the approaching teacher.
“I’m glad you listened to my advice then. I’d ask you to tell me mor-”
“I'd be happy to,” Ajax exclaims, finally escaping the prowling gaze he found himself under. “He enjoyed Kaveh’s story, despite crying over it, too!”
“Mom, you need to eat,” a blond boy says in concern, holding onto a tray of light soup at the edge of the living room. “I know you skipped breakfast and supper last night.”
“Ahh, Kaveh, baby,” the mom smiles, wiping away at the tears gathered in her eyes as she stared at photos of her late husband. “It’s ok, Mommy is fine. She’s not hungry yet.”
“I- Mo-” Kaveh stops himself, his little heart breaking at the utter despair in his mother’s haunted eyes. “Ok, I’ll just put this on the table if you want to eat later.”
It was only then that he noticed a trunk of papers at his mother’s side and stared curiously.
“It’s your father’s research,” Faranak mutters. “I’m putting it away.”
“C-Can I read through them, Mom?” Kaveh asks, hesitant and anxious. What information in there… which one took his father away?
“It’s better if we burn the damned trunk,” came her hollow answer, but she didn't say no. She just leaves the room, incapable of even looking at her husband’s work for a second more. Kaveh looks up to her disappearing form before falling to his knees. He has to remain strong… for him and his mother…
With trembling hands, he opens the trunk in trepidation. The first paper to pop out intriguing enough, discussing the existence of an abyssal material able to withstand the effects of the Withering. The second was a summon from the Akademiya…for a research group into the abyss.
Red, blaring lights go off in his brain–He found it. The one that killed his father. The Akademiya? Commissioned his father? To go into the abyss? That couldn’t be, it’s in the unspoken rules that research of this nature is forbidden. Kaveh panics as he reads the paper over and over again, because there was no way- His father disappeared into the dessert with his team, not-
“Mom?” He calls out, fear in his voice as he holds tightly onto the paper. “Mom, do you know what this means-”
Kaveh freezes as he sees it. The packed bags and his decaying mother.
“Do- Do you have a project, Mother?”
“I- I can’t take it anymore, Kaveh,” Faranak sighs selfishly. “A new scene might help, so Mama took a project in Fontaine. I’ll be back, promise.”
Kaveh stares at her with distrust, there was too much packed up for this to be temporary. Men arrive to carry her belongings into the vehicle she’s riding on, and she gives him one parting kiss. “I’ll be back, baby, I promise.”
Taking a deep breath to reign in his anger at the obvious lie, Kaveh ducks away from the affection and slams the door, hearing the vehicle ride away quickly after… what the hell was he supposed to do now?
Staring at the paper and its forbidden nature, Kaveh thinks of the infamous student banned for his forbidden research. Dottore, his name was. Dottore, the same, weird doctor with a deranged smile who prowled in the deserts of Sumeru. An infamous devil in the desert.
The paper in his hand shines mockingly. It was proof of his father’s murder, as much as Kaveh wants to stay in denial. He had nothing to lose now, Kaveh realizes, so to hell with it. That weird Doctor will be more helpful to him than the institutions that willingly murdered his father.
It seems he needs to sign a deal with the devil himself. He laughs incredulously, so be it. Sign the devil’s contract, Kaveh had nothing left, Kaveh was too weak, Kaveh was going to die anyway. Die, die, die, and die. Sign the devil’s fucking contract.
“Say, Ajax,” Celeste giggles flirtatiously, “Do you find me scary? Why are you backing away from me?”
“Ahh, no, Miss Celeste is very beautiful.” Ajax looks away with a blush, clearly uncomfortable with the forced proximity, “I would just rather keep a safe, professional distance with you out of respect.”
“Is that so? Dear Ajax finds me beautiful?” She continues, delirious at the compliment, before shifting her gaze completely, an apex predator who had her prey pinned. “Then cease your rambling and kiss me already.”
“N-No, that’s not- It would be inappropriate-” Ajax backs up again, hands reaching back at the door hand, readying himself to run away from the situation. “I’m sorry, Miss Celeste, I’m not feeling the best so I’ll have to take my leave now.”
“Ajax?” Kaveh’s hushed calls of his name came, and Ajax sighed in visible relief.
“I’m right here, ‘veh!” Ajax calls back as he opens the door, before leaving an imparting smile to the teacher hatefully glaring at the door. “I’ll be taking my leave now.”
“Are you refusing me?” She asks, icy voice dropping a full octave. “Dear Ajax?”
“Ah- A relationship with a teacher would be kinda weird- Miss Celeste deserves-” Ajax doesn’t get the chance to finish his sentence as he doubles over from the pain of being stabbed right in the stomach. Unable to utter any words, subconscious focused on getting away from the present danger, Ajax stumbles back from the angrily muttering woman and her bloodied knife. He has to run.
“How dare you!” Celeste screams, angry and deranged at that point in time, jumping down at the fallen boy and stabbing him all over. “I cherish you so dearly, and you refuse me!? I am a goddess, dear boy, I could’ve given you the world you’ve worked so hard to create-!”
His loud fall and the deranged screams call the attention of his three friends slowly approaching the classroom, prompting all three to run hurriedly to the sound, Kaveh quickly exclaiming out, “Ajax! Are you ok-!?”
They all stopped as they saw their bloodied friend being stabbed repeatedly, but Kaeya was the first to react and harshly pulled the girl away by the collar all the way to the nearby wall, “What the hell! Get away from him!”
With Kaeya acting as a wall between her and Ajax, Celeste runs away, realizing she’s outnumbered in this situation. Wanting to give chase, Kaeya is only pulled out of his rage by Thoma asking for his help.
“Kaeya, forget about her! Help me get Ajax to a car!” Thoma demands after he reaches Ajax’s side, hands pressing onto the largest, most concerning stab wound in Ajax’s stomach in an effort to keep the damage minimum. He was breathing harshly, the pain reaching all the way to the back of his throat as the urge to cry became overwhelming. “Just breathe for me, ok Ajax? Slowly.”
Kaveh, who was quick to call 911 on the phone, sobers up from his panicked rambling to the phone and calls out, “You guys carry him carefully, I’ll go ahead and put down the back seat in Kaeya’s car.”
Before Kaeya kneels down to Ajax’s left side, he nods in urgency as he tosses his car keys to Kaveh who was quick to run to the car in a promise.
“Yeah, go ahead,” Thoma calls back, still pressing down and carefully tending to Ajax as per his training. “Hey, JaxJax, we’re going to get you to the hospital, can you stand for me?”
With weak, minute nods, Ajax wraps his two hands around Kaeya’s and Thoma’s shoulders, all three carefully standing up in support of the injured boy.
“That’s it, Jax,” Kaeya encourages as they approach the doors, quickly spotting Kaveh who had driven the car to the curb, “We’ll get you to safety, promise.”
”I-” Ajax cries out loudly for the first time, still biting back his pained tears, “I- I’m so- I’m sor-”
“Shh, it’s ok, not your fault.” Thoma shushes, gentle support for his friend. “Why apologize? No need to. Not your fault.”
Young, little Ajax ran happily among the surrounding flora, a rare sight in their frozen country. Young, little Ajax, too shy to play with his peers but actively seeking the adventures his father told of. Young, little Ajax was foolish. Young, little Ajax fell into the hole. The terrifying, scary hole filled with monsters and abominations alike.
The hole took away the light in his eyes. The hole kept young Ajax for three days. The hole killed young Ajax.
When the young boy reemerged from the hole, the sweet, shy young thing the villagers loved had all but disappeared. Ajax, sweet, young boy, died. What reemerged was a fundamentally damaged young man terrified of everything gifted the ability to fight his fears. So he fights.
Ajax fights the bullies, the monsters, all aggression and dominance he deems necessary. What the mysterious woman down there said was necessary.
Ajax stares indefinitely, the room surrounding him completely devoid of life and color. It has been months since his parents gave up on him. Months since the village that has raised him shunned him away for surviving. Months since he has beaten everything around him to submission. Months since he was plucked like a bud from his village by the Fifth. Months since he has been abandoned.
“Ajax,” Pulcinella calls to him, “Come, the Queen is waiting for you.”
“Yes, sir,” he responds, obediently following orders.
“Dearest,” the Tsaritsa smiles dotingly at the young boy skittishly entering, an effort to be comforting. He bows down in reverence, using what meager knowledge he knows of formality to show respect. “I acknowledge you as the Fifth’s candidate. I grant you a new name, as per your request. Childe, my future vanguard.”
“Many thanks to Her Majesty,” he bows.
It has been quite some time since the last candidate was proposed into the Harbinger role. With the overwhelming approval of the existing Harbingers, and Her Majesty herself, it was only a matter of when Childe will be instated.
Having settled Ajax in safely, Kaeya was quick to slot himself in the driver’s seat as Thoma tended to his needs and Kaveh was actively talking to the authorities.
“Our teacher stabbed my friend repeatedly on campus, we couldn’t wait! We’re driving him over to the nearest hos- Yes, Rosewood Hospital, thank you- We’re five minutes away-” Kaveh freezes as he notices a quickly approaching light from the driver’s side. “Oh my god, it’s her, Kaeya, look ou-!”
The 911 agent hears the scream of three boys and screeching tires before the sound of a large impact of a car crash, and then to some other construct, forcing him to take his headset off. “Sir!?” He tries to call out, quickly typing away for the police and medical to hurry up. He receives no word from the caller and he knows that the situation just became so much bigger. He just- He knows.
When dispatch finds the car crash, their hearts break. The car crashed into a utility pole that had crushed the roof of the car. A blue-haired boy was impaled through the chest by a protruding metal beam, having no doubt killed him in an instant. Two blond boys in the back hugged at a redhead in the back protectively, but they were all covered in severe burns and abrasions as a result of the leaking electricity and the roof literally crushing them in. A mad woman laughed at the side, noticeably with little to no damage sustained.
A harsh tackle was made to the mad woman as she was forced onto the floor and handcuffed.
Four boys wake up in the middle of a dense forest burning in fire, freely floating on a puddle of water, their last, burning memory being a large, deafening sound of a car crash. Slowly looking at each other, quite obviously shaken, they let their thoughts be plagued by the events that keep replaying in their mind.
“Ajax?” Thoma calls, immediately worrying for their friend as he remembers his severe stab wounds. He freezes as he finds none of the blood and open wounds he worried over “Are- Are you ok?”
“I- I think I am,” Ajax replies, hands clutching onto his abdomen. “Where are we-? This doesn’t look like the city-?”
Kaeya places his hands down before the feeling of frost leaves his hands, yelping as he jumps away. All four look over at him staring at his hand and the frozen section of the water they laid in.
“What- Kaeya, what did you-” Kaveh begins to ask, palpitating fear abating in his eyes.
“I- I don’t know-” Kaeya shakes his head, backing away. “Something cold just traveled from my shoulder all the way to my hand and- That-”
“Wait- These clothes,” Kaveh gasps, a clear look of realization in his entirety, “Aren’t these-?”
“Am I going crazy?” Ajax asks, staring at the shiny ice showing his reflection perfectly. “Or did we wake up as our character models in our game?”
“What the hell?” Thoma curses, rubbing at his head in frustrated confusion. “What’s going on?”
As the four boys pondered, perplexed with whatever was going on, masked men approached them with a grateful sigh.
“Lord Harbinger Candidate, Seniors,” they bow deeply in respect. “It is good to see you alive.”
As if on autopilot, Ajax straightens up and stares them down as the others follow suit. “At ease, men.”
“Yes, sir,” they straighten their posture.
“To think that Lord Candidate was able to survive the wrath of the Natlan Archon!” The one on the left squealed in excitement, “I suppose it simply proves Lord Candidate’s credibility.”
“Enough,” Ajax coughs uncomfortably, “Where is the base, I’d rather tend to injuries we may have sustained than sit here any longer.”
“Yes, apologies, Lord Candidate! Please, follow us.”
The four boys let the men go quite a distance before following their direction. Kaeya watches Ajax carefully, noticing the tiredness in him, and quickly thinks of a way to lighten the mood.
“Lord Candidate?” Kaeya laughs, pushing at Ajax’s shoulder. “You responded so quickly to that, Young Master.”
“Don’t even start, Kae,” Ajax stares at his friend, completely unimpressed.
“Aww, are you embarrassed, Lord Candidate?” Kaveh smirks, latching onto the distraction as Ajax pouts at them both.
“Thoma, I’m getting bullied!”
“We can’t have that, can we, Lord Candidate?”
“I disown all of you as friends. Friendship contract terminated. I am now your superior, show me respect.”
“Yes, Young Master!” All three cackle at their pouting friend.
“Disowned, I tell you.”
“...wait, aren’t these characters…” Kaveh pauses, mind helpfully supplying information he’d rather not think of at the moment. “Aren’t these characters sub-villains… destined to die early??”
“...fuck.”