Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Much to the gratitude of the research team, the blazing sun had almost finished setting. The moon had appeared an hour before, sharing the sky like an unrequited lover. The temperature dropped faster and faster, dry heat replaced with an even dryer cold. But at least layers could be added.

Kaveh had observed most of the Akademiya researchers staying up late into the night either peering over one of the many mechanisms found around the area or writing what he imagined to be the beginning of their thesis.

Burning the midnight oil was no strange occurrence for the architect, however it was difficult to get his work done in the nighttime. After all, he had come out here to see the ruins in all their glory.

“I guess it doesn’t hurt to see its shadows as well,” he decided aloud, using his fingers to carefully spin the half-finished blueprint Mehrak was displaying for him.

Mehrak beeped as if in reply. Kaveh sighed and waved the blueprint closed. Maybe getting a full overview of the ruins in the nighttime wouldn’t hurt after all. At the very least it couldn’t hurt to stretch his legs.

Standing up from the stone wall he’d chosen as a seat, Kaveh realized just how long it had been since he had moved last. His leg muscles tensed as he moved, buttocks tightening for a moment. “Ohhhhh boy,” he groaned as he stretched his arms into the sky and then back down.   

He paused to take a sip from his canteen, sloshing the remaining contents around a little. They would need to make a trip over to the oasis soon. He was sure he wasn’t the only one starting to run a little low.  

Kaveh walked around the ruins by himself at least two times. The first time he just walked, trying to get the stiffness in his muscles to relax. The second time he took longer, taking the time to observe the angles of the ruin, the way the shadows played in the moonlight. It did, in fact, open him to new artistic details he had not considered previously, and a smile alighted on his features. “Not bad…not bad,” he muttered to himself, the mental journal of notes in his head filling up again.

Mehrak floated behind him silently and Kaveh considered pausing entirely to get out some paper to write down his ideas, but right now he was afraid that if he looked away from the ruin, he would break the flow of artistic thought currently leading his brain along.

His eyes moved across the corners of the ruin’s roof to its sidings, following the trail of light that flickered across the arch. It must have been a grand entryway at some point and in some way, it still was, though Kaveh was sure that it was in no way close to its former glory.

Kaveh watched the light change as he watched, clouds in the sky sliding across the moon’s gaze. A part of him wondered what he could discover if he simply watched the light move across the building throughout the night. When the sun rose, he could write down his ideas, perhaps even start a rough sketch of his plan and show it to the client before nightfall.

Excitement bubbled up inside of him and he – regrettably – took his eyes away from the wall to find a place to get comfortable. Perhaps it was luck that he chose that moment to turn around, but Kaveh had never been a very lucky man.

“Look what we have here. Another test subject.”

For Alhaitham, the day had gone by as usual. Returning to the simple duties of the Scribe had been a relief after being Acting Grand Sage for so long. He was thankful to be rid of the extra duties and get back to what he felt he was good at. For a time, he had been almost afraid they would make him Grand Sage – whether he wanted the position or not.

He was just beginning to clean up his things when a familiar form appeared around his desk. “Oh, Cyno, hello.”

“Hello.”

“To what do I owe a visit from the Mahamatra?”

“I needed to access some research pertaining to a specific academic, but I see you’re finished for the day. I can come back tomorrow.”

“No need. I’m still here. Who is the researcher?”

The two spend the next thirty minutes sorting through paperwork of the mentioned academic which Cyno had been tasked to investigate. Most of the time was spent in comfortable silence, the two perfectly suited for their roles.

Nearing the end of their work however, Cyno does offer a question to Alhaitham. “Have you heard from Kaveh recently? I haven’t seen him around the city in some time.”

“Kaveh? Oh, yes, he’s on an expedition into the desert.”

“The desert? Kaveh?”

Alhaitham shrugged, blank features showing no sense of concern. “Something about a client wanting the aspects of a ruin from King Deshret’s civilization incorporated into his build. Kaveh accompanied some researchers and the client to go explore it.”

“Mmm…Have they been gone awhile?”

“I suppose.” Alhaitham waved a dismissive hand, “Knowing Kaveh, he is simply being frivolous with his time.”

The words were empty and while Cyno did not say anything, Alhaitham was sure the other man saw right through him. The expedition was supposed to be done and Kaveh back in the city weeks ago.

“He’s been sending me letters. They were delayed by some locked mechanisms – not that Kaveh needed to stay to help them, but you know how he is.”

“Yes, I suppose.”

Alhaitham did not mention that the letters had been weekly and suddenly stopped two weeks ago. He did not mention how the topic made his heart flutter with unexplainable fear. He simply offered a polite goodbye to the Mahamatra as Cyno left him to go finish his investigation and continued cleaning up his papers.

He did not mention how much he hated going home to an empty house.  

Chapter Text

There were only three of them. That wasn’t too many, he could handle them easily.

Perhaps it was a little egotistical of himself to think as much almost immediately, but it was rather foolish of people to immediately assume the architect had no combat experience. He spent too much time going out into places that held far too many dangers not to pick up a thing or two.

“Mehrak!”

With a familiar mechanical noise, the suitcase lined up behind the man, the visage of a claymore appearing in his hand. One of the treasure hunters seemed to hesitate at the sight, thinking a little that they had underestimated Kaveh as a simple harmless researcher.

“I’ll give you one chance. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

One of them scoffed, stepping forward with his shovel, “You’re not going to hurt as much as we’re going to hurt you.” And his words followed with a violent thrust of the makeshift weapon.

“Fine.”

The words dripped with a finality of anger that Kaveh rarely showed. He had given them a chance. How dare they put him in the situation of causing another person harm. Kaveh swiped his arm, faster than visible, as if simply brushing the eraser dust from a template. With a dazzling flash of light, the weapon slashed down at the other, digging a divot into the man’s shovel.

Kaveh moved his arm to the other direction – the claymore spinning to the right and catching a second treasure hunter in the stomach. Where a normal claymore would have cleaved the man in two, Kaveh’s weapon did not do such damage, digging only deep enough to leave a gash. Still a wound enough to put the other out of the fight, but not enough to kill him. Thankfully. Kaveh had no such interest, even against filth like these.

Dendro tingled through his fingertips as he moved into the dance of combat. His stiff muscles seemed forgotten as he stepped out of the way of a thrown fire cocktail, slashing down with his weapon and knocking the treasure hunter back. Kaveh was not a bad dancer, after all it was just another form of art and combat was hardly any different. Just fluid movements, a step here, a movement of his arms there.

The one with the shovel rushed him again, but he grabbed onto Mehrak and brought up the case to protect himself, shoving the other back. The sword spun around in a massive circle, nicking the treasure hunter in the leg, and knocking him to his knees.

And just like that it was over. The three treasure hunters were a mix of blood messes on the ground, groaning and babbling about how he was just a researcher and ‘how could he?’. Kaveh leaned over the man who had wielded the shovel – the man he’d designated as the leader of the little band of misfits.

He had a whole spiel ready - about the perils of treasure hunting, of foolishly underestimating your enemy, of a lot of different things that might not have mattered to his audience at all. But none of it mattered because the minute he crouched to his knees a loud yelp grabbed his attention.

“Drop your weapon or I kill him!”

Kaveh’s head lifted so fast he was sure he would give himself whiplash.

A fourth treasure hunter – surrounded by several others – was holding Rizan, one of the researchers, in a tight knuckled grip, a knife to his throat. “I should do it you know – to pay you back for the trouble you’ve already caused.”

“Hey – hey no no listen – look…Let’s not be hasty.”

Kaveh stood to his full height and watched the treasure hunter’s grip tighten, the knife digging deeper. The smallest rivulet of blood dribbled down Rizan’s neck. Kaveh swallowed.

“I said, don’t move!”

“Okay okay…”

Kaveh knew better than to point out that the treasure had not said anything of the sort. He had, in fact, said the opposite and had demanded a movement which Kaveh had still refused to complete. He now was torn between which order to follow – to drop his weapon or to hold still. Either way, he needed to get Rizan and the others to safety.

“Okay…” he repeated, “I’ll put it down.”

He was slow in the way he lowered himself, the claymore disappearing in a flickering of lights as he began to place Mehrak on the ground. He tried to make the next movement fast enough to miss. In the second before the suitcase touched the ground, a burst of light exploded around them, knocking all the treasure hunters in the circle back several paces.

Using the distraction to his advantage, Kaveh planned to run to Rizan who was now free and slowly picking himself up from the ground with the treasure hunters. But he didn’t get far enough.

The pain was momentary, quick, and startling. It erupted from the back of his head before swelling over him, blood roaring in his ears and then…there was nothing.

Chapter Text

Alhaitham stared blankly at the food in his hand, utensil poised – frozen in the same spot it had been for several moments. The man had been lost in his thoughts for what felt like ages, not that he noticed the passage of time during this moment.

He had been doing the math over and over again. How Kaveh had been sending him on time letters – the architect was a master of deadlines somehow. Even if it meant sacrificing sleep, he was always on time with what he promised. Or at least as best as he could be. Some things in his job could get out of hand at times. Especially with the Palace of Alcazarzaray fiasco.

But this was a small thing. Such a simple update letter. That he didn’t even need to send, Alhaitham hadn’t asked, but he had been so thankful to get them anyway. He told himself that maybe the messenger had been delayed, maybe the messenger had been hurt themselves. The desert was, after all, a very dangerous place to anyone. Maybe it had nothing to do with Kaveh’s status.

Alhaitham closed his eyes, inhaling sharply through his nose. He was getting worked up over nothing. Kaveh could handle himself. He was more than just an architect. He was a fighter too, he was more than what people saw on the surface, more than the heart that he wore on his sleeve. More than…

Alhaitham breathed out.

He couldn’t take it.

The house was far too quiet without Kaveh. His thoughts were going to get the best of him. He would take Kaveh complaining about everything he saw, messy drunk Kaveh that could barely sit upright on the couch. Anything if it meant that Kaveh was safe in the house and talking.

You’re too wound up about this, he thought to himself.

He was half tempted to go out and find some slimes or fungi to take out his pent-up feelings on, but the effort required to leave the city and hunt them down seemed a little too much to him – even for this amount of stress.

Maybe a simple walk would be enough.

And if his walk just happened to take him out of the city, then why not?

He locked his door behind him with his plain silver key and turned out onto the street. The sun had started to set but it was still light enough that most of the lamps had yet to be lit. Alhaitham chose a direction without thinking and began to walk.

Hands in his pockets, he wandered, trying to keep his mind off Kaveh and the desert. He watched merchants starting to close for the night. A couple of late shoppers were collecting some goods from Hamawi at the General Goods Store. To himself he thought about buying some new furniture or painting to harass Kaveh with when he returned.

The man complained he had no sense of art, but Alhaitham didn’t think art had anything to do with interior design. Interior design was at the beck and call of comfort in his opinion, if there was no comfort in the design, what was the point?

Still – Kaveh didn’t complain too much when he fell asleep on the couch after drinking late into the night, so how much could he really hate the furniture. Just because he didn’t like the aesthetic, didn’t mean Alhaitham wasn’t right.

So much for not thinking about Kaveh.

The thought was just enough to break his reverie and keep him from running over the small form that was walking towards him. Nevertheless, he still stumbled enough to knock her sideways. Alhaitham grabbed out, catching the young girl before she fell.

“Sorry about that.”

Nabiya offered the man a closed-eye smile. “No worries.” She opened her eyes and peered at him with a gaze that seemed to carry more years than her own. “Something else had your attention. Would you like a fortune reading?”

“Still trying to do work this late at night,” he tried to tease, but his voice was his natural monotone, and she might have missed it, “No thank you.”

She didn’t seem to really care for his answer however, lifting her hand before him and closing her eyes. He hadn’t even told her what she was divining, he had no idea what she planned to tell him.

“You will find what you’re looking for, but beware, you won’t like what you hear.”

“Alright little one, that’s enough.”

He said the words so firmly that the girl blinked, startled, as if she’d been yelled at. “S-sorry.”

“I’m not upset,” he said, “But be off now, it’s getting late.”

She didn’t try to protest or say anything else to him, much to his gratitude. He was trying to keep himself from latching on to her words, but they were already seeping into his brain. Was she talking about Kaveh? How could she be? How could she know he was on his mind?

He shook his head. No, that was all silly. She was just a little girl. She was probably teasing him for nearly running her over. If anything, she meant that he would find whatever thing he was looking to buy in the market and wouldn’t like the price. Yeah, that seemed to be more likely.

And so, he continued his walk. Maybe he would walk outside the city at this rate. If he couldn’t get his mind to quiet down. He wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight. Sleep hadn’t been all that easy lately without the usual sound of Kaveh working away on his builds, without the knowledge of the blonde’s existence in the household.

Alhaitham ran a hand through his hair. Oh this was getting ridiculous. Surely, he had a single thought in his brain right now that wasn’t about Kaveh.

It didn’t matter if he did or if he didn’t because something – or someone – grabbed his attention that very moment. Not Kaveh, unfortunately. Kaveh’s client, the last person Alhaitham had seen with the man, was walking several yards ahead towards the Grand Bazaar.

He started down the street after him at a semi-brisk pace. He felt no need to run and make a scene, but he also didn’t want to lose the man in the nighttime business. The closer he got though, the more Alhaitham noticed how nervous the client seemed. The man kept looking over his shoulder, and Alhaitham almost hesitated to keep following him. He slowed down at least, curiosity peaked.

The two of them entered the Grand Bazaar, but the more the crowds began to clear up around them, the more obvious it became that Alhaitham was there. The client looked behind him and made eye contact with Alhaitham. Just like that he was running.

Alhaitham didn’t hesitate to follow. Damn making a scene, something was up.

He was in a lot more shape than the other man and by far the fastest of the two of them. Alhaitham had cleared the empty distance and caught the man within moments, cornering him before he exited the other side of the bazaar.

The client threw his hands up towards his face. “No please! I don’t have any money!”

“I don’t want your money.”

“Oh…” The man slowly lowered his arms and took in the form standing in front of him. He started to relax even further, his arms dropping to his sides. “Oh, Alhaitham, it’s just you – I thought you were…”

Alhaitham raised an eyebrow, but the other man trailed off.

“Actually, I need to go. I have something to uh…handle. It was lovely seeing you.”

The man tried to move around Alhaitham, but the scribe put his arm out to stop him. Alarms were blaring in his head and he couldn’t stop them. The worry that had been building in his stomach was practically gnawing a hole in him now.

“Something happened.” His words were so matter-of-fact, an accusation if there ever had been one, as if he was laying the blame at the other man’s feet.

“Treasure hunters,” the man admitted, “They attacked us in the night. I hid and ran at the first chance I got.” The man tried to slip past Alhaitham again but the scribe pushed him back. “Let me go, please!”

“Where’s Kaveh?”

“I don’t know! They took them. They took all of them. He tried to hold them off, but there were so many! He didn’t stand a chance!”

Alhaitham felt his stomach lurch.

“Were you going to tell the Matra? Or someone that could help! Or were you going to leave them to die like a coward!”

Alhaitham didn’t even notice he was still saying anything. He felt detached from his body, watching himself react to his own fears coming true. His fists were growing tight and he didn’t realize until the man dropped to his knees.

“Don’t hurt me!”

Alhaitham hesitated, blinking as the horrible world fell back into place. “I’m not going to—”

The man took the moment to stumble upright and burst into a run past the scribe. Alhaitham let him go. He had the information that he needed.

But not what he wanted.

He just hoped Kaveh was okay.

Chapter Text

A splitting headache swarmed over Kaveh when he awoke. The feeling was so overwhelming he practically vomited as he attempted to move. He opened his eyes, trying to look around.

Blurry vision greeted him, visuals swimming around in hues of brown and gold and green.

Where am I? What happened?

He reached to touch the back of his head – the epicenter of all his pain. His hand pulled back sticky and wet and a new crimson color joined the kaleidoscope haze. The architect didn’t need working eyes to know what he’d discovered.

“I’m bleeding,” he murmured.

Kaveh didn’t understand. The last thing he remembered he had been working on his design. The sun had been setting and the light had been growing dim. It was harder to work by lamplight – not impossible, but not his favorite thing to do when he was making comparisons to physical entities.

He had…He had taken a walk…and…Ack!

Oh man it hurt to think.

“I think he’s waking up!”

“Oh that’s….that’s good.”

Voices carried to him from somewhere nearby. Familiarity rose within him at the sound, but no names came to mind at first. Kaveh tightened his eyes shut and let a wave of nausea rush over him. It was becoming obvious that he was moving. Not with his legs, no, those seemed to be bent under him in some ungainly fashion. How that had happened was also a mystery, but he had no interest in moving any more at this moment.

He was leaning against something hard and whatever it was rattled violently around him as the movement continued. It shook the man making him more and more sick by the minute. Kaveh made a second attempt to open his eyes, blearily squinting around him.

The blur wasn’t as bad this time, but not any less obvious. He could just barely make out the wooden cage that currently housed him and…

“Rizan!”

Everything came rushing back at the sight of the researcher with the makeshift bandage around his throat. Kaveh sat up in a rush, a stupid maneuver that he regretted immediately. He practically collapsed back again, covering his mouth to keep from emitting any of his stomach’s contents. The pain in his head roared to life – a thousand knives digging into the back of his skull. Black spots flickered across his vision as he struggled to calm his breathing.

Rizan looked up at him, concern written on his features. “Kaveh…you’re awake…you don’t look so good.”

“I don’t feel so good,” Kaveh admitted, muffled by his hand. “What happened?”

“Don’t you remember?”

“Only a little…Did they…did they hit me?”

“Yeah. One of them got you with their shovel. Got you good it looks like…”

Kaveh nodded, carefully this time. A shovel to the back of the head explained….well it explained just about everything going on right about now. He would have the worst headache in his life for awhile. And he thought hangovers were bad.

The man rubbed the center spot above his nose gently. “Is everyone okay?”

Rizan looked around behind them. Kaveh couldn’t see clearly beyond Rizan’s form and the barely visible bars of their cage, but he assumed the other researchers were in similar predicaments.

“If you count being caged and taken to who knows where as ‘okay’ then yes.”

“Ah good…Alive then.”

That’s what mattered right now. Staying alive. Maybe if they stayed alive someone could…someone could save them, right? Someone would know they were missing.

Kaveh swallowed.

Who was he kidding? Expeditions in the desert went missing like this all the time. Word wouldn’t get out in time – if it got out at all. It could be months before anyone came looking for them and by then their site would likely be a hive of nothing but treasure hunters or other researchers.

“My things…Mehrak…”

“They took it. Our research, everything. I don’t know what they want with it or where we’re going.”

Kaveh had an idea, but he wasn’t ready to voice it just yet. The fear that it might spark among everyone might be too much to handle. They were probably terrified enough, adding to it wasn’t going to help. Especially if he turned out to be wrong. He hoped he was wrong. Oh he hoped hoped hoped…

His Vision was gone too, he realized. The buzzing stream of energy where it sat on his side was missing. Without it there was a kind of emptiness about him he hadn’t noticed until just now. He didn’t like the feeling and his body urged him to fix the loss as soon as possible.

Kaveh slowly tried to turn around and see what was behind him. If Rizan was ahead and the other researchers behind him then perhaps…He was right. The treasure hunters were in the opposite direction – as best as he could see them at least. They seemed to be leading them on a wheeled wagon drawn by a Sumpter Beast further across the desert.

The sun must have been up in the sky already today because sweat clung to Kaveh’s shirt and skin, but now yet again the sun had set and the temperature was dropping. He shivered and turned his head, the world spinning as he did so.

Not much to do now but wait unfortunately.

They didn’t stop throughout the night, to which Kaveh had to admit he was surprised. It wasn’t until morning that they pulled to rest in the shadow of a towering plateau. The smell of smoke from a fire tickled his nose and Kaveh felt his stomach growl. He hadn’t eaten the day before either, lost in some aspect of his work that he could barely remember at a time like this. One of the researchers could be heard complaining of the same.

“Quiet down over there!”

Kaveh clenched his eyes shut for a moment. He was so very tired and his head was throbbing. Sighing, he decided to stand up and take a walk around the little cage. He could barely stand to his full height, head scraping the top of the wood slats. He ducked, walking forward three steps and turning around to walk back the same three steps.

“What are you doing?” Rizan asked.

“Counting.”

One might think he meant his steps, but really he was taking count of the treasure hunters he could see gathered around the makeshift camp. Four at the fire…One at the Sumpter Beast…Five? Another two came around the corner suddenly and he sighed. Seven then. Not great odds, especially not without his Vision, but not impossible for his plans.

No one was really keeping watch over the prisoners, not directly at least. Good enough. Kaveh came to a sudden stop, kneeling in front of the door. He reached up into his unkempt hair to grab onto one of the pins still struggling to hold up the locks and pulled it out. Several large bunches of blonde, blood stained hair cascaded onto his shoulders as he did so.

He moved his hands through the bars, carefully maneuvering the lock so that he could reach it. Rizan was thankfully quiet as he worked, plucking at the lock and listening closely. When he heard the faint click, he smiled, trying to hold the door in place so it wouldn’t swing open right away. Looking back over his shoulder, he ensured that the treasure hunters were not interested in them for the time being before slowly opening the door.

Kaveh gestured for Rizan to follow, quickly hurrying over to the other cage. Time was ticking now. It was easy to hide himself picking his own lock, but it was another thing to hide an entirely empty cage. All that was needed was a cast away glance in their direction and it was all over.

For once, luck held out – not that Kaveh would call the situation they found themselves in lucky. But he did manage to get the second cage unlocked without any trouble. The researchers hurried out as quietly as they could manage, turning to Kaveh for direction.

The blonde blinked in confusion. He was in no way the leader of their troupe nor was he even the eldest and yet each set of eyes looked upon him for guidance. He sighed, pointing around the bend and back towards the way they had come.

“I caught sight of a low plateau you may be able to climb and cross over to get back. If you get enough of a head start, they might not be able to catch up to you.”

“But our research…” One of the scholars began, but another of the researchers gave him a look and he immediately fell silent. Live to research another day, they could rewrite their research.

They finally nodded at the blonde’s plan, watching as Kaveh started to turn opposite from them all. Rizan grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back. “What about you! Where are you going?”

Kaveh tried to smile back, but his lips could only twitch. “To get you that head start.”

“Kaveh – no, you can’t –“

The other researchers started to hurriedly head towards the other side of the cliff, doing their best to get out of sight as quickly as possible. The treasure hunters did not yet seem to notice and Kaveh pushed Rizan towards them. “Go! I’ll be right behind you!”

Rizan hesitated then nodded. “You better be!”

Kaveh made his way around the cart, crouched low. He had caught sight of a familiar bauble shining in the moonlight by the Sumpter Beasts. All he had to do was cross the small clearing and get to it without being seen and then he would be in the clear.

It was clear he had used up all his luck the moment he stepped out. Kaveh heard a yell rise up from the campsite. “Shit! They’re gone!”

The treasure hunters rushed to their feet and started looking around for any sign of the escapees. None of them had yet to see him, but it was only a matter of time.

He broke into a run.

The movement, as expected, caught their attention and they all converged on his location. Kaveh managed to get closer to the Sumpter Beasts, but not close enough before his path was blocked.

“You again!” the leader spat, “You sure like to take a beating don’t you.”

“Bold of you to assume I’m going to be beaten this time,” Kaveh replied.

This time he was prepared, feeling the air move behind him as the shovel prepared to strike. He ducked, the leader taking the hit straight to the face instead. One of the alchemists threw a concoction and Kaveh sidestepped just in time to miss a bolt of electro strike where he had been moments prior. He didn’t stop to fight, dodging hits instead and continuing to aim for his goal.

His Vision glittered and gleamed a bright green, pulsing as he grew nearer. He was so close. Kaveh ducked under a fist, grabbing the treasure hunter by the arm and tossing him over his shoulder. Fingers wrapped around the bauble, feeling its power course within him. He was ready…he could fight…he could—

Kaveh was flying backwards before he could stop himself, landing in the sand with a blow that shook through him despite the shifting surface. Striking his head against the ground, he felt his headache roar to life again, a pained gasp escaping him.

He attempted to get back to his feet, stomach lurching as he managed, slowly but surely. A burly grip took advantage of the weakness, wrapping Kaveh’s arms behind his back and pushing him back to his knees.

“Finally! You’re here!” The treasure hunter leader managed through gasps of air.

Kaveh’s vision began to clear just enough to recognize the new forms as Fatui. He swallowed. He’d been right.

A Fatui Agent stood before the mob looking unamused with the scene before him. “Where are the rest?”

“They got away,” someone else answered. The leader cast a sharp gaze in their direction. “But we got the one that let them out. Idiot thought he could get away with his Vision.”

Kaveh blinked his eyes, feeling the world spin around him. The Agent gestured at the blonde in annoyance. “He’s all you’ve got for us, really? Just one measly little schol—”

The Agent squinted, taking a step closer. “Oh ho, I know you. You’re that Architect behind the Palace of Alcazarzaray.” He bent down, reaching out to grab the blonde by the jaw, gripping tight. “They call you a genius. Hm, not much of one getting yourself caught a second time are you? Except that was your goal all along, wasn’t it?

Kaveh struggled to smirk, heart beating a fearful tune against his ribcage. It likely didn’t work as his face was smooshed in the other’s grip. “If you say so.”  

The Agent chuckled darkly, digging his nails into the other’s skin. “They are going to have such a good time with you, that little brain of yours must be something else.” He released his grip, Kaveh exhaling with relief as the pressure left his jaw. “But someone needs to show you your place in the meantime.”

Someone wrapped their hand full of Kaveh’s hair and pressed him forcefully face-first into the sand. The same someone—or someone else entirely, he couldn’t tell—maneuvered his left arm so that it was sticking straight out to his side. Kaveh tried to push himself upright, choking on his own humid exhales, fingers grasping for purchase in the ever-moving sands.

“What’s an architect need to work? Paper…pencils…You’re left-handed aren’t you?”

Realization struck Kaveh, horror settling on his shoulders and his struggles increased. The grip on his arm and hair only tightened in response. He could—should—beg them to stop, to change their mind, anything, but he couldn’t bear the indignity.

The first strike was calculated, the Geochanter’s staff striking right in the center of his third knuckle. It was instinct to pull his hand back, fingers tightening in shock, but it only sent excruciating amounts of pain through the bones as he was struck again.

A scream was ripped from his throat, muffled against the sand. The second strike ripped through his skin, an edge of bloody bone sticking out through the open wound. The third strike shattered the bone into several shards, digging them into his skin, tearing open new wounds into the rest of his hand. And then it was over, Kaveh finding the grip on his hair relaxing just enough that he could turn his head.

Tears were spilling down his face, the blonde gasping desperately for air and out of pain. He wanted to shriek and scream and wail, but he didn’t have the strength or oxygen. His left hand was a sight of bloody gore and he felt queasy just looking at it.

“Guess you’re not going to be drawing anything else any time soon, huh?” The Agent laughed. Kaveh clenched his eyes shut as a wave of nausea swept over him. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t the end of the world. It didn’t matter that he had TWO hands. It didn’t matter that he was still alive.  

It hurt.

It hurt.

It hurt.

Kaveh couldn’t stop himself from finally vomiting what little contents still remained in his stomach. Small kindness that the Fatuus holding him didn’t let him drown in it, lifting his head and body off the ground with a firm tug. Kaveh coughed and gagged, sand and vomit burning the back of his throat. Woozily, he struggled to stay upright. The Agent crouched in front of him, a smile playing behind his mask as he caught him with a hand on his chest.

“Come now, don’t break so easy. We’re just getting started.”

Kaveh tried to sat something, to pipe up with some requisite banter, but he felt himself fading instead. His blood roared in his ears, face growing hot as the world spun violently and the ground rushed up to meet him.

At least it didn’t hurt.

Chapter Text

Al-Haitham returned home. He told himself he returned home to collect his things – one could not just enter the desert without some sort of plan. He would stop at the Wall of Samiel to get more water before he left, but he’d still pack a little to get him that far. He needed his weapons. He needed his mind. 

He needed his mind to be clear. 

And it was anything but clear at the moment. 

He went home to clear his head. 

He didn’t have time to clear his head, a part of him argued. How long had it been since Kaveh had gone missing? Had he been missing the entire time since his last letter? Had he lost valuable time waiting already? 

Al-Haitham’s mind was a jumble as he sorted out essentials and non-essentials from his waist-bag. 

Al-Haitham turned around to reach over his desk to get the letters he’d so carefully folded away. Kaveh had given him a map and a description of the research area – “just in case you wanted to join us”. Of course he didn’t. He didn’t want to be around that big of a group of researchers again if he could help it. But Kaveh always invited him.

Kaveh…

You need to collect yourself. 

Kaveh needs you at your best. 

Kaveh NEEDS you.

Something heavy and fragile fell from the desk with a thunk and a breaking sound. Not quite shattering, but the type of noise you get when something heavy cracks and snaps off. Like a bone breaking. 

Al-Haitham froze, staring down at the item on the ground. It was a clay figurine shaped into some incomprehensible monstrous shape. The Scribe had always assumed it was supposed to be some rendition of a Ruin Guard of sorts, but he liked that he could never figure it out. What had surely been an arm once now lay separated from the main body, cracked and broken into three to four large chunks. Kaveh had always hated the figurine.

Something uncomfortable struck him, a feeling that started in the pit of his stomach and spread like adrenaline through his veins, up his spine. The urge to destroy everything on his desk rushed over him like a wave. Al-Haitham gripped the edge of the wood, fingers scraping deep into the furniture. The world felt like it was spinning around him. 

Deep breaths. Inhale. Slow slow slow. Exhale. 

The feeling passed as slowly as the breaths he forced out, the world returning to some sense of calm, the floor stabilizing beneath his feet again. Al-Haitham released the desk, stretching his fingers to get the feeling back into them. 

A sense of energy draining from him replaced the rage and he sat down in his chair to sort through his letters and find what he needed. His thoughts had not settled completely but there was enough quiet in his brain now to think through his next actions. 

He did not get up when he heard the footsteps behind him. “I suppose I scared him into telling the Matra after all,” Al-Haitham mused aloud, “Didn’t expect to get a response so quickly and surely not from the General Mahamatra himself.”

“Your door was open.” As if that was answer enough. Cyno was a man of few words when he was on the job.  

Al-Haitham turned, quirking an eyebrow. “And you thought to warn me off from an ongoing investigation? To stay home and wait until it’s too late?” The tone of his voice was dangerously cold. 

“No.”

Al-Haitham hesitated, as if he wasn’t sure that he hadn’t heard Cyno correctly. He stood up from his desk, feeling rejuvenated. “I’m going.” As if he needed to establish with Cyno that his presence would change nothing.  

“Not alone.” 

“Oh?”

“This is not the first set of researchers that have gone missing due to these scoundrels. I will see these individuals brought to justice.” 

The words were pointed and firm, Al-Haitham noted, almost a threat in their own way. And maybe, partially aimed at the gray-haired man himself. Not that he had any plan to stand in Cyno’s way – but not everything always went to plan. Al-Haitham nodded.

“The ruin they were researching had been unearthed near Aaru Village. I want to start there.” 

“Let us go.” 

&&& 

Al Haitham tried not to focus on the time accumulating since Kaveh had gone missing - or at the very least been reported missing. As he had no idea how long it had been since the group had been taken hostage. But time seemed to bury itself around him - travel time to the Wall of Samiel, travel time to the ruin - they were even hampered by a sandstorm at one point. Wasting….

The two travel companions were a silent pair, though Al Haitham felt that Cyno was watching him closely, as if possibly afraid Al Haitham would fall apart any second. Or perhaps that was simply what Al Haitham was thinking of himself. He felt like he was going to explode out of his skin just waiting in an alcove for the storm to pass. 

At one point he almost stepped out into it to continue onwards anyway, but Cyno gripped him silently by the shoulder. The unspoken sat between them. Al Haitham knew that he would get lost if he stepped out into the storm, that would take dire hours away from his mission. Think carefully… Kaveh really had him out here acting like a total fool. He would make sure the blonde knew exactly how annoyed that made him. When they found him. Not if, Al Haitham made sure to avoid an if . They would find Kaveh, he would make sure of it. 

The two pushed themselves onwards into the night, taking the storm as their only rest. The moon hovered directly above them in the sky by the time they reached the ruins. Cyno and Al Haitham crouched behind a large outcropping of stone to take a moment to assess the situation at the ruin. 

“I spot five.” Cyno murmured. “No…”

“Seven.” Al Haitham pointed to two more coming from the east of the ruin. 

No problem. 

The lone treasure hunter was observing the mechanism outside the ruin with a puzzled expression, still trying to figure out how to open the doors.

He didn’t even hear the footsteps approach, he was so lost in thought. He did, however, recognize the uncomfortable weight of a blade settling on his shoulder, the sharp end pressing ever so gently into his neck. He immediately went to turn around in shock.

“I wouldn’t. The slightest movement will send this blade across your throat,” Al Haitham stated and the man stilled. 

“What do you want?” he started to beg, “I don’t have any mora, I’m broke. We have this ruin, it’s supposed to be a big sco–”

“Stop talking.” The blade moved ever so slightly and the hunter swallowed. 

“The researchers that were here, where did you take them?” 

Silence hovered in the air and Al Haitham grew more annoyed by it. “Answer me.” 

“Oh, I’m supposed to be talking now. Oh. Sorry– you said–” The man didn’t have any sarcasm in his voice when he spoke, but genuinely sounded like he’d forgotten that he had to speak to answer the question. Al Haitham’s grip grew tight around his sword. 

“Just answer the question.” 

“Researchers, right? I–just got here. I don’t know anything about any researchers.” 

Al Haitham exhaled sharply, pulling his sword back. The hunter began to breathe evenly again, but felt a foot shove into his back and press him against the ground. 

“Hey hey hey, I answered honestly…please…” 

“I know.” 

Al Haitham was wrapping some rope around the man’s arms and yanked him up to his feet. “I just don’t care.” 

The hunter allowed himself to be led back around to the main walkway of the ruins, finding that the rest of his crew had already found themselves captured in some fashion Al Haitham sat the hunter down in a spare empty space among the group and joined Cyno to observe them. 

“Someone here has to know what happened.”

“Agreed,” Cyno said with a nod, “Someone here is a liar.” 

He said the words with such a dark sound that each of the treasure hunters felt the foreboding feeling stifling them in the air. Little did they know that Cyno was the least of their worries. 

In the meantime, Al Haitham had been silently observing the group and his eyes had come to rest on the fashion accessory of one. It wasn’t just an accessory, of course, it had a set of keys he was sure that the hunter thought belonged to the ruin below. Only certain individuals would have recognized it as anything else. 

The Scribe approached the specific hunter, reaching out and grabbing the set of keys from his waist. The hunter was noticeably bandaged, having been injured some time earlier by someone else. 

“Where did you get this?” His voice was so soft, it was hard to guess just how much danger lurked within the words. The hunter turned his head away, grumbling under his breath. Al Haitham pulled him up from the ground, yanking him none too gently by the collar. “I said, ‘where did you get this’!”

“It’s just a set of keys what does it mat–” 

The hunter found himself dropped unceremoniously to his knees, his captor drawing a blade and pointing it at him threateningly. The hunter tried to scrabble back, desperate to escape this ordeal with his life. This wasn’t worth it, none of this had been worth it. 

“Al Haitham.” 

The Mahamatra was suddenly standing between the blade and the hunter, cold eyes staring down the Scribe, his own weapon at the ready. Nothing needed to be said about how this had gone too far. How Cyno would not let it go further. 

A childish part of Al Haitham wanted to argue, to press past the other man and get the answers that he sought. But the keychain weighed in his hand, grounding him in some way. “Fine. Bring them to justice, just know that Kaveh’s blood is on their hands.” 

Al Haitham stepped back, putting his sword away as Cyno turned back to the hunter. The man cowered before the Mahamatra, even as his savior from the other man, there was something equally as threatening in the way Cyno approached. 

“He’s right, you know. There’s blood on your hands and I’ll see to it that you’re punished appropriately for it.”

Cyno began to turn away, but the treasure hunter called him back. “Wait…the architect,  the Fatui got the keys from him, they gave them to me. I didn’t–” 

Cyno turned back, looking a bit shocked, “The Fatui?” 

“Yes, we…” The hunter looked at Al Haitham, afraid of the man’s rage if he were to continue explaining what they had done. “We gave him over to the Fatui. In exchange we got this base and the keys to it.” 

To the hunter’s surprise, the Scribe did not react to his words. Cyno too felt curious about this, but said nothing. 

“Let’s go,” Al Haitham demanded. Cyno would want to take the treasure hunters back to Aaru Village for justice, and he wanted to get going as soon as possible. The longer they waited the more time they wasted. 

The trip back to the village was not as slow-going as the trip out. Knowing the path back, plus the lack of a sandstorm barring their way made things far easier. Cyno was quickly off to situate things with Candace and the village guards leaving Al Haitham to his devices. 

Which was perhaps not the greatest idea, Al Haitham wondered to himself. He was still holding onto the keychain he had liberated from the treasure hunter, staring at it. The stupid little lion face stared back at him accusingly. 

Kaveh’s blood was on his hands too. 

“So you knew the Fatui were involved?” 

Cyno had reappeared, pulling Al Haitham from his darkest thoughts. “I suspected. There’s been some increase in disappearances and word that the Fatui’s experimentation has taken root in Sumeru again.” 

He turned to Cyno, “You get any more out of the treasure hunters?” 

The Mahamatra sighed and shook his head. “Not much. They only confirm what you yourself had already suspected. They’ve been targeting researchers out in the desert and handing them over to the Fatui. But they’ve been meeting the Fatui in the middle of the desert, so there’s no confirmation of a base, only a meeting place.”

“Somewhere the Ley Lines are stronger,” Al Haitham murmured. 

“You don’t think they would return to Dar al-Shifa, do you?” 

“I don’t think they’re in the desert at all,” the Scribe admitted, “I think they’re targeting folks in the desert, meeting so far into the desert - to hide where they’re really taking their prisoners.” 

“So we’re back at square one.” Cyno looked like he’d tasted something bitter when he said the words. 

“No.” Al Haitham stared back down at the keychain, now warm, in his hand, as it glittered in his eyes with a hot red color mixed with green. 

“They left us a clue.”

Chapter Text

“.....one piece….how hard is it not to….you absolute buffoon…” 

Kaveh woke to arguing. The voices were distant or perhaps he was still not quite awake because he kept missing bits and pieces of what was being said. The first voice was unfamiliar, raspy like an older man, answered by the gruff, annoyed voice of the agent. 

“You’re lucky we brought anything back at all thanks to him!” The man protested, voice stronger and loud enough that Kaveh felt the need to cover his ears. 

A foolish mistake. Moving dispelled whatever grogginess still clung to him and with it, any amount of pain relief the detachment from reality had brought him. 

Pain shot through his hand with the same violence with which the geochanter had hit him. Agony tore through bone and flesh and a yell escaped Kaveh before he even knew what was happening. 

He couldn’t help it. God help him, it hurt! 

His eyes fluttered open, struggling to look but unbidden tears of pain streamed down his face. He wasn’t bound, he noticed despite the blurriness in his eyes, but in yet another cage. This one was smaller, made for a singular individual. In fact, the longer Kaveh thought about the cage, the more he realized just how much he barely fit into it by himself. 

But his focus was not really on the cage holding him or the voices in the distance. His focus honed in on his hand. Seeing it, he struggled not to vomit again. He had seen broken bones and blood before, surely, but nothing quite like this. In the cramped space of his cage his arms were practically against his chest, his hands inches from his eyes.

The shattered remains of his left hand were simply that - remains . What bones had been in his hand were now mostly outside, broken into little shards that had tried to dig themselves back into the skin as if coveting their return to the inside. The limb otherwise dangled uselessly. Though moving it was not wholly impossible - he decided it was better that he did not try again. 

Kaveh clenched his eyes shut, trying to still his stomach. When was the last time he’d eaten? Did it matter? He was so nauseous, the brief thought of food only riled up his stomach further and he gagged. 

Maybe this was just some horrible alcohol-fueled dream. He would wake up in Lambad’s, safe and sound with nothing worse than a headache. Yeah. 

The sound of footsteps closing in on him brought him from his thoughts. No. The agony was too real. This was real. This was horribly real. 

“My…my…It really is the Light of Kshahrewar…”  

Kaveh opened his eyes to try and peer out into the room and at the owner of the voice. The man was indeed older than the agent, maybe late 50s with wrinkles that showed he smiled quite often. His blue eyes though, they twinkled with something dark . 

“I’m sorry about that.” He gestured towards the mess that was Kaveh’s hand. “Sometimes my men go too far, they forget I need whole specimens. But do not worry, we will fix you up the best we can.” 

Kaveh did not understand the man or anything he was saying. He told himself that it was the fact that he had sustained extreme physical trauma that he had yet to recover from. 

The man made a gesture with his hands and two new individuals appeared in Kaveh’s vision. They were still Fatui, he noticed, but they must have been lower level, wearing basic uniforms. The two opened up the cage and before Kaveh could react, they had him by the upper arms and were hauling him up and out. 

“Gentle with him, please. I have great hopes for this one.” 

Kaveh did not have the energy to fight the Fatui moving him or even question what the man’s words meant. He didn’t feel very good about any of it though. 

&&&

They were…surprisingly gentle...or they attempted to be.   

The Fatui dragged him out to another space. Having been moved, he began to realize that the room he was caged in was much larger than just some prison cell. His vision unfortunately swam as they moved, pain flickering in and out through his hand. 

He was forced to first sit on what he believed to be a cot and then a few seconds later, urged to lay down. Kaveh tried this moment to fight, setting his muscles as tight as he could, urging his body to stay upright. The two Fatui worked together and manhandled his exhausted form down far too easily.

Kaveh tried not to make a sound, tried not to give in to how scared he was as he was held down, his arm pried yet again to display to his captor. Would they break his hand more? Is that what they planned? 

He tried to pull up but the Fatui held him in place without a sound. 

“Oh my…”

Kaveh heard a new voice, a woman’s voice, and tried to lift his head to see. He had not heard her footsteps. 

“Yes, unfortunate mess.” The old man breathed somewhere to his right, “Is there anything you can do?” 

“I can…well I don’t know if I can repair it. It’s too damaged. I may have to take it.” 

Take it? No. No. Kaveh tried to fight again, tried to pull away. His hand was destroyed, yes, but at least he had it. It was there. It had a chance. 

Another part of him balked. He deserved this didn’t he? He deserved everything that happened to him, particularly the bad. I took my mom’s ability to draw away, maybe I deserve to be unable to draw? 

“Do what you can.” 

“Yes.” 

There was a touch, gentle hands upon his face and something urged his fighting to cease. And the thoughts in his head seemed to fall silent. “Shhh…it will be over soon.”

“You can’t…you can’t…,” he begged, “You can’t.”

“I’m sorry…”

The voice trailed off, as if she wanted to say something more, but couldn’t. Her touch, however, was soothing in a way Kaveh felt was beyond magical. Something god-like. Or perhaps that was the addled part of his brain talking. Whatever it was, there was a moment without any pain, despite the feeling of fingers prodding the destruction that was his hand, despite the feeling of something tingling within those fingers. Nothing hurt and Kaveh felt himself ascend, as if watching the woman work on him from outside his body. 

He imagined a goddess, robed in black and purple silks, face hidden to all and she carried an executioner’s blade. She raised the blade above her head and cut down at her target. His hand…his hand…his hand…

Kaveh’s eyes snapped open. 

He was back in the cage again. He did not remember falling asleep or being moved back. Had any of what he’d seen truly transpired? He looked to his broken hand to assure himself it had all been a dream. Perhaps a portion had not been real as he realized he still had his hand. But it had been bandaged tightly and bound to a large stick. Strange . She had saved it after all. Whoever she was.  

As time passed his vision began to clear and the room itself also became clear to him. Or at least the parts he could see. They were somewhere underground possibly, or in some cavern like area because the walls were dark grey rock. 

Grey rock? He thought to himself. 

There was something significant about that fact but he couldn’t place it right now. 

Directly across from him were some cots, at least three, but he did not believe they were for the Fatui at all. He had not seen a single one of them sleeping there. No, if he remembered his directions carefully, it’s where they had dragged him to get his arm healed. 

Turning in his cage to the right, he now faced a new part of the room. This one looked almost like a nature-built stage, a semi-circle of flat rock that cascaded down like stairs. And at the top, a petrified ley line blossom awaited. 

Now that he’d turned, new smells also seemed to reach out to him. The smell of spring water, of humidity. Grey rock…humidity …

It dawned on him what it all meant. He wasn’t in the desert anymore. Even If the researchers made it back to Aaru Village, no one would know where to look for him. At least in the desert there might have been a place to start, in the rainforest they could be anywhere. 

Well not just anywhere…

A domain. 

Just what were they doing here?  

He wasn’t sure he wanted to know. 

&&&

Another cot. 

This time they didn’t waste effort to hold him down, simply bound him back against the bed. Kaveh fought nevertheless, pulling at his bindings as best as he could. The movement shot pain through his broken hand, pressing it against the stick bound to it.   

But he noticed he had more energy than before. He was not as exhausted, if just a little tired. And the awareness made him realize how hungry he was. A familiar touch and something soothed Kaveh into relaxation yet again. 

The woman.  

“Quiet. You will only make it worse.” A warning yes, but not a threat. Strange.  

Footsteps approached and the hand left his face and all the dread seemed to crash back into him. The old man appeared above him with that empty smile and dark eyes. 

“How is he?”

“Doing better, but I don’t think he’s ready yet.” 

The old man turned his eyes on the woman. “Doctor, I’ve told you how much I don’t appreciate you hindering my experiments. Must I teach you this lesson again?” 

“No…sir.” 

“Then I ask again - how is he?”

“He’s fit enough to begin.” And he noticed the tone of the woman’s voice sounded pained. 

“Excellent.” 

The man turned back towards Kaveh and grinned widely, showing teeth that seemed sharper than Kaveh remembered. “Please prepare my tools.” 

There was a rummaging about of said tools that Kaveh couldn’t see, scooting and metallic sounds. He tried to turn his head slightly to see if he could see anything but all that came into view was the man’s legs. And then he caught the side of a vial full of something purple and a large injector needle. 

He found himself speaking quickly, “Whatever you’re doing - I’m begging you - please don’t.”

“Do not worry, Kaveh. It will only hurt for a little bit. It will make you stronger, I’m sure of that.” 

He braced himself against the bed as the needle went into his shoulder. And that alone was pain enough, tearing and ripping of his skin by the too large needle. 

But the next…was an indescribable agony.

It was several moments of silence as Kaveh seemed to wait for something to happen and relief had just begun to settle in before the pain erupted. It felt like his entire body was on fire, it spread through his veins like lava - from the shoulder down through to his heart. His heart raced and he could feel his breath growing heavy, finding it difficult to pull in air. 

He thought it couldn’t get worse until it did. The burning continued but it began to feel like his skin was being ripped apart, folded back and peeled, bones crushing and repairing only to crush themselves again. 

Kaveh cinched his eyes shut, trying to scream out in agony but there wasn’t enough air in his lungs. His mouth opened in a display of pure fear and pain, a gaping maw desperate to make a sound. Tears streamed down his face and internally he begged and begged and begged. 

End it please. 

“Hmm.” He heard the old man murmur to himself and the sound of scratching could be heard as he wrote something down. 

“Sir, could I….he might not make it if this keeps on.” 

“Oh…yes of course.”  

Something - someone - grabbed onto his good hand and the pain seemed to dwindle away, leaving only remnants of the fire in his vein. It was nothing compared to what he had just gone through. 

“Get him settled and put back. I want to start again early tomorrow.” And then the old man was leaving, his footsteps receding to the entrance. 

Kaveh continued to sob noiselessly as someone rubbed their thumb over his hand. 

It was so strange the comfort he felt from that touch, but stranger still that over the roaring of his heartbeat, he thought he heard the words ‘ I’m sorry ’. 

&&&

It took everything for him to sleep. He felt feverish, his skin burning hot and he felt himself sweating through his shirt. It must have been only a few hours after he’d finally fallen asleep that he was woken. 

He’d had yet to get more than a glimpse of her, but now she stood before him. Auburn hair and purple eyes that looked endlessly sad. How could she be a part of this, he wondered? 

“Sorry,” she whispered, “I’m sure you wanted to sleep. But here…” She slipped her hand through the cage and he flinched away from her as best as he could. She dropped a bag into his lap. “Quickly. We haven’t much time.” 

Kaveh moved in the uncomfortable space to open the bag. Inside were several fruits and he was overcome so much by his hunger that he wasn’t disappointed it was not a key to escape. He devoured the fruits as quickly as he could, struggling with one hand and getting juice all over his face. 

The woman held her hand back in to collect the bag from him and he slipped it to her slowly. “Why do you do this?” Do what exactly, he wasn’t exactly sure. Maybe his brain was still addled. Try to help him? Calm him? Or did he mean participate in this…torture? 

Her eyes looked even sadder, if that was even possible. The woman stood up from her crouch and he saw a heavy sigh exhale through her lungs. “We are all prisoners here.” 

And then she was gone and he mourned the silence.

&&&

The next morning was the same as the last, the Fatui shackled him down to the cot and the old man injected more of the viscous liquid into his other arm. The pain was just as excruciating as the day before. Kaveh had hoped that perhaps after the first time he’d feel used to it and withstand it better, but no. 

It tore through him like dragon fire and Kaveh felt like his body was ripping apart at the seams. He opened his eyes only to find everything around him a pale white. He turned to the side and the other and saw nothing move around him. No. He closed them tightly again as another rush of pain surged through him. 

Screams tore from his lungs as the pressure in his chest loosened. His arm protested as he pulled and pulled at his bindings, kicking and screaming where he lay. 

“Please please stop! Stop stop stop!” Stop stop stop stop. 

He waited for it to end, for something else to happen, but the comfort never came. The woman must have abandoned him today. 

“That should be enough. Tomorrow we will simply observe any changes.” 

Kaveh barely heard the movement of the Fatui, but the old man must have waved them off. 

“Leave him like this tonight.” 

Kaveh found the position he was left in horrible. It was more than uncomfortable. His arms were sore from their position behind his head and he needed to scratch his nose. But these were minor inconveniences compared to the continued pain coursing through his veins. 

He didn’t know what they had injected him with or what it would do to him, but he didn’t like the feeling beginning to overwhelm him. His vision was no longer a pale white but it kept blurring and blacking out every few minutes as if flickering like a candle. And he felt dizzy and like his entire body was vibrating, even as he laid completely still. 

He was going to be sick, he realized. But he couldn’t, not laying down like this. Kaveh managed to lift himself ever so slightly to his side, and he vomited while screaming out in the agony that it sent through his entire body to move. Most of the vomit hit his shoulder and he laid down, nauseated by the smell. 

How he eventually fell asleep like that, he couldn’t explain. 

The next day was the same, despite what the old man had said before. Kaveh saw him purse his lips tightly, not so much anger but disappointment in his features. “Again, I suppose.” 

The injection was the same. The pain was as agonizing as before - if anything it was worse today. His body hadn’t seemed to recover from the night before. Kaveh felt his entire body seize, muscles contracting and then loosening as he shook. Consciousness failed him and he faded into peaceful darkness. 

&&&

The next morning he woke in the cage feeling sick and lightheaded. The world around him seemed to shake and vibrate, like an earthquake had erupted across the rainforest. But perhaps it was just him. 

The woman was crouched in front of him again. She must have woken him. He noticed her face was bruised and a healing gash divided her eyebrow. “Sorry, I wasn’t here yesterday.” Her voice shook, but she pressed another bag through the cage bars like nothing had changed. 

Kaveh devoured the fruit greedily and it was only after the last one that he realized she was still watching him. He hesitated uncomfortably. 

“Did you…did you want some? I’m sorry.” 

She laughed. A soft melodic sound. “No. It’s alright.” 

There were several moments of silence as she looked away from him and settled into a sitting position outside his cage. “It’s only going to get worse,” she warned. 

“What did they do to me?” he asked her, continuing to feel the world around him swirl. 

“I don’t know, honestly. Something to do with the ley lines here and the petrified trees. I think he’s injecting people with a serum made from the bark of the tree. But that’s just my guess. He doesn’t tell me.” 

“There’s others?” 

She didn’t look at him. “There were.” 

Kaveh swallowed. What would happen to him? If what she guessed was true, what would that do to him? Ley lines were a scary thing to mess around with.  

“Can you get me out of here?” 

She rocked in place as she shook her head. He saw her body quiver slightly. “No. I’m not allowed to leave.”

He remembered what she had said before, We are all prisoners here.    

“What’s your name?” 

She smiled at him again and shook her head. “Not important.” 

She slipped the bag away from him again and left, footsteps receding into the distance. 

&&&

No one came for him the next day. Or what he assumed to be the next day since his only sense of time was the old man’s torture. But it felt like quite a bit of time had passed, surely enough time that it was another day? 

Kaveh’s body was burning up, entire body sweating to the point that his clothes were as damp as if he had been caught in the rain. He leaned his head back against the cage and tried to soothe his mind. But all he thought was how he was going to die here. How the pain coursing through his skin and blood had not faded, if anything it was building.

I’m not strong enough. I deserve this. 

After everything he had done in his life, of course this was his end. Had his father been this afraid of his death? Had his mother been this worried when she was trying to move on? 

The tears came unbidden and he wasn’t sure if they were from pain or simply fear. 

Kaveh, my little one. You’re going to be so great when you grow up. 

He blinked his eyes open. The words were memory, but seemed close, spoken near. 

Kaveh saw his father standing before him in the white space that now made up his vision. He had thought he’d forgotten what the man looked like, but now that he saw him again he realized he could never forget the man’s features. 

Look at this, love. Look at what our little boy has done! 

The man did not look at Kaveh, but was holding up one of the boy’s drawings and showing it to someone far away. In the distance Kaveh saw his mother smiling and happy. A pang of something sharp stabbed him in the chest and the moment was ruined by a pained scream tearing through his chest. 

The white space disappeared into a blurry mess, Kaveh doubling over as best as he could in the tight space of his cage. Pain was roaring through his chest, the feeling of an explosion within his ribcage. He couldn’t catch his breath even as he screamed on and on. 

And then suddenly he was silent, the screams dying out as the breath ran out and everything faded into nothingness yet again. 

&&&

He woke with a gasping breath and found himself laying down on the cot again. Those gentle hands were on his face again and he thought he would sob simply at their existence and the lack of pain in his body for once. 

“I expected more from him,” the old man was muttering. “Only three days?” 

“You should be thankful he made it,” the woman murmured.

There was a loud smack as skin met skin and Kaveh realized someone had been slapped. The woman’s hands pulled away from his face slowly and he realized she must have been the receiving end. 

“You dare!”

There was silence before the old man sniffed and waved his hand dismissively. “Tomorrow we will continue. I’ll add more serum if I must.” 

“I advise against it. The change has already started, any more would risk another episode.”  

“Fine. Protect him. It will change nothing. He will make it or he will not.”

The man left them alone and Kaveh realized that the bindings were not on. He sat up slowly and looked at the woman. Her bruised face was redder where she’d been hit. He looked slightly at the Fatui guards, but they did nothing to stop him as he stood. 

He was jelly-legged and unsteady, stumbling forward and unable to keep his footing. He collapsed into her arms and she settled him back onto the bed. 

“Easy now…”

“Did….did I die?” 

She pursed her lips tightly and didn’t answer, but her eyes told him everything. 

“Oh god. I’m not going to make it out of here,” he choked out, pressing his feverish head into his good hand. 

The woman placed her hand on his head. “Don’t give up hope. That’s the true death here.” 

He dropped his hand and opened his eyes but the woman was gone and he was in his cage again. Kaveh blinked, trying to clear the blurriness away. He didn’t remember falling asleep or passing out. Had…had he imagined everything? 

What was this place doing to him?