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Some say Mondstadt is the city of freedom, a place where people are welcomed to open themselves up to each other.
And today was no other… rather it was the preparation for such a day where one's expression is to be seen throughout the decorated streets.
The soft winds that flowed throughout the city loomed over its citizens, the decoration for a festival to come swaying softly as people prep for the upcoming.
Poets wrote and bards sang; those of green thumbs prepping their flora for display, the city was transforming into the image of sharing and love. The Windblume Festival is what the people of Mondstadt called it, a time where people would give each other flowers that represented their love and appreciation for their archon Barbatos and to those they care deeply for. It was supposed to be a time of positivity but…
Unbeknownst to most tensions rose… arguments between people who were known to be each other's other halves have been occurring more and more but seemingly seen as an afterthought. Though it was normal for people to argue, even those who love each other would have their moments. Thus when a certain mint haired alchemist tended to her mutated flower specimens, the arguments seemingly went in one ear and out the other… besides it isn’t her place to intervene, and it's not like she even wants to. With a smile she got to one specific mutated flower that she held dearest… one that was given to her by a special person and even more, it was given during the past Windblume festival. It had the image of a sweet flower but the shade of starsilver… a bright smile emerging from her lips as she tended to it…
A specimen named Tetratanic sweet flower.
“I wonder what Mr Albedo is doing” she mused in thought as her fingers brushed its petals… large and soft as it glimmered in a silver light. “He hasn’t been in the city for maybe two weeks now.” a small frown, her brows folding into each other as she visibly paused in thought then shakes her head to alleviate any worry that was bubbling inside her.
He’s strong…
He’s the captain of the knights of favonious’s investigation team
He’s smart
He’s the chief alchemist and my senior. “I’m sure he’s doing fine…”
She gulped down her own saliva as she continued with her daily activities, the clinking of beakers, the bubbling of some concoction inside a cauldron, herbs and books all neatly organized as she noted down her progress… but at the back of her mind she couldn’t help but think about him.
Eventually as the day continued and she found herself in a daze she raised her hands to her cheeks with a light slap.
PAP PAP
She lets out a sigh as she looks out the window and spots Sara tending to the restaurant namely Good Hunter, noticing that it was almost past twelve her stomach growled lightly… a small blush emerging from her cheeks as she quickly looked around in case Timaeus had heard but thankfully she was alone.
Then a thought came to mind, her pupils dilating as suddenly her movements changed with a hint of purpose, grabbing her pack she stashes the notes she wrote on her recent findings and carefully packing it up before heading towards the door, she looked back at her flower… the one Mr Albedo had given her and smiled as she closed the door behind her. Timaeus spotted her walking towards Good Hunter, already munching down a salad of his own, he shrugged as he watched her order two meals, a pause as he noticed that she ordered two sets of Barbatos Ratatouille, he didn’t question it though as he just looked on, stuffing the food safely into her pack making sure it was sealed shut and walked towards the gate. “Have a safe trip Sucrose!” he called out already knowing she was intending to journey up the mountain called Dragonspine, where Albedo probably was.
“Thank you timaeus! I’ll see you later!” she turned around to face him and waved off before turning to the adventurers guild station. “Hey Katherine, i’ll be going up to dragonspine to see Mr Albedo” she said, already ready for the trip, speaking as if she was letting her parents know where she was headed. She receives a nod from Katherine. “Safe trips Sucrose.” And with that she sets off; her notes and two steaming hot dishes in her pack, her vision glowing with Anemo energy and a bubbling excitement rising from her core. The journey was well practiced as she’d trekked the road a handful of times before with Albedo, she smiled along the way. “I hope Mr Albedo doesn’t mind the visit” she thought but a part of her knew his kindness.
Knew how open he was with her despite his cold and neutral exterior
Knew how much he cared for those close to him
And maybe this surprise visit could be something to lighten his mood, a part of her excited to talk about all sorts of topics about their shared alchemical field. It still amazed her how much he knew about the branches of alchemy; even to the point where she felt a bit inferior in her major but in a positive way as she saw him as a pillar…
Her inspiration
She then thinks about the last windblume they had together… The day she received her most prized possession, that Tetratanic Sweet Flower that she still tends to on the daily, sometimes serving as night light on her many late nights doing what alchemists do. Or when she was first brought to his personal lab within the knights of favonious headquarters. Walking along with him but a step behind as she felt small compared to the knights stationed there. Seeing people like Amber who was the pinnacle of what a knight of favonious should be, Lisa with her deep space of knowledge, Kaeya with his… well- bravado but also skills in combat, Jean the temporary head and even Noelle who was always so steadfast in her duties despite not being a knight. Everyone was someone to look up to and now she was amongst them… speaking to these amazing people through Albedo…
As Sucrose starts to feel the chill of the air, a sign that she is nearing her destination her mind wanders once again… a heartwarming memory where she was at Albedo’s personal lab… his office…
She’d been invited there a few times now and still she felt as if she wasn’t good enough to be of help… but she schooled that thought as she knew deep inside that even only slightly…
Albedo needed her…
She was his assistant…
He chose me…
Elevated my knowledge farther than I could have ever dreamed of…
He… sees me…
See’s knowledge and skills that I possess…
See’s the potential in them that I still can’t help but belittle.
“But maybe it's time that; that changes”
She smiled as she noticed that she was already there, at the foot of the mountain… All throughout the journey it felt as if it was a blur with her mind wandering, her excitement bubbled up more as she checked if the food was still warm. “Those pyro slime extracts do wonders” she muttered as she continued on with a bit more focus this time as Dragonspine wasn't a place to trifle with… it was riddled with dangers but thankfully albedo taught her how to navigate through these unforgiving lands. But despite that she feels the pit of her stomach dropping… an unease that crept alongside her as she continued up… she felt something wrong with the air as her ears instinctively perked upwards as if to sharpen her senses…
She was trying to regulate her breathing… to keep herself calm as she trekked higher and higher, eyes peeled and sharpened.
But then she saw it…
A glimpse of a reddish trail floating about like energy particles
Every part of her screamed to head to safety… towards albedo’s camp.
But…
Something…
compelled her to follow it
“Why am I doing this!?”
“Sucrose turns back!”
“Wait… Mr Albedo probably felt it too”
“Would he be at the end of the trail if I followed it?”
She stopped to ponder but then continued on… her heart pounding as she clutched her vision atop her chest as she maneuvered through the frozen landscapes that eventually led her to a cave where the trails of energy became more noticeable.
Her ears perked up high as she heard the sounds of beating, her fears rising but… she saw footsteps, many… many footsteps. Her eyes slowly widening as she takes in her surroundings, trails of what seemed to be blood?, maybe dragged bodies?
B-but who w-would do such a-
She tried to think but her fears rose to its peak as she saw… him…
Dragging a body towards a clearing, his expression as cold as the snow that surrounded them, his hand glowed, raising it lightly before kneeling down and touching the ground, and as if following his orders the earth opened, just deep enough for the body to fit into. Sucrose finally regained her bearings and tried to retreat silently but in her panicked state she accidentally stepped on a traitorous twig.
SNAP
Her heart dropped as she scrambled when Albedo’s eyes met with hers, she didn’t have time to look longer as she accidentally slipped, her pack tumbling off her shoulders as she kicked away at the snow trying to get up but Albedo was already looming over her like a dark presence. She clasped her eyes shut raising her arms at him as she summoned a powerful gust of anemo wind towards him, something to push him away.
Her mind reeled as she didn’t have time to pause and process what she had just seen.
She was all instinct and no strategy as her heart pounded within her chest.
“M-MISTER ALBEDO—” she tripped onto the snow scrambling to her feet “PLEASE- I SWEAR I DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING!!!” her voice hoarse from the strain, eyes wide as she turned back to see him approaching, begging as she summoned more gusts of winds towards him…
But then she felt a hand grip hers… her fears rose more as she closed her eyes, he was right next to hers saying something
But his voice didn’t register.
His tone muffled in the noise of her mind screaming in fear.
“Sucrose calm down!”
He tried to reach her, to calm her down but she was too busy summoning gusts of winds to separate them both, the sheer volume of the winds loud enough to muffle any words coming from him as she rushed to her feet and ran into a random direction.
Stumbling onto the snow covered rocky terrain until she finally lets herself breathe and look around.
She felt her heart drop as she continued turning around trying to find out where exactly she was, she raised her hands to her shoulders in a futile attempt to warm herself, as she continued on walking, feeling her heart beat rising in a quiet terror and dread that she might be lost.
And to her dismay the winds picked up
The fog settled in
The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach grew as her senses screamed danger
Eventually she looked around, hugging the mountain side looking for a crevice… something to hide in and shelter herself from the elements…
But the adrenaline from running away had been slowly fading, she felt her legs buckle, movements grew slower as she held her hands up to shield her eyes from the frosty winds. Gritting her teeth so that she may have a better chance to keep herself awake.
But after what felt like forever she was unsuccessful, now questioning everything— she asked…
Is this how I die?
Did I truly see Albedo dragging bodies or?
Was I just-…
Haluci—
But the next thought never did come as she fell onto the snow, unable to regain consciousness and drag herself back onto her feet.
And there… she unknowingly let the darkness take over…
Not knowing about the figure that managed to follow her through the brewing snow storm…
Later she finally regains her consciousness, slowly she shook her head to ease the drowsiness from just waking up. Her vision was blurry, body still numb as she slowly regained her bearings.
“Where…”
She muttered as she squinted her eyes, rubbing them as her memories still failed her but then… her ears perked upward, skin suddenly tingling as her hairs stood… she finally remembered what had happened and it fully woke her up.
A deep sense of dread when she looked around then saw him, she didn’t even realize he was right there staring at her and her first instincts were to blow him away.
“m-M-m-m-MISTER a-A–A-LBEHIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!”
Her voice squeaked in fear as she raised her hands but then felt his grip on her, her vision blurred in fear as she scrambled back, turning her head away as she thought this was it… she was going to die.
“Sucrose calm down… please”
His voice was calm… gentle, trying his best to help her regain her bearings and finally listen but the fear was still there so he waited… still holding onto her hand as he feared that she would blast him with anemo energy if he lowered his guard. Eventually sucrose did calm down… well at least enough to where they can finally talk. “Are you okay now?” he asked but then shook his head as the answer was clear… of course she wasn’t, she literally saw him dragging lifeless bodies and more than that she almost died of hypothermia if he hadn’t found her in time… it was clear that she was scared to death. “I’m not going to hurt you sucrose… if you want you can leave, bind me here with ropes if it makes you feel more at ease while you return to mondstadt.” He offered finally letting go… doubling down as he removed his vision and threw his sword away as it landed with an audible CLANG as it skidded down the mountain side. a gamble but maybe putting himself on the line would give her that ease of mind. “Y-you’re not…. You’re not going to kill me?”
She asked fearfully as she instinctively pressed against the walls of the cave still trying to keep as much distance between them… he replied by shaking his head.
“Of course not- look I understand your fears and yes granted I would be suspicious if I also saw myself dragging lifeless bodies around…”
“But…”
“You must’ve felt it right? The dark energy that had surrounded this mountain… Focus— Rose… I'm sure you’ll be able to sense it too.” Albedo first tackled which replaced a good amount of fear within sucrose to openness and curiosity as she turned to him albeit slightly.
“I found the core about six months ago but only recently had it started to become more and more active, slowly corrupting the lands at first, destroying the already meager life within this mountain, but as time continued it slowly got worse and worse.” “Travelers within the mountain started hallucinating, The Fatui started showing up, and the wildlife became more hostile.” “And then dapplegangers, citizens from mondstadt are appearing but not truly themselves… Upon investigating I found that these clones aren’t perfect replicas, they can only mimic the visage of the person but it's… too perfect and imperfect at the same time.”
“The clones are perfectly healthy, no wounds or scars on them that the original may have but also they cannot mimic a vision holder's power.” Albedo explained and it seemed to erase the fear sucrose had on albedo but now was replaced with a sense of dread.
“Jean can vouch for me…” he said at the end, being completely open and explaining the situation fully to her.
A part of Sucrose felt unworthy… the more he explained, the more she listened and actually followed along the words she thought of the possibility that he truly wasn’t lying. But she also learned from him that its always better to be safe than sorry.
So for the next few hours Albedo showed her proof, his notes that correlated to the ongoing corruption, and it didn’t take long for sucrose to lower her head and apologize for acting so rash.
“Mister albedo… i… im sorry i-”
She stuttered with her words… she believed him, rather easily and to a fault because a part of her, a rational part, still wanted more answers before fully trusting him…
But this was Albedo… her senior, her friend… someone special to him. She gulped down and took a deep breath before finally easing in, leaning forward rather than away.
“I believe you Mister Albedo… although i’d still wish to continue and have more details, but i want to trust you-”
His words felt heavy, something far too large for her to even handle but… the way his shoulders slumped, his eyes flickering to the side even just slightly.
In the years they spent together she’d managed to recognize these small windows of his psyche, some small recurring habits that show his thoughts. It made her heart sink since she saw how he retreated into his seated position as the air went silent.
“Mister Albedo…?”
She said as if trying to reaffirm her question but still was left without answers… and thus without even thinking she reached out. Her touch was cold from the silent fear she held but combatted from the small warm smile she wore.
“Please… tell me what’s on your mind– I'd love to offer my aid in whatever it is.”
She tries to reach out… holding her position as she gently squeezed her hand, a lifeline for him to accept…
The silence was long but her stubbornness was stronger, and eventually Albedo faltered and finally spoke up.
“This… corruption is something that troubles me deeply, it's the legacy of my master Rhindottir and so far I have not found a solution to its ever growing corruption, at least not without severe consequences…”
Albedo let out a breath, it wasn’t like him to look so troubled.
Vulnerable
Lost…
Sucrose took everything in and looked straight into his eyes… deep inside she hesitated but she was in too deep to back down now… no she can’t let albedo face this alone, even if she knew she wasn’t even close to his level of expertise or that this problem was too large for somebody like her…
But she wasn’t one to back down.
not now.
“Please… let me help you”
Her voice held a sweetness that wasn’t there before, she felt satisfied with her decision even if it meant going into danger, even if it meant all the unknown possibilities of either of them falling into a bad situation.
right now she felt as if this decision was the right one…
More than that it was the only decision there was.
and even if he were to refuse he also knew how stubborn, hard headed and steadfast she was when it came to a decision and one that was important
just like this one.
and thus… she was met with a sigh and a responded squeeze by the hand… she felt his warmth, a quiet blush emerging from her cheeks as they shared this moment.
No words were needed because the look they gave each other said everything…
They were going to see this to the end.
and thus albedo’s task is now a shared one… whether he liked it or not.
And Sucrose made sure to keep it that way as months continued to roll down their calendars.
Rubbing hands together for warmth, cyan eyes gazing towards the darkened clouds above that gently exuded endless amounts of snowflakes to drop down upon dragonspine, albedo walked back into the camp now felt somehow more lived in.
he didn’t notice it at first but seeing now…
the notes more laid out, more alchemist and experimental equipment than before,
the two boxes filled with neatly folded clothes just below the drying rack near the fire place,
The campsite looked much livelier, with plants of all sorts surrounding the area… it was undoubtedly Sucrose coded by this point as he took a look around and felt the warmth of her presence.
And most of all the two makeshift beds made from bear hide and mattresses back from Mondstadt.
Albedo went further in and sat at his work station where endless notes, crossed out equations and crumpled solutions laid… he rubbed his temples but despite everything.
He couldn’t help but feel the warmth… even if a deeper part of him was still wishing he’d never let her join him in this endeavor… but an even deeper part of him knew that her aid was insurmountable.
she wasn’t just her junior anymore…
No… she was a partner—
Someone who he grew to care for
not that he didn’t before but during these months he found himself…
opening up
voluntarily being read
letting himself be cared for…
As he sat there his mind wandered, eyes drifting into the distance as he sank deep into the memories of this past month.
His vision blurred without him noticing, and then he saw himself—some time ago.
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He was leading her up the steps of the knights of favonius headquarters. letting her join the meetings he had with Jean that concerned Durin's core.
acknowledging—at last—that she was no longer his junior, but his partner. an equal. an irreplaceable part of his search for a solution.
Then he led her further up, both of them walking deeper into the building until he stopped before a door reserved for him alone.
when he opened it, they were met with his office. shelves lined with scrolls and books towered over them, the walls heavy with knowledge. High-quality chemical equipment gleamed faintly in the lamplight, and on the desk lay the quiet chaos of notes and sketches.
and there, in that room, they talked.
They formulated their plan.
He shared his findings, poured out his experiments, and looked to her for her thoughts.
the hours stretched on. parchment filled with ink, but so did the spaces between them—with laughter, questions, silences that felt less like walls and more like bridges.
until the subject of durin’s core faded away into the background, and they simply sat together, speaking of the past. opening up about each other more and more.
he told himself it was so their partnership would be smoother. That was all. But…
The weight in his chest told him otherwise.
he had never cared for others’ opinions of what he was. never cared if they whispered, or stared, or treated him like something less than human. Their judgments slid off him like snow against stone.
but not hers.
for reasons he could not name, sucrose’s gaze had become different—something he found himself clinging to without meaning to. Her respect, her quiet admiration, her trust.
It was the first time in his existence that he felt the smallest thread of fear: fear that, if she knew the truth, her eyes might no longer look at him the same way.
and that fear was precisely why the words trembled at the edge of his tongue.
he drew in a slow, steady breath.
“Sucrose, I have to tell you something…”
the words broke past the walls he had built so carefully.
“about myself… something only a few close individuals know.”
the walls he never let anyone breach—not for his sake, nor theirs.
“As you already know… I’m not Klee's biological family.”
but this night… for the first time in so long, he found someone who understood. someone who, impossibly, warmed the frost that always clung to him.
“my mother—or rather, my creator—is an individual called Rhinedottir.”
“She— she created Durin… and subsequently….”
there was no turning back. no silence left to hide behind.
“Me as well… but not in the way you’re thinking”
“i’m what they call a homunculus… a soulless living being.”
And as the words slipped into the air, he felt the regret claw into him instantly. The uncertainty of how she would take it, the weakness of wishing he had kept it hidden just a little longer. His eyes darted away—anywhere but her face—when he suddenly felt her hesitant hand close around his.
weak enough to let him pull away if he wished. strong enough to anchor him when he did not, he felt her lightly squeeze his hand, eyes focused on where they were connected.
“I feel it, a light pulse, warmth of a living being” Sucrose started as she massaged his hand looking to feel his pulse in a more stronger area. “Its just as warm as your kindness Mister Albedo”
Albedo’s eyes widened slightly as he looked at her, a smile creeping up her lips as she gazed up at him. “Do you remember the day I first asked to learn from you?” she let out an embarrassed chuckle as her eyes broke away, pupils hidden under her thick lashes.
“I was a nervous wreck, and I felt even worse when you first rejected me… but then you took me out to lunch… Do you remember?”
Albedo nodded, remembering the memory as it had suddenly risen to the surface of his thoughts.
“Alchemy was all I had left… I was stuck inside my room doing odd and often hazardous experiments without proper gear no less… I had no friends, my family worried for me and the road I was threading…”
“…Mister Albedo…” her voice trembled, soft and unsure, but she did not let go. “i… I don't think you’re soulless.”
“Because the moment you understood where I came from I felt your kindness and warmth when you accepted and even took me in to be your apprentice.”
When he looked back, she was smiling faintly. Her lips quivered with the effort of holding back tears..
“you know what i think?” she continued, voice catching on her own nervous breath. “i think… you have one of the most beautiful, vibrant souls i’ve ever seen. it’s just… quiet.
“hidden away from people who wouldn’t understand it.”
his eyes flickered, widening slightly at her words. The tight coil in his chest stuttered, unraveling with a strange ache he didn’t know how to name.
“But I felt it… everyday since I became your apprentice, I saw how deep your soul ran…”
“and…” she whispered, as though admitting a fragile secret of her own, “I feel… very lucky. to be someone who gets to see it.”
her cheeks colored as she tightened her hold, the shyest smile settling on her face—gentle, devastating in its honesty.
Albedo opened his eyes from the daze of memory, a sigh slipping from him as the present bled back into focus. The campfire’s light flickered, the air heavy with ash and pine. Those memories should’ve filled him with warmth… yet all he felt was a cold, seething dread. Slowly, he tugged his sleeve back, staring at the cracks running along his body—the silent reminder that his truth could never stay buried.
He was thankful that Sucrose went out alone to update Jean on how the experiments were going. Taking a few steps he stumbled, knocking a few notes from the table as he supported himself.
Rolling up his sleeve he saw the deep purple cracks forming as he quickly covered them back up, he had time to wrap up the corruption slowly growing from within him. He didn't want to show it despite his mind telling him to speak up.
That after all this time together she deserved to know and have a say on what he was about to do…
All of his logic and common senses screaming at him but… a selfishness had clung to him like a leash, draining his will as he knew.
the past few months were ones he felt truly alive and it was all because of her
before he had a nonchalant view to alchemy
to investigating
to experimenting
even to his drawings.
but spending more and more time with her slowly changed his views, every breakthrough was met with a celebration.
Mostly due to her insisting that every small victory should be appreciated.
every drawing he had was now seen in amazement and awe when he used to only see it as nothing more than a form of collecting notes or a pass time… and now those drawings of his are hung up all around the campsite that they shared.
without even knowing she placed life into his mundane habits and…
he knew deep down that he wanted this to last…
This perfect life he grew to love deeply.
even if just for a few more days
he’d do anything for more time.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he slowly took off his jacket and neatly folded it into a box filled with momentos, his notes about the arts of khemia, his drawing pad that was selfishly filled with portraits of Sucrose, and now his jacket.
And finally he placed a folded note where up top it read
“To Sucrose”
He then carried the box, his arms lidded with the cracks and probably underneath his navy blue shirt as well, he started to walk out and paused as he saw two figures. Tall in stature, their faces hiding away the emotions they were feeling.
“I’m guessing that's for Sucrose?” Kaeya asked, his tone mellowed out, the usual flair and smoothness of his voice faded. To his side stood Diluc, silent and observing.
Albedo nodded and placed the box down on one of the tables before looking at them
“I have a request to make before we proceed…”
“What is it?” Diluc asked, voice patient but still his eyes remained focused.
“Please make sure that Sucrose receives this box…”
With those words both brothers understood the weight that box carried. They didn’t need to see what it contained but it was a clear message…
A final goodbye
“You know it's not too late to say goodbye personally…” kaeya tried one last time knowing it was futile.
Albedo only shook his head slowly in reluctance… he was silent for a long moment and the brothers almost thought that he was going to reconsider and reach out to Sucrose but—
“If I did… I wouldn't be able to go through with this.”
He admitted as he put on a brave face and walked towards them, receiving no more words as they all headed towards Durin’s cave.
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Walking through the busy streets of the city of freedom, sucrose walked with a purpose, holding up folders of files as her heart beat it nervousness. She hadn’t yet reported to the acting grandmaster before.
At least not alone.
And what more is that she felt this growing dread from inside the pit of her stomach as she walked, choosing to instead brush it off and do the report quickly so that she can return to dragonspine.
Thus she started to work, using that nervousness to fuel her legs and propel her up towards the knights of Favonious HQ, ignoring the stares despite feeling more nervous around people now more than ever… the solitude with albedo being a large contributing factor.
Two anti-social people who understood each other ending up spending all day with each other was something that wasn’t in her bucket list but she would be forever thankful for that fact.
Eventually the spring in her step started to freeze up as she walked up the steps and finally caught a glimpse of the headquarters… she was panting a bit as the journey from dragonspine wasn’t short. It was arduous but she wanted to see for herself how much she’d grown in these past few months
To test out what she’d learned from albedo, be it from survival, traversing dragonspine, or even combat. Although he never gave her any advice on what to do or what to feel when people are staring at you.
And in that moment it hit her… she was being looked at, once she noticed the knights that were watching her quickly averted their gazes, she didn’t stop, matter of fact she started to move faster, as she didn’t want the stares.
It made her skin crawl, feeling the eyes behind her shoulder as she rushed into the building panting a bit.
But now stood another challenge… as she stared at the door to jean’s office.
Biting her lip she opens up the folders she has and tries to read her notes but fumbles as the papers scatter from her hand, feeling more flustered she kneels down to pick them up but then notices someone kneeling before her, helping her gather the research papers and notes she had.
“A-Acting grandmaster jean- and noelle i- i can do this myself i don’t want to keep you from your duties-” Noelle shook her head as most of the notes had already been picked up. “Its not problem Miss Sucrose, I am a maid afterall its my job to help those in need”
Jean simply smiled as she motioned the two of them to enter her office, and once there Noelle was excused and left the room.
“I’m sorry for causing a scene Acting Grand-”
“Sucrose you can just call me Jean… and don’t worry you didn’t cause a scene- please have a cup of tea it will help you relax.”
Sucrose watched as Jean carefully slid over a cup of tea, she picked it up and smelled it… something was off about it but her nervousness was at the forefront of her mind as she didn’t think twice before taking a long sip before setting it down.
“T-thank you j-jean?” She tested the name on her tongue, so foreign but Jean's welcoming smile eased the tension in her shoulders, relaxing a bit as she settled into her chair as Jean then let her take her time to calm down and relax.
Sucrose fidgeted with the rim of her cup, trying to gather the courage to speak.
Jean’s presence was calm as ever, her posture perfect, her gaze steady.
“Your work with Albedo… it’s been progressing, yes?” Jean asked, her voice gentle, but carrying the weight of expectation.
“Y-Yes… a-almost every day we refine our data. The resonance patterns within Durin’s core are… are still unstable, but we’ve been making steady progress.”
Her voice wavered, though not from lack of confidence in the research.
It was the nerves—always the nerves.
Jean nodded with a soft hum, setting her own teacup down with measured grace.
“I see. That is reassuring. Albedo’s findings are invaluable, but… your input, Sucrose, is equally important. Mondstadt is grateful for your diligence.”
Her heart fluttered faintly at the words of praise, but before she could respond, the warmth in her stomach spread strangely.
A heaviness pressed against her temples.
Her hands trembled as she tried to grip her quill, only for it to slip between her fingers.
“J-Jean…”
Her voice was faint, almost drowned by the sudden ringing in her ears.
Something was wrong.
The tea-
Her gaze darted back to the porcelain cup, the faint shimmer clinging to the surface she hadn’t noticed before.
No…
No, this wasn’t normal.
Her vision blurred, but through sheer instinct, she forced herself to push against the creeping fog in her mind.
Just as the weight of exhaustion threatened to drag her under, her eyes caught it—
a glow, faint yet undeniable, searing through the distant frost of Dragonspine.
Albedo-
The light of his alchemy flaring in the blizzard like a beacon.
Her chest tightened.
She knew him well enough—something was wrong.
She tried to rise, her legs trembling beneath her, but Jean’s steady voice froze her in place.
“Please, Sucrose… rest. You’ve done enough.”
It wasn’t cold, and it wasn't cruel.
But there was something final in it.
Her heart raced, a sick realization curling in her stomach.
Jean knew.
Jean was part of this.
The tea. The calm smile. The way she’d let her guard down so easily.
And the glow from Dragonspine—Albedo, working alone, perhaps for the last time.
Her mind screamed as the truth clawed its way in.
Albedo wasn’t just experimenting with Durin’s core.
He was going to merge with it.
And it wasn’t to save him.
It was to end him.
For Mondstadt.
For everyone’s safety.
He was meant to die.
Her breath hitched as the last of her strength slipped away, the world darkening.
The only thought echoing in her fading consciousness was his name—
Albedo…
She felt herself slip, her head bob up and down as she fought to keep her eyes open… but one side eye towards the window… towards the bright lights coming from the mountain she summoned the last bits of her strength and her vision glowed.
Then Sucrose raised her arm and bit down on her wrist hard. A stifled groan of pain exited from her mouth as blood trickled down from how hard she was biting.
Jean’s eyes suddenly widened as she stood…
But it was too late…
Sucrose had lowered her guard but Jean? She didn’t even put it up in the first place…
Never did she expect that Sucrose would have this determination in her as she felt the rush of anemo hit her so hard that it threw her back towards the wall creating a jean shaped crevice.
Luckily she managed to brace herself eventually as she watched sucrose wobble and blast the window and jump out.
Mere moments later Amber and Lisa entered the office.
“Jean what happened-”
But as they asked they realized… the plan had not worked… the plan to keep sucrose here… away from albedo as he pursues the ultimate sacrifice.
A few other knights entered the room and were ready to pursue but Jean spoke up as she rose from her prone position.
“Don’t harm her… bring her back but try not to harm her…”
“I promised albedo that much”
.--. .-.. . .- ... . / -.. --- -. .----. - / -... . / .-.. .- - . / .--. .-.. . .- ... . / -.. --- -. .----. - / -... . / .-.. .- - .
Her legs felt like jelly… eyes in a daze as her jaw weakly clamped down on the cap of a beaker trying to loosen it up with no avail. Eventually she smashed the top of it not caring about the shards that might fall into the formula within.
She downs it in one go, something to keep her awake but she knew it wouldn’t last as she flew through the air using her glider and anemo to propel her forwards. She aimed for a densely packed forest, she felt herself still slipping under the effects of the potion jean had given her as she procured lampgrass, windwheel asters and dandelion seeds.
Eventually she closed her eyes… her voice shaking as her legs struggled to keep her upright… She had no time to set up a cauldron or even start a fire to merge the ingredients together to make an antidote.
She gulped down as one memory surfaces from her mind…
- . .- -.-. .... / -- . / -.-- --- ..- .-. / .-- .- -.-- ... / -- .. ... - . .-. / .- .-.. -... . -.. ---
The night sky filled with gleaming stars, illuminating the surroundings down below.
Up on the side of the snowy mountain side of dragonspine, inside a decently large crevice where two alchemists worked on their individual research within their camp.
A quiet yet comfortable silence filled the air, where only the crackling wood from the fireplace could be heard.
Sucrose took small glances towards albedo as he performed something complex… something she herself saw him do before as a flower slowly formed itself from within the palm of his hand…
It intrigued her to no end as she studied him silently with side stares… but not today.
Mustering up the courage, Sucrose filled the comfortable silence.
*Mister Albedo... May I ask a question?*
Albedo slowly closes his fist as the flower he had just created was crushed to dust… turning towards Sucrose who looked to the ground, contemplating if she had the right to ask Albedo any questions.
”what do you wish to ask?”
Sucrose shuffles but raises her head to look into Albedo’s eyes.
“I... if it isn’t too much to ask I wish to know more about the art of khemia”
Albedo was slightly taken aback by the question, but still a small smile emerged from his lips as he could see the determination and curiosity of his assistant.
Raising his hand towards Sucrose, Albedo started to display the arts.
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As the memories surged through her, Sucrose crushed the herbs in her hands, it throbbed in pain as the visible bite mark still bled out but she braced herself as she shakily spoke the words
“soil”
“the origin of alchemy, the basis of all life”
Her voice was hazy, eyes growing heavy as she slumped to the ground, her hand still balled in a fist as the same blue glow flickered from her hand.
“Chalk”
“the substance from which primal life is molded”
She spoke, a willpower that was fading in her as she gathered the last strands of strength she had, she gritted her teeth eventually resorting to biting her forearm to try and keep herself conscious.
“Focus on the pain…”
“Focus on the task at hand…”
“Every cell, recreate it.”
“Every atom, compelled to existence."
The light grew brighter and brighter… she begged… wished… pleaded for everything to work as she felt the heat slowly fade from her hand as she opened it…
Finding a small cube like substance as she swallowed it without hesitation.
Her eyes closed as she felt herself fade…
And for a moment everything was silent
The rustling of leaves filled the air
The flow of the winds passing through as if to brush her hair aside…
But a moment later she gasped awake, feeling her energy come back to her as she tried to stand, stumbling at first but eventually regaining her footing as she ran towards Dragonspine…
.. / .-- .- -. - / - --- / ... . . / -.-- --- ..- / .. / .-- .- -. - / - --- / - --- ..- -.-. .... / -.-- --- ..- / .. / .-- .- -. - / - --- / .-.. . - / -.-- --- ..- / -.- -. --- .-- / -- -.-- / ..-. . . .-.. .. -. --. ... / -... . ..-. --- .-. . / .. / --. ---
The wind howled against Dragonspine, a frozen wail that rattled through the jagged peaks and hollow bones of dead dragons whose core still pulsed in looming destruction. Albedo stood staring at the beating core, eyes faded in color as the corruption from this very core had crawled its angry cracks along his body. He reached out, closing his eyes as he prepared himself for what he was about to do.
He raised his other hand, and with the first words of Khemia, the mountain itself began to answer.
“I hereby exercise the prayer of formation…”
Golden light seared across the snow, tracing through ice and stone, spreading intricate sigils that spiraled outward from his feet.The lines spread like veins, threading into the corpse of Durin, igniting the bones of the fallen dragon until they blazed against the endless golden glow of Albedo’s ritual.
The formations spread throughout the land as if it was a beacon starting to grow alight, intending on collecting all traces of the corruption Durin’s core had managed to spread through.
From summit to buried heart, Dragonspine was consumed by the living formula.
Albedo’s arts of khemia.
“Ubiquitous earth, flowing water…”
The mountain groaned, stirred from its silence. The silent frozen lakes started to crack.
“Refining fire, fortifying wind…”
All torches and campfires lit ablaze despite the blizzards that now quickly formed.
“Traverse the eighteenth, worldly, the twentieth passage…”
The whole of Dragonspine shuddered.
The golden lines stretched further, slithering down the slopes, cutting across the abandoned ruins and cliffs until the entire mountain was bound in a cage of golden light. Durin’s corpse, half-buried and broken, glowed from within, as though its spirit was being dragged screaming from the Abyss.
From Mondstadt’s walls, the sight was undeniable: an entire mountain reshaped into one colossal alchemical circle. Jean paused as they marched towards the mountain, a group of knights behind her and by her side stood amber and Lisa who looked equally enthralled by the sight. Breaking out of the stupor first, Jean quickened her pace. “Lets go, we cannot let sucrose reach albedo”
Albedo coughed out blood, falling to his knees as he continued…
“Emergent soul, enter the mortal realm…”
Albedo’s chest screamed, corruption ripping through him, his body fracturing as he forced Durin’s essence into himself. The dragon’s glow surged skyward, then funneled into him, carving searing lines across his form.
He staggered, choking on the weight of it.
And for one brief moment—he closed his eyes.
Memories slipped through the agony.
The soft sound of scattered papers, and her small hands scrambling to gather them.
Her voice, trembling, but always reaching out to him.
Her smile, quiet, timid but warm, as if she alone could see past the walls he built.
Sucrose.
A bitter laugh almost escaped him, but only a whisper broke through, torn from a heart he had long denied he possessed.
“…to my dearest, I’m sorry…”
“Please don’t mourn me… for I have lived my life to the fullest just because of you.”
“You’ve made this empty shell… the happiest man on Teyvat…”
His eyes snapped open, resolving hardening as the last of the incantation rose in his throat.
“Elevate festering flesh into sacred blood and bone”
His body split with golden fractures, blood and marrow rewritten as Durin’s essence chained itself to his being.
Pain threatened to break him, but his voice roared through the storm.
“O-oh… s-sages-...”
The mountain bowed beneath the words, the runes burning brighter and brighter as even Kaeya and Diluc shielded their eyes from the sheer brightness of it all.
“W-witness… my… Witness my grand endeavor—!”
The final thunder of his voice shook the land.
Dragonspine blazed like a beacon of impossible alchemy… and far above where celestia should be… maybe the gaze of the beyond even caught a glimpse of the shine that he produced.
At its center stood Albedo—no longer wholly himself, but a vessel of both creation and corruption.
And in the silence after the storm, his whispered plea lingered, unheard by all but the snow.
“D-Diluc… Kaeya… n-now…” he pleaded as the fragments of his psyche held on for dear life.”
Both brothers spared no time as they both took their stance, cryo and pyro mixing together to finally erase the fallen dragon’s existence.
However the blast of anemo then creamed down onto them as a bloodied sucrose landed between the brothers and a corrupted albedo.
Diluc planted his claymore towards the ground as he reached for kaeya’s hand to keep him from being blown away, their eyes surprised but also not as they landed on sucrose who’s eyes pleaded for everything to stop.
“Sucrose.. Walk away from-”
“No! I wont” she quickly retorted as her catalyst then flipped through endless pages beside her, vision glowing as all reason fell out the drain when she ran all the way here.
Diluc let out a soft sigh, eyes staring past sucrose and onto albedo who laid on the ground as the other being within him slowly took over. He stared at sucrose, a look of empathy showing as he stood and removed his blade from the earth as embers followed from its blade…
Kaeya stepped forward in tandem, his sword gleaming with frost. “This isn’t your fight, Sucrose. Don’t make us—” But the wind lashed out before he could finish, a violent burst slamming into them both and forcing the brothers to shield themselves. Sucrose’s hands shook, but her power was unrelenting.
She would not let them touch him.
They moved. Kaeya darted forward, nimble as the wind, his blade seeking a gap. Sucrose swept her catalyst, condensing a gale into a concentrated blast that knocked him off balance, sending him skidding across the icy slope. He twisted back onto his feet, smirking faintly despite the sting.
But it quickly faded, this battle was not one to enjoy… his face dropped as he tried to regain his bearings.
Then came Diluc, his claymore crashing down with burning weight.
She summoned a swirling barrier of air, the force of his strike reverberating through her bones, nearly shattering her stance. Her vision pulsed, threads of wind spiraling upward as she redirected the impact, sending a column of compressed air bursting skyward.
And then the flames recoiled, scattering into embers as he staggered back… a single step. For a heartbeat, she had turned the great Diluc back the dark knight hero pushed back…
But only for a moment. Kaeya returned with precision, his rapier cutting through the gales. Sucrose kicked off the ground, riding a sudden updraft to vault over his strike, landing higher on the slope. The mountain itself became her ally as she conjured gusts to scatter snow, obscure vision, and whip the terrain into a frenzy. She had lived here, studied every current and draft. They had trained for years. She knew this mountain like her own heartbeat.
For the first time in a long while, both brothers exchanged a glance—surprised, if only slightly.
This timid alchemist had become a tempest before their eyes. But still… she was faltering. Her breaths grew shorter, her self inflicted wounds would eventually take her, her control slipping as exhaustion pressed down harder than the storm.
They had to finish this because they both knew that look she gave…
The look of someone who is willing to die for someone they love.
The look of someone pushed into a corner whilst also protecting someone.
The look of someone who cannot be reasoned with..
And an opponent like that is far more terrifying than any hilichurl, any fatui agent or abyss mage they’ve fought…
Diluc’s claymore met her winds again, this time cleaving straight through the weakened current. Kaeya dashed in low, and with the combined force of pyro and cryo pressing against her gales, the air cracked apart. Sucrose was forced back, her body crashing into the snow.
She pushed herself up, her winds swirling desperately around her, the adrenaline was fading, her stamina already at the brink…
She staggered to one knee, air trembling at her fingertips, her vision flaring with one last surge. Even beaten, even cornered, she refused to look away. Her eyes locked on Albedo still writhing, still slipping further away.
Her lips parted, bloodied breath escaping as she whispered his name into the storm.
“...Enhanced Anemo Module 75.” she whispered just under her breath as her vision flickered, a cyan glow emanating lightly as she pulled out what looked like a beaker.
She then summoned a gust of wind that propelled the beaker towards the brothers as she screamed.
“Anemo Hypostasis Emulation!”
Suddenly.. Both brother’s eyes widened as an anemo hypostasis emerged right infront of them, catching them off guard as they were sucked in a torrent of winds.
As if ragdolls they were slammed down before being risen into the air and once again slammed towards the ground, leaving them incapacitated for the time being as Sucrose turned to Albedo, rushing towards him to bring him away from this area.
And once she finally reached his prone and unmoving form a blazing arrow pierced her shoulder and followed by a purple bolt of lightning striking her from the skies. The reaction of both elements exploded as she was thrown back towards a nearby frozen tree.
Once her back made contact, the air from her lungs escaped, the bleeding from her bitemarks and now the hole on her shoulder made the snow under her turn a crimson red.
Her vision blurred towards albedo’s unmoving form as jean… slowly walked up
Everything went white
She couldn’t hear herself scream
Didn’t care about amber nor lisa who took away her catalyst and vision
Tried to fight her way through as she watched Jean raise her sword…
…
…
No…
…
…
Please no-
…
…
…
“I love him!”
…
And the sounds of the world came back as the sickening volume of a sword piercing scales, cutting flesh and breaking bones ringed through the battlefield…
Albedo didn’t cry…
Didn’t make a sound…
But the mourns of someone who had just watched her beloved get executed right in front of her crashed throughout the area…
The guttural pain of her cries as despite the knights holding her down she still kept struggling..
“NOO!”
She breathed heavily, taking in snow and dirt as she did so.
“AAAAAAAAGHHG– LET GO OF ME!”
She couldn’t hear the words of those knights trying to calm her down… trying to reason but then jean’s voiced a command.
“Let her go…”
She said… voice filled with defeat despite the looming threat of Durin now gone… a whisper of a command as the knights who pinned her down quickly got off her and she scurried towards Albedo.
A trail of blood followed her, but nobody stopped her.
Most closed their eyes to hide the sight of sucrose struggling to find her way back to the man that showed her the many amazing things in life… the man that pulled her deeper into what alchemy can truly do…
Her cries and pleads reached everyone…
“B-bedo-”
Her breath shook, as she finally reached him… she didn’t care how broken her body was…
“Y-you told me we’d never do that…”
“Y-you promised…”
She argued as she lifted him into her arms embracing his limp body…
“P-please… don’t do this…”
She begged… but her words wouldn’t reach him…
……..
“I haven’t yet told you how I felt… so please…”
Her eyes dropped endless tears as she sobbed openly… she caressed his cheek, looking into the man she loved.
Even when scales filled his hands and feet
Even when she’d finally seen the cracks in his body
This was albedo… not Durin
Never Durin.
“G-gods.. please…”
…..
“Lord barbattos..”
…………
“Anyone… “
“Fuck….”
“Bedo open your eyes please…”
I…. I love you….
Nobody said a word.
Nobody noticed the breath they held
Some slowly left unable to bear seeing the sight
Jean stood still… feeling the immense failure despite the victory…
Amber’s eyes focused on the scorched and bleeding hole on sucrose’s shoulder while Lisa tried to guide Amber away before her guilt for her part in all this could drown her further.
Giving Jean Sucrose’s vision before she left.
Kaeya didn’t speak… just walked away without a word leaving only Jean and Diluc to bear witness…
They stayed…
Not to mock
Not to comfort as they knew it would never reach her…
Not now
The winds howled as if grieving.
Sucrose shook as she held Albedo’s lifeless body, winds propelling around them both in a deep seethed rage that now fueled her broken body…
And with one last burst Sucrose moved—her body sluggish, on the verge of collapse, yet driven by desperation.
She lunged forward, tackling Jean to the ground.
The two crashed into the snow as Sucrose’s trembling hands tore her own vision from Jean’s hand before she could react, the glow flaring violently in her grasp.
She spun on instinct, unleashing a violent gale toward Diluc.
The force howled through the mountain pass, forcing him to brace himself, boots carving into the ice as his cloak whipped around him.
Then came the scream. Raw, guttural, torn from the very depths of her chest.
Her hair whipped wildly as she sat atop Jean, eyes wide with frenzy and grief, and at point-blank range she summoned everything left within her.
Winds gathered, compressed into a singular, screaming torrent aimed directly at Jean’s head.
She didn’t have time to react as the winds blew her head back
The ground cracked beneath the force, snow and ice bursting outward as Jean’s head was driven harshly into the earth. Pushing it down with the unleashed force of an angered lover. The impact carved a shallow crater in the shape of her head, the pressure snapping through her neck with a sickening pop as it bent at an unnatural angle.
For a heartbeat, she didn’t move… her breath caught, vision blurred, a pain shot down her whole spine, blood trickled down her eyes, nose, and ears as they also quickly trailed back instantly as they exited…
DIE DIE DIE!! DIIIIIEEEEEEEEE…. DDDDDIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
And then a crimson shadow loomed. With no hesitation, Diluc brought his claymore down in a wide arc—the flat of the blade colliding against the side of Sucrose’s skull with crushing force.
CRACK
THUD
SKIIIDD
SKIIIIIIIIDDDDDD
THOOM
And finally…
Crash……
The sound cracked through the air, her scream cut short as the blow lifted her clean off Jean and sent her tumbling across the snow.
She hit the ground hard, rolling once, twice, before coming to a halt. Her vision flew from her limp hand, its glow fading as the winds around her died.
Silence fell, save for the storm above. Diluc stood with his claymore buried in the snow, chest heaving, while laying there limp as Diluc quickly checked for a pulse and felt it.
He breathed a sigh of relief before other knights started to pool back into the area while he ran towards Sucrose who finally laid still, unconscious, her breath shallow, her body finally giving in.
.. ..-. / -.-- --- ..- .----. .-. . / -. --- - / .... . .-. . / .- -. -.-- -- --- .-. . / - .... . -. / .-- .... .- - / .-. . .- ... --- -. / -.. --- / .. / .... .- ...- . / .-.. . ..-. - ..--..
Arms bound
Body numb
Her body riddled in bandages as she sat in the middle of the court room
Her eyes empty focused on nothing
Her glasses cracked as she only saw blurs.
She gazed down not bothering to muster the strength to look up.
Ears relaxed as they pressed above her hair, muffling the slams of a wooden mallet on a board.
The anger that was geared towards her.
“YOU- DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’VE DONE?!”
Sucrose doesn’t look up despite the words reaching her ears.
MY SISTER IS- …
Sh-shes-
The voice broke down, the ruffling of footsteps gathering around the sobbing figure.
“she hasn’t woken up… and even then…”
Her voice broke, tears falling from her eyes.
“You paralyzed her from the neck down!”
Finally sucrose looked up, startling Barbara who to no surprise was the one that filled the silence of the courthouse, drowning out the wooden mallet that called for order.
Their eyes met…
And one of them flinched… and it wasn’t Sucrose…
It was Barbara who took a step back, her tear filled eyes averting from Sucrose’s hollow gaze. It was as if she was a walking corpse who had nothing left to lose…
Sucrose could almost make out those that surrounded her… Amber standing next to Eula, she could only guess what was going on inside their minds as they looked upon her with mixed emotions.
Kaeya standing on one side and Diluc on the opposite, neither speaking…
And Lisa who sat at the helm next to Dahliya, their gazes fixed on Sucrose, their words going from one ear to the other as they spoke of her crimes… but it all left a sour taste in their mouths as they didn’t truly know who to blame for how things went down.
The voices droned on, muffled by the ringing in her ears. Her bandaged hands twitched against the bindings as the words finally reached her clearly.
“If you… plead guilty to your crimes—if you show remorse—your sentence may yet be lightened.”
Lisa’s voice, steady but strained. Even she couldn’t mask the bitterness behind her tone.
The courtroom was silent, waiting for an answer.
Slowly, Sucrose’s lips parted. Her voice was hollow, frigid, stripped of the warmth it once carried.
“Remorse…?”
She lifted her head just enough for her broken glasses to catch the light, her blurred eyes narrowing as they locked on nothing in particular.
“The only remorse I have… is that I wasn’t able to finish what I started.”
Murmurs erupted, the chamber suddenly restless. Amber’s jaw clenched, Eula turned her face away, Kaeya’s hand drifted toward his blade without thinking.
But Sucrose continued, unflinching, the tone in her voice sharp and cold as ice.
“Jean… killed him.” The words dripped venom, though her tone was deadened. “She killed Albedo. I don’t care what any of you all think but she deserved what came to her.”
Her voice lowered, rough and jagged as if it was chalk that scraped over a blackboard.
On the other side, seated with his arms closed, Diluc didn’t move a muscle, he had his arms crossed, eyes closed… there was a burning rage inside him, for Sucrose, for himself, for how everything went down.
But then Sucrose’s voice echoed once again…
Actually…
no…
It's better this way,
she gets to be a prisoner
inside her own body”
Barbara stumbled back, clutching her chest as if the words themselves were knives
Then the room erupted. Shouts filled the air, fists slammed against tables, the mallet struck furiously for order but was drowned out by the chaos.
“NOW BOTH OF US CAN PAY FOR OUR CRIMES!!!”
Sucrose’s voice boomed as she rose from her seat, almost immediately knights pinned her down hard, a large thud followed by groans of pain filled the chaos, Sucrose’s dressings, the ones that covered her wounds slowly grew crimson as her injuries opened once again.
The court room now in utter disarray as parties of differing opinions scrambled to have their voices heard until…
“Enough!” Dahlia’s voice cut through, sharp as a blade. “Take her below!”
Chains rattled as knights picked up the prisoner. Sucrose didn’t resist. She didn’t even blink as they seized her arms, dragging her from the chamber. Her body moved as if already lifeless, each step echoing like the toll of a funeral bell.
The doors to the dungeons slammed behind her, silencing the storm above.
For the first time since the trial began, true quiet settled. And in that silence, Sucrose sat in the dark… her hollow eyes staring into the void as if she had long since accepted her death.
Time passed in silence.
Days… no- perhaps weeks passed, she no longer kept count.
The cell was cold, damp stone pressing into her back as she sat slumped against the wall. The bandages itched. Her body ached. Yet she felt nothing…
A breathing corpse
A lifeless shell
And she didn’t care if the rest of her life were to be this way because she had already lost everything…
Days, perhaps weeks—she no longer kept count. The cell was cold, damp stone pressing into her back as she sat slumped against the wall. The bandages itched. Her body ached. Yet she felt nothing.
Then in the silence and solitude of the dungeon something echoed.
The sound of iron doors scraping open stirred her from the haze. She didn’t look up, not at first—only when the steady rhythm of footsteps echoed closer, accompanied by the softer sound of wheels grinding against stone.
Diluc entered, his face as unreadable as ever. He pushed a wooden wheelchair. And in it—Jean.
Sucrose’s blurred gaze finally lifted. Their eyes met.
No words were spoken. None were needed. Both of them bore their own chains—Sucrose bound by steel, Jean bound by the brokenness of her own body. Two prisoners in different cages.
Diluc stopped the chair just before the bars. Diluc walked over and took the box from Jean’s lap and set it inside Sucrose’s cell, sliding it closer, he didn’t speak… he had respected Albedo enough to not question the request he had made…
The interaction was brief as the clinking of keys and the screeching of metals followed, a bang once the doors were closed once more before Diluc wheeled Jean away… finally leaving Sucrose alone with the box that Albedo had left for her.
Her fingers shook as she dragged it closer, the chains clinking with each movement. She traced the faint, careful handwriting etched into the lid.
Her throat tightened. She lifted the lid, and the scent of old parchment and graphite spilled out, familiar enough to hollow her chest. Inside lay neatly folded pages of notes—his handwriting unmistakable—alongside the leather-bound sketchbook she knew too well. Her trembling hands opened it to find portrait after portrait… all of her.
Her vision blurred further, though not from her broken glasses this time. She pressed the sketchbook to her chest, her body curling forward as the weight of it nearly crushed her.
Then her gaze fell to the jacket. His jacket. Folded with a care that was unmistakably his. She reached out, fingers brushing over the fabric, and for a moment she could almost feel his warmth lingering there.
Finally, her shaking hand touched the folded letter resting above it all.
“To Sucrose.”
Her breath hitched, her lips parting, but no words came. She clutched it close, unable to open it just yet. Her body trembled with something she couldn’t name—grief, rage, love, or perhaps all three wound together so tightly she thought she might break.
The cell was silent. Only the sound of her shallow breaths filled it as she sat there in the dark, surrounded by the last pieces of him.
For the first time since the trial, tears finally fell.
Her fingers shook as she hesitated on opening said letter but then a golden light emerged… she dropped the letter as scurried back in a hint of surprise, fear and curiosity, as the moments passed she recognized the patterns of said light.
Her eyes suddenly went wide as the words came out in instinct
“Khemia…”
She whispered, voice trembling in awe as a hint of life flashed in her eyes before it disappeared once more.
“Thats right…
A voice then reverberated in her head, she froze, looking around for the source of the sound as it seemed to be nowhere and everywhere at the same time… it echoed inside her head as Sucrose felt herself stiffen and grow more wary.
“Calm yourself child… I'm not here to hurt you, besides… Albedo seems to hold you with high regard and I'd be a fool to simply ignore such a specimen as yourself…
Her pulse hammered. Her breath caught in her throat. The weight of the words pressed down, ancient and knowing, like a hand closing around her heart.
“W-wait you’re”-
The golden haze thickened, forming the faint silhouette of a woman. Her voice slipped into the cell, calm and measured, almost casual.
“You look half-dead already. This cage suits you poorly.”
Sucrose forced her dry throat to work. “…What do you want from me?”
The woman’s head tilted ever so slightly. “Want? Nothing. I extend a hand. You may take it, or remain here. It’s all the same to me.” A brief pause, then a sigh as though the question were beneath her. “Albedo had the bright idea to share the arts to you, and that means more that you know at the moment.”
“So I've come to take you away”
Sucrose’s chest tightened, eyes widening in a wary but hopeful way.. “…And what’s in it for me?” she asked, still untrusting from the stories she had heard from Albedo. She was his mother yes but… the title of mother never suited a being such as Rhinedottir.
The silhouette leaned forward, the golden light pulsing faintly.
“For you? Don’t you already know?” she asked, a bit deprecating on her part as she gazed towards Sucrose’s pitiful state.
“Here I thought Albedo had eyes for talent… tsk tsk…” “If you truly don’t know then here's a hint…”
Rhinedottir then waved her hand and a golden diamond formed in mid air… a diamond she’d seen too many times…
“Albedo-”
Sucrose’s breath trembled, her eyes wide, the faintest spark breaking through the numbness.
Rhinedottir’s tone softened, though still steady, detached.
“So… choose. I won’t wait forever. Come with me, or stay here to decay. Either way, the world keeps moving.”
“c-can you really bring him back?”
she stumbled forward crashing onto the pavement before shuffling up.
“I can do a lot of things child…”
Sucrose froze as she dragged her broken body towards the light letting herself be engulfed by it until it left nothing… leaving only an empty cell but the shackles that bounded her…
The end.
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