Chapter Text
Golden light shone through the window, the first glimmers of dawn breaking into the quiet room. Outside birds began to sing and chirp, the clamor of people starting their mornings beginning to rise. But in one small apartment room, all was still. Light glinted off two crystalline orbs sitting on a wood dresser top. One was in a Snezhanyan casting, the purple glow dim, and the other was framed with a Mondstadt design, the warm pyro energy within still faintly sparking every now and then. Beside them, two masks sat, one in the shape of a bird, the other a grinning red. A thick layer of dust covered them, the objects it untouched in years, hidden behind the medic kit still open from when it had last been used.
As the light of the sun grew brighter, Ajax shifted in the bed, rolling over. Rousing from his dreamless sleep, the morning light washed over him, the silence of the quiet room greeting him. His hand stretched out, sliding across the soft fabric... only to find empty bedsheets.
With a tired sigh, he sat up, confirming that he was the only one in the room. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he looked over, trying to remember where he had put his shoes. Looking down at himself, he realized clothes would need to come first.
Then he could hunt down his missing partner.
As he started to get up, he felt the heavy thump of their front door shutting through the floor. He sighed, shifting back into the blankets of the bed as waiting, imagining the sound of the footsteps slowly shuffling around.
The door creaked open as man stepped in. His blood red hair was tied up, the hood he was wearing pulled back to reveal the bright color. Dark shadows sagged under his eyes, the look in his red eyes tired. His gaze avoided Ajax’s, plopping down at the end of the bed with a heavy sink of his shoulders.
“Diluc... What did we talk about going out alone?” Ajax muttered, sliding up next to him.
He grunted back, signing back for him, ‘I just went on a patrol around the city. Nothing happened. If there was danger, I would have come back.’
‘You would?’ Ajax raised an eyebrow with skepticism. ‘You’ve never been able to keep away from it. I know if someone in front of you was in danger, you’re going to step in. I couldn’t stop you if I tried.’ He paused and added, ‘Just bring me with you next time. We work better as a team.’
Diluc gave him a sheepish look. ‘Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you. I couldn’t sleep.’
Ajax didn’t need to ask. After his encounter with the Abyss, Ajax had developed the fortunate constitution of being unable to dream, but the Delusion spirit within Diluc gave him no such peace. Sleep had become like a chore for the man, tormented by its whispers every time he shut his eyes.
He leaned over, wrapping his arm around the man and pushing his nose into his neck. His lips brushed against the skin he knew so well, planting a small kiss against it.
“Rest,” he whispered, pulling the man down with him, “let me hear your voice again.”
Diluc’s body relaxed into his, kicking off his shoes as he fell onto the bed with him. “Mhmm, I can focus easier around you. The Delusion spirit's been louder than usual lately...”
His voice echoed against Ajax’s chest, a soothing vibration he could recognize anywhere. Voices were usually nothing more than muffled sounds to his ears but in the quiet of the room, he didn’t need to read the man’s lip to match the sounds to the words he was saying.
It had been about a year after leaving Snezhnaya when Ajax had begun to realize he was losing his hearing. Diluc had noticed he wouldn’t react when he whistled and after testing it, they realized most of his higher hearing range was almost gone in his right ear. It had begun slow enough for sometime after that, until one day Diluc mentioned the sounds of the birds singing. He could hear nothing at all.
His hearing had declined quickly after that. It was the same as what had happened to his mother. He knew that one day his hearing would probably completely disappear, just like hers had. But until then, he treasured the sounds he still had.
He felt Diluc’s voice more than hearing it, the vibrations of his deeper voice rumbling against his body. Reaching up, Ajax threaded a hand through the man’s hair, pulling out the hair tie that kept it up. As the waves of red rolled down, Diluc pressed his mouth against Ajax’s collarbone, kissing it for a moment before nuzzling his neck. His skin tingled where the warmth of Diluc’s mouth touched the cryo mark still emblazoned in his flesh. In all of the long years since he’d left Snezhnaya, never had the Tsaritsa’s power ever tried to take hold of him again. He was not her harbinger anymore.
Ajax ran his fingers through the locks of hair, gently twirling them in his hands. Something wet touched his neck and it took him a moment to realize it was not his partner’s tongue but drool. In the few minutes they’d laid there Diluc’s breath had already slowed, turning light as his eyes closed. It felt like a shame to move him; the man barely got any sleep as it was. And he looked so peaceful.
So he laid there for a little longer, letting Diluc's body weigh him down as the morning light began to warm. “Diluc...” he asked gently after a moment, “are you asleep?”
The man’s breathing stopped before he gave a half hearted grunt, “No.”
“Right...” Ajax wiggled, trying to shift out from underneath him. “Why don’t you stay here and get some sleep?”
A hand caught him before he could escape. “Where are you going?” Diluc grumbled.
“Today’s the first day of the Adventure’s Guild wilderness camp, remember?” Ajax said, finally pulling free. “There's going to be a lot of people this year. Bennett’s been putting a lot of work into making it good. He’s been so nervous since it’s his first time running it, but I know he’s going to be great. If anyone knows how to handle an unexpected situation, it's him.”
“Bennett?” Diluc squinted at him for a moment, “Isn’t he just a kid?”
“He’s twenty two.”
“That can’t be right...” he muttered, rolling over on the bed, “I need some sleep.”
Ajax couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him as he got dressed. He would be celebrating his thirtieth birthday this year and Diluc wasn’t that far behind him. But sometimes the silver lines that disrupted the red of the man’s hair made him worry, or the sound of his joints creaking and popping every time he stretched made him wince. Using a Delusion for an extended amount of time could accelerate one’s aging. Even if Diluc had some resistance as a vision holder, his body was hosting a Delusion spirit. No one knew what the long term effects of that kind of power could be.
“The camp is three days,” Ajax told him. “You better not get up to any of your nighttime escapades while I’m gone.”
“I won’t,” Diluc grunted, half asleep.
“I’m serious. I’m sure Kaeya would be more than happy to tail you if it means keep you out of trouble,” he teased.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
With snort, Ajax crossed back over to bed, “I’ll see you in a couple of days.” He leaned, gently planting a kiss on his lips.
As he tried to pull away, Diluc hand wrapped around his neck, pulling him back down. Their lips met again, this time embracing each other deeper, savoring the taste before finally letting go. With a whispered breath, Diluc told him, “Stay safe.”
Ajax nodded, stepping away to clip his Vision to his belt and grabbing the last of the gear he needed. As he glanced back, Diluc's eyes were already closed, mouth half open in what must be a snore. Ajax smiled and slipped out into the bustling streets of Mond.
Life in Mondstadt was simple. People moved with the seasons of the crops. Summer was the time for work, carefully cultivating fruit and protecting them from insects and birds. Autumn was the harvest, a time of celebration and eating. People started to go dormant during the winter, keeping indoors as the snow began to fall. But it was spring now, the time to plant and the time to start something new. The perfect time for a wilderness camp to help aspiring adventurers.
He stopped by Good Hunter’s, grabbing some breakfast before he headed to meet up with the others. Sara gave him a smile as he stepped up to order, “Let me guess. A serving of ‘Pile ‘em Up?’”
“Right on the first guess,” Ajax laughed as he handed over his mora.
The hearty meat filled dish was his meal of choice after being introduced to it by Diluc. Though as good as the version Good Hunter’s made, it didn’t compare to when Diluc made the dish himself.
“I'll have it right out in a few minutes,” Sara told him.
He took a seat as he waited, watching the bustle of people move through the fountain plaza. A shadow fell over him and he looked up to see a familiar one eyed knight joining him at his table. There was a second of tension as Ajax tried to determine the knight’s intentions before it snapped, and he gave a friendly smile.
“Sir Kaeya, how is your morning going? I hope there haven’t been any disturbances this early in the day...” he said
The knight raised his eyebrow, “I did have to deal with something, in fact. I found a lone Treasure Hoarder tied up just outside the city walls. He said he’d been chased by some figure in a dark cloak who used throwing knives.” His head tilted, the gaze of his good eye growing sharper, “Sounds like the work of the ‘Darknight Hero’ again.”
So that’s what Diluc meant by there hadn’t been any danger. He groaned inwardly to himself but wasn’t surprised. Diluc had a habit of understating things. He told the knight, “I hadn’t heard about this at all.”
Kaeya looked almost smug as he said, “I thought so. It sounded like the Darknight Hero didn’t have his little sidekick with him.”
“How reckless.”
Nodding, Kaeya told him, “If you see the Darknight Hero, tell him he’ll have to be more careful. If he’s all alone, he’s going to get caught by the Knight of Favonius.”
“Sir Kaeya, I am an upstanding citizen of Mondstandt,” Ajax said feigning ignorance. “How would I ever run into the Darknight Hero?”
Kaeya smirked and shrugged, “Just a hunch.”
Sara’s voice called out and Ajax turned to see her pushing out a plate of steaks across the counter.
“Thank you,” Ajax yelled back, letting her know he’d heard. He looked back at Kaeya as he stood. “I’d love to sit and chat for a bit, but Bennett will be waiting for me at the Adventure’s Guild.”
“Ah, right,” Kaeya walked with him, “their wilderness camp is starting today. Your help is always appreciated. With Bennett’s luck it’s good to know that there will be such a skilled adventurer with them.”
Ajax shook his head as he picked up his food, “He’s more than capable of handling it on his own. I’m just an extra pair of hands to help.”
“I suppose that’s true. Those three have grown so much in the past few years. They’re no longer the kids I remember,” Kaeya said wistfully. “They’re as strong as any knight. Mondstadt will be quieter with them gone for a few days.”
“Speaking of...” Ajax said slowly, “I know he hates it, but please keep an eye on your brother while I’m gone.”
“As if I need you to tell me that,” Kaeya chuckled, but he caught the troubled look in his eye. Lowing his voice so Ajax was only reading his lips, he asked, “Is that spirit of his acting up again?”
“I don’t know... I worry about him when he’s alone,” Ajax said with a heavy breath. It had taken them over a year for Diluc to have enough control of his Delusion spirit that they felt they could rejoin society safely. But even then, Diluc’s struggle to keep that power from possessing him never ended. Neither him nor Diluc had told Kaeya about it, but the one eyed knight had managed to figure it out on his own. Ajax’s voice turned hard as he leaned close to the knight, a bladed dagger cutting through his words, "If you dare betray him, I will make sure you won’t live to regret it.”
“Same to you,” Kaeya hissed back, a cold threat glinting in his eye.
Their whispered blades locked, pressing against the other’s neck before sheathing them a second later. Ajax’s friendly smile returned as Kaeya waved, the previous moment of veiled danger gone in a blink of an eye.
“Have fun at camp! Tell Bennett to remember the most important part of being a leader is believing in yourself,” Kaeya called.
“Thanks, I’ll let him know,” Ajax yelled back. Pulling a stake from the pile of meat in his hand, he shoved it in his mouth as he hurried down the street.
He was almost half way done with the dish when he reached the Adventure’s Guild. Bennett was already there, busy looking over all the gear they had prepared. He spotted the long wild hair of Razor, the other young man helping herd the adventurers that had already begun to arrive. A girl with bouncing pigtails hopped up next to Ajax, eyeing the remains of his dish.
“Are you going to eat that?” she asked.
Ajax looked down, recognizing the voice of the young pyromaniac, Klee. Although the girl had grown to be able to take care of herself, her wanton destruction of the Mondstadt’s woodlands had yet to decrease by any sizable amount. Despite the many complaints, Ajax couldn’t help but find her endearing. There was something about her chaos that reminded him of himself in his younger years.
He handed the plate of food over. “Feel free. It's too much for me to eat by myself anyway.”
She snatched the food away, hoping away in an excited skip with her prize.
As he spoke, Razor's head tilted, looking through the crowd and finding him. He grabbed Bennett’s attention, pointing toward him. The adventurer looked up, relief entering his expression as he saw him.
“Looks like you have your hands full,” Ajax commented as Bennett made his way over.
“Haha yeah...I thought I had everything prepared but it turned out the oats I’d bought for rations had split open and were completely ruined. I ran over to the general goods store to buy some more, but apparently they were completely sold out.” Bennett said.
Ajax raised an eyebrow, “Typical luck, eh?”
He nodded. “But luckily I already had given Fischl some extra rations just in case something like this happened. Hopefully she’ll be here soon.”
As they talked, Razor’s head perked up, the glint of an animal on edge catching in his eyes. His gaze searched the edges of the crowd, nose flaring he inhaled. His lips pulled as if about to snarl.
“Something the matter?” Bennett asked, looking over.
“There’s an unfamiliar scent in the air.” He frowned after another moment, shrugging it off. “It’s hard to tell. Too many people, lots of smells...”
Ajax knew not to ignore the wolf man’s hunches. Razor’s keen senses had saved them from more than one ambush when they were adventuring. If something had alerted him, it wasn’t something to dismiss. Glancing around, he told them, “Looks like you have things handled here. I’ll take a lap and check around.”
But as he looped around the building nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He paused by the door, taking one last scan of the area. There was moisture in the air, like the feeling of rain, but looking up there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. He reached his hand out, as if he could condense it into a drop of water within his hand. For a moment he swore he saw ripple, like the mirrored surface of a pond broken by a single touch... and then it was gone.
He blinked, looking around to see if anyone else had noticed the strange phenomenon. No one even paused around him, either hurrying to the Adventure’s Guild or focused on their business around the city. Strange things did happen in Mondstadt. It wouldn't be the first time he had come across fae like spirits or magical anomalies here. And that wasn’t even accounting for the possibility of Hexenzirkel’s interference. Those witches did have a tendency to play tricks on unsuspecting mortals...
Speaking of... he spotted the black raven and gothic ensemble of Fischl coming down the street, each carrying a bag of potatoes. Trotting over, he held out a hand, offering to take them for her.
“Hey, Fischl, Oz, you haven’t happened to have noticed anything out of the ordinary just now?” he asked.
She frowned, casting her eyes around before answering, “Ah, the wandering warrior from a far off land comes to seek the divine knowledge of the Prinzessin der Verurteilung. Hark! My Auge der Verurteilung will pierce through the veil of shadow,” she lifted a hand to her covered eye, deeply inhaling and then shrugged. “Alas, mine eye can find nothing of which does not belong to this world.”
Ajax, nodded, chuckling slightly, “Thanks, I thought I’d ask you since magic is more your expertise but it seems it was nothing.”
She gave a smug nod, “Your wisdom in seeking mine counsel has been noted and will be remembered.”
Grabbing the bag from her familiar, the raven let out a croak in thanks. Due to his hearing, it was difficult to understand the bird when it spoke and even more so since the animal lacked lips for him to read. But even then, he had learned to understand the pair better than at least half the citizens in Mondstadt. To be fair, she was far easier to communicate with than some of the eccentric personalities he experienced dealing with before he came to Mondstadt.
They carried in the potato bags and Fischl gave a small curtsy in front of Bennett as they arrived, “The Prinzessin der Verurteilung had come to offer relief to thine in your time of great need. Though thou is cursed by the stars, worry not, you are blessed by the Prinzessin.”
Bennetted smiled up at her, “Thanks Fischl, I couldn’t do this without you!”
“-hmm, well,” she blushed slightly, “Your gratitude is not necessary. The twists of fate have brought you to my everlasting night.”
Putting down the potatoes and stepping over to Razor, he told him, “I looked around but couldn’t find anything.”
The young man's eyes dimmed slightly, guilty shaking his head, “Must have gotten confused. Too many scents in the city. Many I still don’t know.”
Ajax shook head, “No, I believe you. Something felt... off. If you sense anything like that again, let me know, okay?”
“Okay,” Razor told him, with an enthusiastic nod.
Looking back to Bennett, Ajax asked, “Is there anything else we need?”
Taking inventory of all their supplies, Bennett shook his head, “Nope, we got everything. I think... we can probably start heading out soon.”
Turning to the adventurers who had gathered, he started speaking, “Welcome to this year's adventurer camp! Um... wow, there’s so many of you... Uh well, it’s going to be a three day overnight camp in Cape Oath. We’ll have a ton of fun classes and lessons explaining the basics of adventuring and help get you started learning important survival skills. We have a lot of skilled adventurers to make sure everyone stays safe, so have some fun!”
_ _ _
It took most of the day to reach their destination. Bennett had made sure to keep their travel on the first day light, in order to help ease those who weren’t accustomed to traveling with three days worth of supplies on their back. He had planned for a break throughout the day, checking in on everyone. Fischl remained at the front, using Oz to scout ahead, while Razor served as their vanguard to keep their journey smooth. It was Ajax's job to pick up the slack, taking what gear he could from those that were beginning to lag behind to help them along. His position also served to cover their rear in case of ambush by any opportunistic monsters.
They were spending the first night on the Falcon’s coast, right under Cape Oath. Tonight would be a more relaxing, focusing on basic camp essentials and recovery. Tomorrow would be the treacherous hike up the cliffside above them.
Reaching the sand shoals of the beach, everyone started to get settled, setting up their tents and preparing a site for a campfire. There were about fifteen adventurers in total, most of them newer or casual adventurers, with a few exceptions such as Klee. But those who knew what they were doing were quick to help those still figuring it out, and before long the small camp was assembled.
Bennett came over as Ajax finished helping on adventures with their tent. “Razor is going to scout the path for tomorrow. Do you want to get prep for food tonight? I’ll stay here and get a fire going.”
“Sounds good.” Ajax grabbed a couple of the fishing rods he'd brought, calling out to the group “We’ll be catching our dinner tonight. If anyone wants a fishing lesson, I’m going to head down toward the coast.”
Klee was quick to run over, her eyes sparkling, “I’ll help! I’m really good at catching fish.”
Handing her a rod, he said, “No fish blasting. Your bombs might be good for catching a few fish, but the rest will be scared off. We’re going to have to use skill and patience for this.”
She pouted slightly, but took the rod.
“The Prinzessin der Verurteilung will accompany you on this most auspicious quest to obtain sustenance.” Fischl said walking over. “As I once blessed you with the comprehension of the Art of Downfall Bolts from my lost kingdom, perhaps I too can gain some understanding of this most unfathomable skill.”
Ajax tossed her a rod, “I’ll show you the basics.”
A few other adventurers joined and they went out toward the rocks of Falcon’s Coast. Ajax scouted the area until he found the perfect fishing spot. Fishing in Mondstadt might be different from the ice fishing he’d learned growing up, but he quickly adapted, learning to fish from the lakes, river, sea, and any other body of water that might contain life.
Klee fiddled with her rod as they set their rods. “Can I put a bomb at the end of the line?”
“No, Klee. Just fish bait.”
Fischl was struggling to cast hers. “This fishing rod must be cursed, for it will not obey my will,” she cried.
Ajax hurried over to help, “Don’t try to throw it, let the rod do the work. Just keep your movement fluid,” Ajax told her. Demonstrating, he pulled back his arm and let the fishing line fly. It finally plopped into the water far enough out they could barely spot the bobber.
She stared in amazement, letting out a huff, “The skill thou has shown in no natural feat. One must have gained other worldly blessing to achieve such a feat. Even the Prinzessin der Verurteilung would struggle to replicate the magic of another world’s power.”
Recognizing her words for what they meant, he shook his head. “All it takes is a little practice.” He chuckled, his bow materializing from the imaginary space of his Vision. “Do you remember how bad I was with this when I first tried to pick it up?”
She snickered, “Thou were like a newborn foal, stumbling around betwixt the darkness of twilight, prone to trip on the slightest pebble. An arrow strung from thine bow was more likely to hit one’s own foot than the target of thine’s desire.”
“But I’ve gotten better, haven’t I?” he argued.
Reluctantly, she cast her rod again, attempting to mimic Ajax’s form. It didn’t come close to how far he’d landed his, but made it a decent way out into the water. She sat with an annoyed sigh, giving up on casting it better. Muttering, she asked, “From what did thou learn such masterful skills with the tool of the sea? Did thou beseech some great master of the craft that they might share their knowledge or uncover some lost and ancient secret tome?”
“I learned everything I know from my father,” Ajax told her. “He used to take me ice fishing when I was child. I used to spend hours on the ice waiting for a bite.”
“Ah, right,” Fischl hummed, “it’s easy for one to momentarily forget that thou’s origin is not from this blessed land of wind. Thou’s presence here has become almost ordinary.”
Ajax laughed at that, “Is that so? I suppose I have gotten used to living here.”
“But thou must have made such a long and arduous journey to reach these lands. Does thou ever find themselves missing the comfort and familiarity of thine homeland?” Fischl said quietly
It took Ajax a moment to respond, watching his line bob in the water, “I do...” he sighed and then smiled back at her, “But my real home is wherever Diluc is.”
“Ah, yes, thou chose the fate to leave behind thine roots and follow their beloved. What a romantic destiny."
She didn’t know how right she was. Ajax didn’t regret what he’d done, leaving that day and putting everything he’d done behind him- but there were times, like now, when was looking across the sea out at the horizon, that he wondered about what he’d left behind. He wondered if father was still doing well. He tried to imagine what his siblings were doing, if they’d settled to stay in Morepesok or moved out toward Snezhnograd to find something more. He wondered if they still thought about him. Hopefully, they had moved on, not concerning themselves with the fate of their brother. That would be for the best.
A flash of movement brought Ajax out of his thoughts, his eye flickering over to see Klee tugged at her rod. It looked like she had a bite.
“Hang on, let me help,” Ajax stood to go over to her. “Make sure you don’t put too much tension on the line-”
Klee’s head turned, not toward him but tracking something behind him. Several other adventure’s gazes also shifted, looking in the same direction. Following their focus, he turned to see an adventurer running toward them, yelling something in their direction.
Looking to Fischl, Ajax asked, “What are they saying?”
The raven at her side, took flight soaring into the air as she turned to answer, “A monstrous beast from the twilight darkness had befallen our shelter. Valiantly luring the creature away, Bennet requests aid in this time of need.”
Ajax dropped his line, already moving across the rocky shore, “Come on, Klee. Time to use those bombs of yours.” The girl gave a jump of joy running after him.
Even before they reached the camp, Ajax could feel the shaking in the ground. But when he saw the beast, surprise caught him.
Lawachurls were rare in Mondstadt but it was possible their large group had attracted the attention of one from Dadaupa Gorge. But what was in front of them was a Frostarm lawachurl, its fur mane pale white with ice shards bursting out from its back. It most definitely should not be here.
Ignoring the inconsistency for the moment, Ajax reached for his bow, pulling the string back as hydro energy condensed into an arrow. It shot through the air, hitting a gap in the monster’s armor and marking it with his elemental energy. Swooping down from the sky, Oz let out a barrage of lighting, electro crackling across the monster's skin.
Bennett looked up as they approached. He had managed to lure it to the edge of the woods. Even out of the shoals, large crystals of ice sprouted from the ground, only held back by the field of pyro energy from the young man.
He shouted something at them, smiling despite the blood running down his hairline before dodging away as the lawachurl’s fists slammed into the ground.
“We’ve got your back,” Ajax yelled to him. Hydro twisted around his hands, forming into a long spear. As he stepped into the circle of pyro energy, he could feel it run through his body, strengthening him. “Let us take it from here.”
Dancing around the lawachurl’s claws, Ajax plunged his spear into the soft side of the monster. It roared with fury, horns swinging around. A bolt of lightning struck the beast’s head, knocking it aside. Fischl aimed another arrow, Oz swooping toward the monster with her attack.
Twisting the spear, Ajax activated the mark he’d placed with his arrow and hydro energy burst out from the monster. Ice rippled down the beast’s hide as it snarled and Ajax leapt back, letting go of his weapon before it could turn to ice in his fingers.
“Klee, let it have ‘em!” he yelled.
The girl ran up, a cute bunny eared ball in her hand, throwing it into the air, “I’ve got a present for you, mister lawachurl!”
They all dove away as the bomb exploded, fire blasting away the shards of icy armor covering the lawachurl. Ajax grabbed for his bow, lifting it to aim another arrow when something crashed through the trees. He jumped back, turning the aim of his bow before recognizing the wild hair of Razor.
The wild man pulled out the large claymore he wielded, flames infusing into the blade as he stepped into the circle of Bennet’s pyro energy. With a yell, he hacked at the monster, bringing it to its knees as he cut through its leg and with another swing, lopped off on the crystalline horns.
Hydro energy surged through Ajax’s arrow as he let it go, slamming into the charred side of the lawachurl and bursting apart. The elemental energy tore through the beast and with a final grunt, it fell to the ground, unmoving.
All things considered, they had done well, quickly countering the unexpected ambush. It was perhaps proof of both their skill and from practice working together over the years.
“How’s everyone doing?” Ajax asked, his gaze watching Bennett in particular. As the field of pyro around them faded, the young man stumbled. Ajax caught his arm, “Steady there. Where are you hurt?”
“It’s not that bad-”
“I can see blood,” Ajax pushed his hair back, finding a small gash across his hair line. “Let’s get back to camp and I can help patch you up.”
“It was just a stray shard of ice. It doesn’t even hurt!” Bennett still tried to argue. “This is nothing.”
“Well, it would be good for the other adventurers to see how to handle small injuries like this. Just consider yourself the subject for tonight’s impromptu class,” Ajax told him. “Was anyone else hurt?”
Bennett shook his head, “No, I was able to draw it away before it reached the others.”
His gaze shifted back to the form of the lawachurl, watching Klee nudge it with her foot to confirm it was dead. Its body was already beginning to crumble away. With it dead, the question of what it had been doing here seemed no clearer.
Razor shifted a tight frown across his face as he dismissed his weapon. “My fault...” he growled, “I should have smelled it coming.”
Bennett was quick to shake his head, “You were up by Cape Oath. No one could have expected a lawachurl to come all the way out here.” He chuckled, “It was just bad luck.”
But as Razor’s eyes flickered back and forth, Ajax picked up there was more to what he was trying to say. He asked, “Did you notice something while you were scouting?”
The wild man paused and then nodded, “I smelled that scent again.”
“The one you thought you smelled in town?”
He nodded. “I was trying to track it down. Footprints. Following us.”
The hair on the back of Ajax’s neck rose. It seemed far too unlikely that a lawachurl from Dragonspine had happened to attack them when someone was trying to secretly stalk them. This must have been a targeted attack. “Were you able to learn anything about them?”
“They smelled like Diluc.”
Ajax blinked, frowning as he was caught off guard by the answer. “Diluc? Do you think he followed us? Maybe I forgot something...”
Razor shook his head, rephrasing his response, “Not Diluc. Smell sick like Diluc.”
Ajax felt his throat tighten, cold chilling his veins. The threat of danger sparked his nerves, setting them alight. His voice was sharp as he asked, “Are they still here?”
Shaking his head, Razor said, “No, the trail was several hours old.” Lifting his head into the air, his nostrils flared for a moment. “I haven’t smelled them since the monster attacked. Smelled like cold and ice. Not from here.”
That confirmed it. He couldn’t pretend it was a coincidence.
“Wait, what are we talking about?” Bennett looked between them. “What do you mean Diluc is sick?”
Klee tilted her head, “Did he catch a cold?”
“Not less than the dawn before last, he seemed to be suffering from no such ailments.” Fischl said.
“Diluc made me promise not to tell anyone...” Razor apologized.
Ajax sighed. It had been impossible to hide Diluc's condition from the wild man. He’d smelled the filth of the fragmented power corrupting Diluc from the moment he’d first met him. He asked outright, forcing them to explain the basics of it, enough to sate his curiosity while leaving out the details of how he’d gained such an ailment. Razor had promised to keep it a secret and true to his word, the man had never told another soul.
“Don’t worry, Diluc’s fine. It’s not an illness or something. He has been able to handle it for years now,” Ajax said evasively.
Fischl watched him for a moment, her raven familiar ruffling his feathers. Lips her pressing into a frown, she asked, “Shall I send out my loyal familiar to scour every inch of this world that he might find this fiend who hunts us from the shadows and darkness?”
Ajax paused and then shook his head. “It sounds like they’ve left for the moment. Let’s just stay alert and keep watch for any more attacks.”
Concern still lingered on Bennett’s face, “Are you sure?”
“We were able to handle a lawachurl. There’s not much worse they could throw at us.” Ajax reasoned. “Come on, let’s not worry our budding adventurers.”
Reluctantly they returned to camp. Ajax gathered all the adventurers around, showing them how to clear and dress a wound. In the city, most people relied on the Church's healing when they got injured but in the wilderness they would be on their own. Ajax had lots of experience patching wounds up, both his own and other’s, but learning to use his elemental power to heal had not been something his master Skirk had taught him. He knew he mother could heal when she had used this vision, but in the Abyss, he had only used the hydro as a weapon to kill. And while recently he had asked Barbara about how she used her Vision, the most he could replicate was healing small cuts for himself. All he could do for anyone else was summoning water to clean the wound.
Razor ended up helping with dinner, helping those who had managed to catch fish cook it over the fire, while the rest of them broke into their food supplies to make up for the lost time. As everyone seemed to be getting settled with their food, Ajax slipped away from the fire and merriment.
He went back to the where the lawachurl had attacked, tracing its damage back through the woods. If the stalker had been the one to lure the lawachurl down from Dragonspine, there would have to be some evidence of them along the path.
Ajax had smiled and acted like everything was fine. He hadn’t wanted to worry them. It wasn’t their concern. He would disappear and take care of their problem so that the adventure camp would go smoothly. After all, it was his fault the stalker had attacked.
For six years no one had come after them. They’d kept their hands clean and tried to avoid drawing any attention to themselves. But both he and Diluc had always known that there was a chance their past would come back to haunt them.
The sky was beginning to darken and Ajax paused, looking back the way he’d come. So far he’d seen nothing. Either their stalker had managed to draw the lawachurl’s attention from a distance, or they were skilled at hiding their tracks. He wished he had Razor to help him at least find the trail.
A loud caw made him jump as a dark raven swooped the trees and landed in front of him. He recognized the purple markings across the feathers as Fischl’s familiar.
“Oz,” he said with a laugh, “what are you doing here? I’m patrolling around the camp. Just making sure there’s no more lawachurls out here...”
The raven clicked his beak together, rolling his head in a clear eye roll before taking off back into the air. As Ajax watched the bird disappear, he sighed. He considered making a run for it but if they had Razor with them, he knew he wouldn’t be able to escape.
A couple minutes later, the light of the lantern splashed through the woods as three familiar shadows approached.
“There he is!” Razor ran forward, first to reach him. It was hard to read lips in the fading light but it was quiet enough here in the woods, that he could piece together the sounds into words.
Oz flew overhead, landing on Fischl’s arm. The shadows from the light exaggerated her glare as she proclaimed, “The wayward warrior from afar has been found. Pray tell, what cause brought thou into the woods without so much as a whisper before disappearing? Did thou mean to twist and torture our hearts with worry in these twilight hours?”
Bennett lifted the lamp higher, illuminating Ajax. “You know something don’t you?”
He didn’t answer for a moment, turning away from light, “The person who’s stalking us is after me. It’s my fault that lawachurl attack the camp.”
“You?” Bennett frowned, “Why would someone target you? You’re just an adventurer. We only take commission from the Adventure’s Guild. It’s not like you're a mercenary.”
Ajax stared at the young man for a moment. They had worked together at Adventure’s Guild for years now. Bennett would always ask him for help when dealing with particularly difficult commissions. He wondered if the young man would look at him the same way if he knew the things he’d done.
“I wasn’t always just an adventurer...” he said quietly.
“Has thou’s fate been caught in the net of tangled threads of thine past?” Fischl asked. “An enemy from long ago now seeks their vengeance, chasing across snow and sea?”
Ajax nodded, “Diluc and I didn’t just choose to leave Snezhnaya. We fled.”
Bennett’s expression softened, “I don’t know what happened there, but I know the kind of person you are. You’re one of the best adventurers in the Adventure’s Guild. And if someone’s after you, we want to help.”
“No, I couldn’t get you involved,” Ajax argued. If he dragged them into this and something happened to them... he didn’t know if he’d be able to forgive himself. “These people are... not ones you want to cross.”
Letting out a growl, Razor told him, “You are a part of Lupical. We protect Lupical.”
A high laugh filtered through the air, as Fischle stepped forward, “Do you really doubt the powers of the Prinzessin der Verurteilung so much even after having witnessed my powers in action? As a member of mine retinue, I shall call forth all the powers of the twilight realm to aid you if I must.”
“Fischl’s right,” Bennett added. “Didn’t you see us take down a lawachurl? We did that together.” Ajax was still hesitant but Bennett paused, growing serious, “Look, I know I have terrible luck and that gets in my way a lot. But it’s made me learn to rely on those around me to help when I fall. So if there’s one thing I know, it’s that we’re stronger together. You’d do the same for any of us. So let us help you for once.”
Ajax’s resolve began to sway. With Razor’s skill at tracking and Oz as a scout, finding their stalker would be far easier. Out here in the wilderness of Mondstadt, there wouldn’t be civilians that would get caught in the crossfire. And most importantly, he could keep the stalker’s focus on him and away from Diluc.
“Alright,” he finally relented. “I trust you guys. What do you think we should do?”
Bennett thought for a moment before suggesting, “They tried to attack us today... Let’s throw in some different classes for tomorrow, something to lure out this stalker. Razor and Fischl will be watching for them to make their move while the rest handle whatever they try to throw at us.” He gave Ajax a supportive smile, “It’ll be easy with all of us working together.”
“That could work...” Ajax hummed and then looked at Fischl, “Could you deliver a message back to Mondstadt tonight?” She blinked and nodded, Oz fluttered as she waited for him to continue. “Diluc needs to know he could be in danger. And...” he paused, “I suppose Kaeya would understand as well. That way if the worst should happen, at least one Knight will know what’s going on.”