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It began with a letter from Albedo.
"Dear Aether,
Please come to Dragonspine for an urgent matter. Only bring your sword and yourself.
You know where to find me.
Love,
Albedo"
Vague, as always.
When Aether arrived at Albedo's camp, the alchemist greeted him warmly with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He made them both warm tea and sat Aether down by the bonfire.
As Aether blew on his cup of tea, he took note of how different the camp looked.
The board at the back of the campsite which used to be strewn with pieces of observation notes was now empty. Alchemical equipments and bottles of reagent that used to line the shelves and tabletop now packed neatly into boxes stacked in the corner, each box labelled with words like 'discard', 'storage' and familiar names of fellow alchemists and friends.
Aether glanced towards Albedo, who had closed his eyes as he sat next to Aether, and asked, "are you planning to move your camp? That's why you asked me to come?"
Albedo didn't respond.
"Albedo?"
"Shh— Let's enjoy this moment a little longer."
Albedo tilted his head towards Aether and finally opened his eyes, casting a glance void of emotion in his direction, shutting Aether up with how different he looked compared to when he first arrived.
So they sat in silence, occasionally sipping their tea.
Just when Aether was about to be lulled to sleep by the warmth of the bonfire and the presence of Albedo by his side, Albedo suddenly stood, placed his cup down and turned to Aether.
"I want you to teach me the dance from Fontaine you once told me about."
Aether stared at the offered hand. He had so many questions in his head. What is the urgent matter? Why are all the stuff packed away? Why the sudden invite to dance? But when he saw the look on Albedo, a rare moment of nervousness manifested in the way Albedo bit his lips ever so slightly, he couldn't stop himself from caving under the curiosity to follow along what Albedo had planned.
Aether took Albedo's hand and manoeuvred them to the opening a bit further in the mountain. The ground coated with thin layer of ice like the ice rink in Fontaine where the two mekas dance to their mechanical heart's content.
The wind set the melody and the quiet thumping of the heart of the mountain set the rhythm.
The grind of ice beneath their feet set the scene.
Aether held onto Albedo's waist, guiding him through the steps of a Fontainian dance he once saw in the Court of Fontaine.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
"Do you want to explain what's happening?" Aether tried to ask after they got into the groove.
Albedo looked down at their feet for a brief moment, before lifting his head to say, "I need you to kill me."
Aether let out gasp. He staggered as his body tensed. He wanted to stop, yet Albedo gripped onto him harder, dragging them back into their established flow. Albedo gave him no time to process the request. Instead, he continued as he adjusted their footwork.
"Lately, I sensed that something is changing within me. I seem to—resonate with the mountain. Or more accurately—Durin's heart. The longer I stay in Dragonspine, the stronger the urge to destroy. A few days ago, the urge was so strong I crushed the entire boiler during an experiment." Albedo sighed.
This time, it was Aether who remained silent.
"Today, I felt that my time has come, and that my ability to restrain myself has reached its limit. Knowing that I could entrust you with the task to protect Mondstadt, I wrote to you. I have already packed and categorised all my possessions. After you finished me off, I want you to help me bring them down the mountain and deal with them as I had labelled."
"So why the dancing then?" Aether asked, danger laced the undertone of his voice.
"Partner dancing is an art form that relies on the cooperation between the two dancers, needing both parties to be highly aware of each other's movement and intention. Through dancing, you can closely monitor my condition, so you can neutralise me the moment I change."
Albedo stepped closer, slightly leaning his head against Aether's shoulder and slowing down their steps into gentle sway, "it also gives me a chance to be close to you before my eventual fall—"
Albedo was cut off when Aether suddenly pushed him away from his shoulder and twirled him, leaving him breathless from the abrupt change in pace. When he returned to his position and stared up at Aether with a confused look, he was met with a look of utter betrayal. Aether crowded onto Albedo, looming over as his steps turned confrontational.
"And you said nothing before?! If you had said something, maybe we could have worked something out!"
"I had thought about—"
"Now you expect me to just kill you and move on, while holding you in my arms. Have you forgotten that I'm someone with emotions?"
"Aether—"
Aether finally drew them to a stop, hugging tightly onto Albedo as they stood in the middle of the ice rink. "You didn't even give me a chance to save you."
The wind picked up, bringing chills to the two motionless figures and taking away the last trace of warmth from their previous exercise. So the other reciprocated the hug, to hold onto the warmth.
"I had considered another way around this, but with everyone's lives at stake, I don't want to risk it. We both saw what happened to my kin as they descend into madness, and I…am no different from them."
The sunset cast the mountain in shades of pink and orange.
"So please, Aether, allow me to dance with you one last time and die at the hand of someone I trust the most."
In lieu of a response, Aether moved to restart their dance.
If this was what Albedo had planned, so be it, Aether would carry it out as intended. He had always been happy to follow along whatever experiment was thrown his way. He knew there was no changing his mind anyway.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
So Aether allowed himself to enjoy their contact, the way their warmth seeped through their gloves and reached each other in the middle.
They danced under the dusk's light, their silhouettes against the golden sky.
While the original dance had moments where the two dancers would separate, Aether opted to leave them out, keeping Albedo close to him.
It was when the sun had completely dipped below the horizon that Aether felt the change in demeanour of his partner.
The grip on his palm tightened, the stance turned aggressive. The figure that had been following Aether's lead now fighting to gain dominance, struggling against the hold on the waist that was guiding their movement.
As Aether looked into Albedo's eyes under the darkness engulfing Dragonspine, he saw a tint of red the shade of Crimson Agate.
Eventually, their steps no longer resembled the graceful movement of the Fontaine's waltz, but fiery tango where one tried to overpower another.
One, two, three.
One, two.
One, two.
Aether knew he couldn't drag it out any longer. So when Albedo tried to slip from his hold again, he instead let go of his right arm around the waist and spun him outward with his left.
He summoned his sword in his right hand.
One, two.
He pulled Albedo towards him.
One, two—
And plunged the sword straight into Albedo's chest.
Albedo's eyes widened, the red slowly fading alongside the light in his eyes. With the last trace of clarity, he looked towards Aether, who looked at him like he's just another hilichurl he had to slay, yet he knew behind that face Aether was aching, his left hand which still clutched at Albedo's was shaking. So, he mustered up a smile: Thank you.
Then his body grew limp around the sword still lodged in his heart.
Aether eased Albedo's fall to the ground, laying him down on the ice gently. He stared. Blood started to bloom around the wound, staining the dark blue shirt and belt, but with the sword in place, it didn't spread far.
He could always ask a blacksmith to forge him another sword. Let this sword be a trophy, for all who dare to tread this ground know it was the Honorary Knight who slayed the threat of Mondstadt. And let it be his last mercy, for the fallen to preserve the last trace of his life essence, his blood. May it be a piece of himself that stays with Albedo forever.
Aether began his slow trek back to the campsite. He had boxes of notes and supplies to carry back to the city after all.
His steps still carried the rhythm of their waltz.