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And with a smile — their brotherhood has finally settled down. For once, they gazed at each other with eyes that adore and hearts that promise time for their lost memories. And, for once, Alberich could finally close his eyes in content, without worrying about the many shadows that haunt — that would drag him down, down.. and down to the deepest corners of the Abyss.
The winds sang in sorrow and the fire crackles in despair.
Oh how he wished he would die whilst looking at the clear skies of Mondstadt, his arms — like always, reached farther onto something he cannot reach. He reached the skies.
He reached his Sun.
Not the.
His.
He whose eyes held the skies smiles in pity as he too gazes onto eyes that have always been alive.
To outsiders maybe, Diluc’s eyes look really… lifeless. He thought as Diluc called out to him, still, he didn’t bother. Diluc’s eyes are something he would want to see, rather than hearing pities of a lost bond. Spews of regrets is the last thing he would want to hear from the last living beloved.
His finger reached the last light shining upon him, his light — no, it wasn’t the Sun, never will be the Sun. The sun was the only gift those hypocrites of the Gods gave to Kaeya and for the sake of his left eye, it’s for general use! How cruel of them. The navy-haired Prince smiled, and it wasn’t a kind one. Alberich’s smiles are always pleasant but poised, never true, but are never one for lies either. But ah, maybe this time…
“Kae.”
He’s just Kaeya?
Kaeya smiled, even as the blood seeps through his teeth, even as his throat aches for rest. Kaeya felt happy, even with many regrets.
He grinned, amusement being the sugar layering a rotten cake. “Master Diluc,” Kaeya’s eyes stared at the burning eyes of Noctua. Maybe in death, he would still look over him, but at last — he could never gaze onto those eyes with such sureness while being a spirit. Kaeya, initiated the conversation, as always. Voice tilting like how he would greet the tavern and its owner. “I should have known.”
A laugh, not bitter — but resigned, echoed through the debris of burnt buildings.
“The sun is untouchable, and all of my life —“ Kaeya breathed out, and once again — for once, his smile widens as it is one not demanded by anyone, nor duty. His arms stretched towards the clouds. “I’ve been chasing it, forgetting that it'll burn me when I touch it.“
And for once, his freedom isn’t the one created by the pity of a God. His freedom wasn’t an illusion.
He laughed.
“Oh, how is it a lie! I was told to chase for the Sun — the far untouchable Sun!” Kaeya’s eyes glanced at Diluc’s vacant stare, lips quirking upwards. “The Artifact — Father, my father told me to retrieve.” Kaeya’s hands tingles as he felt the vengeance of many souls within the tips of his fingers, his eyes glanced down to the artifact that withholds crimson-like lava within. “The artifact that was held within the Ragvindr’s descendant’s grasps.”
“My father miscalculated. Gold miscalculated — even the oh so cautious Dainsleif did too.” as minutes passes by, the prickling feeling of the spirits on his finger vanished, as his fingers too dissolved into ashes. “They never thought that I would be adopted by a Ragvindr.”
He laughed with pure madness thrumming through his lips, “They never thought that I’ll become a Ragvindr itself.” And one of the factors to awaken the artifact.
The Artifact would not activate, as long as the one who cursed it was alive.
And as he came out from the womb, the Irminsul Trees and the Alberich’s lineage has decided that he would be the one bestowed with the cruelest curse of the curses. Who would have known, both of the fates of the Ragvindr and the Alberich have been entangled ever since 500 years ago.
Ever since Kaeya was born and ever since the Ragvindr’s artifact was cursed with the hex his eyes emitted.
All of that had started 500 years ago. The clashing of the divine artifact and the corrupted force within him had forced the little Alberich into slumber. Waking him up 500 years later and meeting his father's shadow that was embedded into the leyline. Creating illusions of his existence.
“Hey, Luc.” he stared as his arms slowly scattered into ashes, horror isn’t reflected within it — but just a sense of... Remorse.
“Not for me, but for you.” Too many riddles.
“Cut my arm, it’ll stop my body from deteriorating.” Diluc’s irises burn wilder.
My body won’t become ashes. Goes unheard. You can bury my body. . Whispers it.
A pause, “Still, it won’t stop my soul from departing.” The wildfire that burns the forest became hazy as it was covered with fog. What a pity, Kaeya said as he stared at those eyes.
“The world has always been fascinating, Master Diluc.” even minutes knowing — minutes of knowing that he’s walking towards the door of death, his mouth kept on rambling — as he tried, tried to get rid of his regrets. Getting rid of his worldly needs. Knowing that he’ll meet a hellfire that burns hotter than anything just after he stepped into the door the reaper opened for him.
He’s not afraid of death.
Never.
But he has always been afraid of fire.
The fires of hell compare to nothing to the sensation of his brother's claymore slashing through his flesh. The wound of betrayal hurts much more than the burns of his skin.
Kaeya’s muscles relaxed as he stared at the red hair who’s smile was frozen in time.
He stared.
Then again, for now; there’s no fire.
So for now, he’ll be afraid in the stead of someone else.
Kaeya’s just afraid for Diluc.
He breathed in.
Many protagonists died with their loved ones saying “Live without regrets.” he remembers — as he recites the heroic stories both he and little Diluc used to read, and much more later, he would he remembers as usually read it to Klee.
But Kaeya isn’t one, he has known this at the ripe age of 12.
He isn’t a protagonist.
Nor is Diluc. He has known this at the ripe age of 12 too.
He may be used to be one.
Memories. He snickered.
Kaeya wasn’t smiling, but he closed his eyes with clarity, even in death.
He has regrets, many of them. Klee — sweet little innocent Klee. He bit his lip as his shoulders stiffened, she’ll grow to forget me, she’ll live longer. Oh, she will . Kaeya made sure of it. Unfulfilled promises to Jean — lies that haven’t been cleared up and a bunch of paperwork whose hights rivals of those clock towers in Fontaine. And that one errand? With the Fatui Harbinger. Kaeya wondered. Ajax? Was it? Kaeya chuckled, for they found comfort in their corruption — what a pity to know that his life was ending much more sooner than the Old Man from Wangsheng. But still, his body loosened up.
Breath in, breath out.
He may be a sinner.
His duty as a colleague (Albedo, Jean, Lisa — to the many knights of Favonius, even to his cavalry horses).
His duty as a friend. (Ajax, Hu Tao, Rosaria, Chongyun, Ayato — Thoma…)
His duty as a Prince may be unfinished.
His duty as a son, too. He realizes.
How I failed in becoming a human. Kaeya’s eyes cleared up as his eyes stared at the epiphany of a smiling being.
Diluc is smiling. Kaeya’s eyes stared. Diluc… is like a photo captured in a frame. His smile was... As still as the one he made when they laughed together earlier.
And Kaeya, Kaeya is an observant man.
But he cannot — for the love of Archons, observe this Diluc.
It’s sad, Kaeya realizes.
Watching someone grow.
Seeing how Diluc used to have irises could burn forests — could even burn Sumeru itself, all of it. And his eyes, his eyes are like the constellations, like the stars. Even with eyes that have drawn literal constellations on them, Kaeya thinks Diluc’s eyes are more… brutal. Harsh. Crude. Beautiful.
Till now.
Even though it’s not — empty. Even though, it’s not expressionless like what the male lead on Jean’s love stories would describe. Even though it’s not endless like Ajax’s irises who lost all light… it’s just... Not dangerous anymore. It wasn’t a fire that burns anymore.
It’s sad.
It’s a fire that gives warmth.
Well, warmth is nice.
But the feeling of burning?
It’s true. It hurts. And it reminds him of the essence of being alive.
He relishes it.
It isn’t controlled at all.
Wild things — like animals usually spew truths. For they cannot speak, then they shall not tell lies.
It’s kind, in a cruel way.
Unlike Kaeya. And maybe — (all Kaeya wanted to do is giggle in hopelessness) that’s why Kaeya felt like a moth to flames towards Diluc.
He sees what he cannot be. He yearns. But —
But at least during his last seconds, he vacantly glanced at his dissipating fingers — Kaeya recognized himself as a brother who had fulfilled his duty.
“Heh. Master Diluc, if you don't mind…” Ah ...
The Ragvindr saw those eyes — eyes that cages stars within, dilate. And over the many grotesque scenarios he has seen during his life, this was one sight that made his body quiver in horror.
In a rush, Diluc flung the edge of his Claymore on Kaeya’s arms. Fingers trembling greater — stronger than the grounds that would shake during moments when Morax dominates it. And he expected a strike, he expected a reaction from the navy-haired Prince.
What he received were just eyes that stared at the skies with a look of harmony. With a hand that bleeds and an eye that reflects peace, Diluc felt like he was staring right on a artwork.
But for Kaeya —
So this is what death feels like.
He hummed.
It wasn’t a hit to the head, not a sudden jolt, no.
It wasn’t deliberate, either.
It was like a...
With the last strength he could muster, Kaeya buried his face onto Diluc’s coat.
“An old friend..” he whispers.
Death felt peculiar. As it felt like it was an old friend who has been waiting for you for decades.
His eyes trace the intricate drawing of Diluc’s coat like it was the most magnificent star in the universe. “Master Diluc,” he called again.
“May I? My last wishes.”
Death was…
“Could you at least water my grave with wine?”
Something gentle.
It held him like it was a mother, it held him like it was — proud of him. Even though he… even though he is a sinner. Death doesn’t see any race. Death doesn’t see a difference. You shouldn’t embrace death, Kaeya realized as the constellations of Pavo Ocellus began to scatter.
As Mona gazes at the sky, the goosebumps she felt were like a calm tide of dread, eerie. The peacock’s head was slowly descending like it was bowing. The one eye shone brighter than the newborn constellations.
Pavo’s disappearance wasn’t immediate.
Pavo’s disappearance doesn’t feel like death.
Pavo’s disappearance was like an Orchestra — controlled by a Conductor.
Pavo Ocellus’s departure...
Was a performance.
Rest, Child.
You have been embracing everything the Gods throw at you.
Embracing whilst holding a weight no mortal should have held.
You are strong, Child.
So now, Rest.
Death shall be the one who embraces you.
;
“Heh.”
Diluc’s body is as still as a portrait. And his eyes gazed at the cloudless skies. His eyes gaze towards the rumbling thunders that are — sending a message of sorrow, it wasn’t thunderous as usual…
Diluc’s eyes stared at the vast skies.
It was… peaceful.
Even with the cracks on the grounds.
Even with the melodies and whispers of winds.
Kaeya’s death doesn’t feel like something to mourn for, he doesn’t know why.
He felt sadness, he does — but…
Is this… truly freedom?
His hands clenched over his claymore, “It’s life.” his voice wasn’t any different from minutes ago, but Mona could feel the change — the weight that this one person had gone through.
Is death for Kaeya truly freedom?
He wanted to cry.
Then what does it mean? What does living mean to him?
All his life?
“Kaeya,” he called out. “What is life to you? What are our memories to you? What… am I to you?”
Salvation . Kaeya whispers.
But then again, the dead does not speak. Diluc’s fist clenched around the hilt of his claymore as his agony had forced him to rest on his knees. Kaeya — he.
Kaeya — you .
Master Diluc!
Death after noon, please.
What a handsome lad, you sure
you’re not about to meet anyone Master Diluc?
He can no longer hear Kaeya’s voice.
He can never get Kaeya’s answer.
He can’t even confirm whether his words are truths.
And so, Diluc wanted to burn the world with him.
But he thinks. As the clouds slowly clear up and the dark fog bids their farewell. Like the chirping of birds, as the ground that was watered with many hydro, flowers bloom.
Kaeya is a sinner. Diluc repeated the word Kaeya used to repeat to himself.
Tainted by the sins of his ancestors.
But in his death…
Diluc palm grazed the hilt of his sword.
He looks more divine than any deity Diluc has met.
His face was expressionless, but it wasn’t one that doesn't hold any feelings. It had a tinge of... bittersweet feeling in it, Diluc thinks. For once it wasn’t a mask. For once it wasn’t one that tells none of the emotion written in literature. For once, it was just Kaeya without any frowns, any smiles, and any weight of life.
He’s just Kaeya.
Not Alberich.
The lasts of Kaeya’s inhale was exhaled by Diluc, for the lungs have gone still, and the body has gone cold. “Look, Kae.” Diluc’s smile is still there, but his eyes tell stories that contrast with his smile.
He wanted chaos.
But for once, he’ll hear what this dumbass would want.
His shoulder loosened, his frown slackened, and his smile was gone — the picture-perfect smile. The breeze sang the melodies of a joyful maiden. And Diluc thinks — as he gazed at the skies that are filled with spots, it wasn’t meant to mock.
The Archons weren’t celebrating.
“You, are the wonder, Kae.”
The Ragvindr fixed his burnt gloves and dismissed his weapon.
“Alberich, the world wouldn’t be that fascinating without you in it.”
;
The Archons weren’t celebrating.
They were fulfilling the wishes of the last sinner.
‘My heart may halt, but Diluc Ragvindr’s does not. I beg of you for a peaceful life for him. A peaceful ending for the both of us — or at least, him. The world hadn’t been kind to the both of us, but maybe… if an ‘us’ is no more, it’ll be kind for him.”
“This sinner made another debt, even in death. Forgive me, Archons.”