Why do you fear the starts?

by meraki_samui

Summary:

Kaeya Alberich was a lot of people.

He was the last hope and a prince to a fallen and cursed nation.

An ex-Ragnvindr. Ex-brother.

The Calvary Captain. A knight. A quartermaster. The list was endless.

All these masks lead him to question his reality and slowly chip at his sanity.

How long till he manages to keep it all under wraps and how long till others figure that something is wrong with their beloved captain?

Chapter 1: The sky was on fire.

The sky was on fire

The sky was bathed in crimson hues.

Every inch of the land was covered in thick and dark smoke.

Flames surged skyward, matching the towering grandeur of the buildings that had long symbolized the pinnacle of human strength and achievement.

No one anticipated such an outcome.

In this surreal and terrifying onslaught, it was the heavens that had declared war upon a nation, a cataclysmic clash of heavenly forces against the works of humankind.

All the cries of the people desperate enough to live, to survive or just to unite with their families one last time were lost in the dark, dark smoke that would continue to haunt them for the rest of their unfortunate lives, if they were unlucky enough to survive.

The fall of Khaenri'ah was a melancholic cascade of events. Once a flourishing and vibrant city, it now stood as a haunting relic of its former glory. The streets, once bustling with life, were now adorned with shattered remnants of grand architecture, a testament to the ravages of time and conflict.

To be completely eradicated from existence, trapped in a relentless cycle of misfortune, a malevolent curse having woven its tendrils around their fragile souls, creeping around, breaking and ripping at their cores, their ambitions.

But as the heavens see it, sinners don’t have souls, and neither do they have ambitions.

And Kaeya Alberich was a sinner. A sinner with a corrupt soul and some broken ambitions.

Kaeya Alberich was too many people. He was the last hope, a prince to a fallen and cursed nation.
An adopted son and brother. A knight. A Cavalry Caption. A traitor. A cursed soul with a vision from the destroyers of his homeland.
And as the day would settle down and when the sun would set, within the four walls of his room he would sit and wonder the same thing.

Who was Kaeya Alberich?

And when the sky burned that day so did his eye. It was supposed to be a small sacrifice as part of the royal lineage but then why did everyone else around him look at him with so much pity and some with jealousy in their eyes? Why weren't they happy if it was for the greater good? Why was his mother refusing to look and him and sobbing uncontrollably in his father's arm who looked at him with unshed tears in his eyes.? Why did the others not get it done? Why him? Why not his brothers and sisters? Should he be happy or sad? He wanted to .....

He didn't know what he wanted.

Chapter 2: The Weight of Ambition

Summary:

Kaeya wakes up unusually tired and exhausted, leaving him confused. Today, on a particularly difficult day, Kaeya struggles with fatigue, discomfort, and regrets, finding solace in the calming presence of the morning breeze before returning to his duties.
Is it just a coincidence? Is there a deeper reason behind his sudden discomfort and exhaustion? Or is it just in his head?

In Teyvat, it is said that only those with fiery and burning ambition receive a vision—a drive as pure as an infant’s smile. Visions are rare gifts, believed to be bestowed upon the chosen by the Gods. Normal folk regard vision holders with admiration, viewing them as symbols of justice and protection, while some harbour feelings of jealousy and spite.

Kaeya possessed a Cryo Vision. These visions, it was believed, were granted to the most unfortunate souls, those upon whom the Tsaritsa took pity, wishing to share her love and warmth. Her warmth-—how ironic.
For Kaeya, it was a reminder of his misfortune, a bitter truth that he hardly needed reinforced.
Kaeya wasn’t quiet sure if he like having a vision or not.

Some days, Kaeya found solace in his vision. It shielded him from enemies or during outings with Klee on sweltering summer days, preventing her from causing further unrest in the people of Mond. It had kept him alive, serving as a sliver of hope during those excruciating burns that marred his body. It provided a cool relief, a respite from the searing pain that threatened to consume him. That’s all he could sum up. But it was enough.

But on other days, he despised it. The mere sight of the vision made his stomach churn and twist, igniting a desire to rid himself of the thing. Yet, he knew such an act would be useless, having attempted it before.

On those darker days, it served as a relentless reminder of his past mistakes, of fire, rubble, and blood—a catalogue of failures that weighed heavily upon him. The darn thing reminded him of every little mistake he ever made, of fire, rubble, smoke, blood, red hair, and a phoenix charging at him. It reminded him of his failures.

Today was one of those off days. Everything felt wrong. His hair irritated him, his eyepatch felt too tight, and his clothes suffocated him in the oppressive heat. Sweaty palms rubbed against his trousers, and a persistent headache gnawed at his temples. He rose with the sun but had accomplished nothing since, trapped in a haze of exhaustion and discomfort.

To make matters worse, he had slept with his eyepatch on, a foolish decision he now regretted. He contemplated removing it, but lethargy held him captive, his limbs heavy with fatigue. He couldn’t recall feeling this drained yesterday, despite having retired early in high spirits.

Glancing outside, he found solace in the gentle morning breeze and the sway of the plants on his windowsill. The wind chime's soft melody offered some amount of relief, soothing his throbbing head. It was one of the aspects of Mond he cherished most—the comforting embrace of its gentle winds, reminiscent of his mother's touch.

Closing his eye briefly, he savoured the crisp air, collecting his thoughts before resuming his duties.

He closed his eye for a bit. Took in the clean air. Got his thoughts in order.

He opened his eye and sat up. He had work to do after all.

Notes:

OMG!!!
This is my first time so please help me along this journey.
Running outta time.
Thank you so much on clicking on this.
Bye-bye.

Chapter 3: Sun-Kissed Frostbite

Summary:

Kaeya's struggle with exhaustion and mysterious symptoms as he navigates his duties in the city of Favonius.
Is it all in his head?
Is it a coincidence?

Kaeya summoned all his strength and willpower and made his way to the bathroom. His body felt way too hot, discomfort simmering beneath his skin as if etched into his bones. The cold water felt comforting on his skin as it ran down his body, a feeling of distant relief washing over him. It wasn’t enough, but he wasn’t going to complain. Gods, he felt like he could stand under the water the whole day. The soft pressure of the running water on his body did wonders, and his headache subsided a bit.

He sighed, knowing that his duties confined him to his office today. He didn’t know if he could handle the heat and the physical labor. Well, a little bit of luck seems to be on his side.

Getting ready that morning had been yet another challenge in the long line of obstacles Kaeya had faced since waking up. His clothes felt too tight and too constricting. The stupid corset, which wasn’t really a corset but more like a half cloth thingy, felt heavy and irritating. And the fur cape, a symbol of his identity, though unnecessary in the scorching heat, clung to him like a suffocating embrace. He knew he didn’t have to wear it on such a hot day, but he’d feel too exposed without it. This was his armor, his facade, his shield against the prying eyes of the world. He sometimes wondered why he chose to dress like a cryo mage.

He knew why.

Tying his hair up in his usual Kaeya style, he left the comfort of his home and headed for the comfort of his office.

On his way to the Knights of Favonius headquarters, he passed Good Hunter. He did have some thought of buying himself some fruity skewers. With that in mind, he headed towards Sara.

Exhaustion still lingered, and it seemed to have come back with a motive to tire Kaeya out. Too bad, the effects of the shower lasted too short. Climbing the few steps that led to Good Hunter proved to be quite a challenge. His legs felt oddly heavy, and he could already feel himself sweating. The weather certainly wasn’t helping either. Pushing all his thoughts aside, he made his way to Sara.

"Ah, Captain Sara," Kaeya began, his voice a mix of fatigue and practiced charm, the weariness beneath the surface barely concealed by his smooth demeanour.
Still, he managed to put on his charm and smiled through his teeth. He called out to her, and despite the heaviness that weighed upon him, Kaeya summoned every ounce of his strength to maintain his facade, unwilling to let anyone see the cracks that threatened to reveal his vulnerability.

"Always a pleasure to see you. I trust your duties are keeping you busy as ever?" he continued, his tired eyes meeting hers briefly before flickering away to look at the food. Dammit. The mysterious fatigue was already taking its toll, seeping into every crevice of his mind like a relentless poison. He clenched his jaw, determined to keep the facade intact. Weakness was not an option. Not for him. He would never be weak in front of anyone. Never again. Never again. Never again. Never again.

Never again

A wave of disorientation washed over him. What was he thinking? His own thoughts felt like a foreign entity, twisting and turning in ways he couldn't comprehend. He stopped. Just stopped. What on earth was he thinking? His headache flared again more strongly than before. He was stunned at his own thought process. What was happening to him?

The weariness started to weigh heavily on his thoughts.

"Sir Kaeya," Sara replied with a warm smile, oblivious to the subtle hints of fatigue hidden beneath his charismatic facade.

"Always a pleasure to see you. You never fail to brighten up the day with your charm. Is there anything I can assist you with today?" She smiles at him. A smile so genuine Kaeya could feel some of the darkness slip away, and he forced himself to regain some control over his rampant thoughts.

“Your offer is most appreciated, Captain Sara. It is truly my pleasure to have the opportunity to taste your lovely food. After all, it's exactly what one would expect from the best,” his voice carrying a hint of gratitude amidst the weariness that lingered. And a bit of flattery. He couldn't help but return her warm smile, finding solace in her genuine presence amidst his internal struggles.

"Oh, you flatter me too much, Sir Kaeya," Sara replied with a modest chuckle, her cheeks flushing slightly at the praise.

“Might as well. You deserve it. Give yourself some credit.” Kaeya winked, his tone playful yet sincere.

"I believe it’s the usual?" Sara asked, her cheeks still flushed with a smile.

"You know me too well," Kaeya replied with a grin.

With flushed cheeks and a smile, she turned around and got to work.

Even though he was adamant about not letting his mask drop, he couldn’t bring himself to carry on the conversation for long. The weight of his exhaustion bore down on him, and he knew he needed to retreat to the solace of his office soon.

As he watched Sara, gracefully preparing his meal, he felt a shiver wash over him. A prickly sensation of cold crawled around his body. His breath hitched in his chest.

He felt cold.

He. Felt. Cold.

A lump formed in his throat, and he found it difficult to swallow. His heart threatened to leap out of his chest with how fast it was beating.

All the warmth that had surrounded him mere moments ago seemed to have evaporated into thin air, leaving behind a bone-deep chill that seeped into his very being. It was as if the very air around him had turned to ice, freezing him in place with a paralysing fear that threatened to consume him whole.

Desperate to shake off the cold, Kaeya fought to regain control of his trembling limbs, but the chill persisted, its icy tendrils tightening their grip with each passing second. And as he stood there, frozen in place, a sense of dread washed over him, leaving him feeling more alone and vulnerable than ever before.

Notes:

OMG!!!!
I hope you like it.
This chapter is longer than the last and I sincerely hope you enjoy it and I hope I was able to keep you hooked.
Please leave a comment to let me know how you feel about the story so far.
Bye-Bye.

Chapter 4: Frost’s Embrace

Summary:

Kaeya struggles with himself and the sudden cold that creeps up upon hm. Afraid of being vulnerable, he chooses to hide in his office.
Why? Why does he feel cold?
Should be be worried? Afraid?

It is well known that once you acquire a vision, you become resistant to that particular element. It was quite simple actually-a nice perk to go along with.

Kaeya is no exception. He stands as a testament to the symbiotic bond between a vision bearer and their element. Gifted with the power of Cryo, he embodies the very essence of ice itself. His mastery over Cryo has imbued him with a resilience to the cold, even the biting, violent, and unforgiving cold of Dragonspine. While others bundle themselves in layers of fur and wool to stave off the frost's embrace during the harsh winters, Kaeya strides through the snow, unaffected and unharmed. It's a natural extension of his connection to Cryo.

That’s what it was like. That’s what it’s supposed to be like. He’s supposed to be insusceptible to cold. He’s not supposed to feel cold. Especially during the peak of the fucking summer. Not during the middle of one of the worst heatwaves Mond has seen in a while.

It's a haunting feeling, one that defies the very essence of his Cryo affinity. He shouldn't be feeling cold. Yet here he stands, as icy tendrils snake through him, slithering beneath his skin. Twisting and curling around his body, wrapping around his bones and tightening. He knows what it feels like to be cold. He knows very well. He remembers the feeling he hadn't felt since the night he got his vision. Since that night.

(Somewhere, deep in his brain, fragmented images flash: of ice-cold rain beating down on his shoulders, wet cloth clinging to his body as he cries, tears and blood mixed. Then again, the relentless rain and then a phoenix and red and red and red, red, red, red...)

Kaeya snaps out of his delirious thoughts and breathes sharply. His chest burns with the desperate need for oxygen. He had no idea when he’d stopped breathing, so consumed by his thoughts—so deep in his head. His brain jumps into survival mode and scrambles to gain control amidst the chaos that threatens to overwhelm him. In the face of this unexpected vulnerability, Kaeya knows there's only one option: to push forward, to fight against the invasive cold with every ounce of strength he possesses. He knows he is panicking. Okay, Kaeya, you can do this.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

Amidst the cold and the panic that are now threatening to consume his whole self, he hears Sara calling for him. Like muscle memory, like clockwork, his brain and body snap back into habit. The habit he’s formed over the past four years. The ever-deceptive and manipulative Cavalry captain of Mondstadt. His body and brain work on autopilot, and his mouth spits out words before he can even think. He’s caught off-guard by his own self. It's too fast, too automatic—a testament to the depth of the persona he's crafted over the past four years.

For just an instant, the carefully constructed facade wavers, revealing glimpses of the man beneath the mask. Only for a second. He knows Sara won’t notice. He finds reassurance in the fact. But it's a fleeting moment, gone in the blink of an eye as Kaeya wrests control back from the depths of his own mind and the cold. With practiced ease, he smooths over the cracks in his composure, his expression betraying nothing of the internal turmoil that threatens to consume him.

In the end, Kaeya knows that deception is his greatest weapon, a double-edged sword that cuts both ways. And as he stands before Sara, his words ringing hollow even to his own ears, he can't help but wonder: how long can he keep up the charade before the facade crumbles beneath the weight of his own deceit?

----------------------------------------------------

Kaeya had no idea how he’d managed to make his way to the HQ with a breakdown mere seconds away. He’d all but rushed-panic-walked. He’d managed to compose himself in front of other guards and greeted them as usual, and then he’d just locked himself in his office.

He could feel the cold lingering, and he could feel himself shaking slightly, from the cold or the panic, he didn’t know. Now, with the door firmly shut behind him, Kaeya leans against it, his back pressed against the wood. His chest heaves with the exertion of his hurried journey. In this moment, alone with his thoughts and the echoes of his own turmoil, Kaeya allows himself to breathe, if only for a fleeting moment. He feels relief pooling in his stomach. The silence swallows him, like a comforting embrace. Now that he was away from prying and probing eyes, he lets his mask slip. He lets his mask fall and crumble underneath the weight of today’s episode.

FUCK

He’s stronger than this. He's supposed to be stronger than this. He feels ashamed of his own reactions and ashamed of himself. He’s not supposed to be easily affected by, well, anything. And even if he is, he’s supposed to be good at hiding it, tucking it all away in the depths of his mind so far deep that he can’t tell if it’s a facade or not. Pushing it all back, back, back, back. He curses himself for his weakness, for allowing his emotions to spiral out of control in a manner so uncharacteristic of the stoic facade he presents to the world.

He lets the food drop to the ground, near his feet, appetite lost. His stomach twists and turns in awful, awful ways. A wave of nausea crawls up his throat and bile burns its way up. As he stands there, lost in the depths of his torturous mind, he has a moment of realization.

For Kaeya, the realization that he is not as invulnerable as he would like to believe is a bitter pill to swallow.

Notes:

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!
I know it's been a while. I tried to update but just got busy with all the college stuff.
Sorry for the late update.
I hope you enjoiii.
And a very very very deep thanks to all the readers and all the guests.
<3

Chapter 5: A cry for help

Summary:

Kaeya and his dreams.

Kaeya, with his carefully constructed persona , always thought that he was untouchable. Deep down he knew it was a lie. But, over the course of four years, the web of deceit he spun, the persona he meticulously crafted and paraded before the world, all of it—somewhere along the way—became so twisted and real.

He’d put on such a good show, that he'd managed to fool himself.

But, as the cold wrapped more and more around his limbs, his masks began to break and shatter.

Fatigue crept into his mind, wrapping it in a suffocating haze. His vision blurred, the sound of his own harsh breathing reduced to a distant, monotonous buzz. Thoughts that once raced through his mind came to a sluggish halt. The feeling drained from his limbs, replaced by a cold, deadening sensation.

Everything went numb.

With the cold breaking him apart from the inside, he slips away into darkness.

----------------------------------------------------

In his dreams as a child, Kaeya used to see a woman. Her neck was twisted at an odd angle, nearly touching her left shoulder, her hair was wild and frayed. Her arms lied stiff and tight at her sides. She wore an old, tattered dress, the hem torn and damaged, ending at her calves.
Whenever he saw her he could feel the terror and fear seep deep into his bones and etch deep into his core.
And every time he saw her, he could wake up screaming and crying, thrashing and his body seizing in terror.

The dreams began with his arrival at the Dawn Winery, and they did not cease even after his departure. They stayed and haunted him relentlessly. With time he dreamed less of the bent-neck lady and more of the darkness that consumed his heart. Sometimes she would come back to haunt him in his dreams but those were scarce now (though he still woke up drenched in sweat and tears in his starry eye).

It had been a while since he’d dreamed of, well, anything. But now, as he lay unconscious on his own damn office floor, with his back slumped against the door, unable to move, paralysed and only able to see his feet, which lay in front of him, he saw her.

His vision was still hazy, but he knew.

His breathing was ragged, but he knew.

His mind was still numb, but he knew.

There, just by his feet, another pair of decaying feet and an old tattered dress came into view. He could only see the hem of the dress, but it was enough. The same dress that was etched and carved into his memory, something even alcohol couldn’t make him forget.
He felt like a small child. He wanted to cry and scream for help but only a void and desperate breath managed to escape. He wanted to scream for his father, the one who had taught him to live not survive.

So he did, he pleaded for help, cried for the comfort of a dead father.

Notes:

Hiiee guys, I know it's been a long while but here is the chapter.
And yes, it's the same bent-neck lady from the Haunting of Hill House hehe.
It's not a crossover but I liked the idea and wanted to add that element into the story.
For now the bent-neck lady is going to remain a mystery for both you guys and my dear Kaeya.
With love, author.

Chapter 6: Frost in my heart

Summary:

A deep dive into Kaeya's mind and his thoughts about his vision and a peek into his cryo abilities.

Kaeya was drifting between the realms of dreaming and reality, aware of being awake but felt simultaneously asleep. Everything felt disoriented and a wave of nausea began to creep up his throat. Slowly, he began to come back to his senses and the dreamy state began to dissolve into the harshness of reality.

He realized he was still slumped against his office door. Moving his body felt like a chore, so he just lay there, motionless. Every muscle felt stiff and his joints ached. His back was killing him and his neck would be a source of agony for the next week. The discomfort made him snap back to reality as the memories of what got him into this pathetic state began to pour into his mind.

His eyes snapped open and ignoring every aching joint and muscle, he frantically scrambled to his feet, nearly face-planting himself to the floor. He looked around with wild eyes, crazed and filled with a terror so familiar.

The dream.

The remnants of his dream still fresh in his mind. He scanned the room, desperately searching for the source of his dread, a cold sweat forming on his brow. The lingering fear from his dream clung to him, refusing to release its grip. It had been so long. He couldn’t even remember the last time he saw her.

The panic he felt mere seconds ago now turned into a deep and suffocating hopelessness. He felt chained to the darkness of his dreams and his body slowly drowning with the weight of chains that weren’t even real. The shadows in his mind taunted and mocked for even entertaining the thought that he could ever be free of her.

It felt an old and deep wound had been opened again and it hurt. As the memories of her poured into his mind, he spiralled. He sank back down, leaning against the door and stared off into nothingness. His mind was in total chaos and he didn’t know what to do. So, with no solution to his predicament he gave in and let his mind consume his heart.

The room felt colder and he could feel a thin layer of frost forming at his fingertips and beneath his feet. Unlike other vision holders, Kaeya didn’t have full control of his vision. He knew how to use it to his advantage but sometimes the icy power had a will of his own, often responding to his deepest emotions rather than his conscious commands.
The ice that formed was not just a manifestation of his vision but a reflection of his inner turmoil, unpredictable and closely tied to his emotional state.

His vision was different. Unlike other Mondstadt-style visions which commonly had three wings gracing the gift of the Gods, Kaeya’s vision was different (if you put it in a nice way). His vision had only two wings, the third wing being clipped. It was a statement written in stone, a silent decree that he would never truly belong in the land of wind and wine.

He would never be free in the land of freedom.

Just like the scars of his past, the scars of fire and claymore, the clipped wing was a scar too. A constant reminded of his outsider status. Flawed and defected just like him.

Thinking about his clipped vision gave him an out, an escape. His mind drifted to anything and everything just to avoid the elephant in the room. He though and thought, letting his mind wander through a maze of memories and distractions, sinking deeper and deeper into his thoughts.

His eyes drifted over to his desk. A pile of paperwork, some uneaten snacks and a half empty cup of tea. He’d been out for a week on field duty, doing commissions left and right and now a pile of unfinished work sat on his desk, demanding his attention.

Thinking about paperwork made his mind drift off to Jean. Poor soul, working tirelessly day and night for her city and her people and doing it with grace and elegance. Despite her exhaustion, she never let it show. Kaeya admired her dedication but also envied her. There she was, managing a city with such grace and then there was him. Cavalry Captain Kaeya, with no cavalry to lead. He felt pathetic, sitting in his own office and breaking down over a dream.

Jean's ability to maintain her composure and strength in the face of relentless pressure made him feel even more inadequate. He often wondered how she managed to carry the weight of her responsibilities with such poise, while he struggled to keep his own emotions in check. Kaeya's thoughts spiraled as he compared himself to her. He couldn't help but feel like a fraud, a captain in title only.

Sitting there, surrounded by a pile of unfinished work, he felt a sting and couldn’t bear the thought of putting more work onto Jean’s shoulders. So, he steeled his nerves and took a deep breath. He had mastered the art of appearing confident and in control, but inside, he was just as vulnerable and lost as anyone else. But for now, he put on his mask and a cracked persona and tricked his mind into focusing on the task at hand.

With aching limbs, he made his way over to his desk and sat down. Not sparing a second to what just occurred and shutting his mind down.
Picking up the first document from the pile. He forced himself to concentrate on the words in front of him, using the routine of paperwork to ground himself. Each stroke of the pen, each signature and note, became a small anchor pulling him back to reality. The cold, impersonal nature of the paperwork was a welcome distraction from the chaos within.

If someone were to come into his office, they wouldn’t suspect a thing. They would only see their captain doing his paperwork diligently. The only evidence left behind was the frost by the door, already beginning to melt and soon evaporate, leaving no trace of it’s existence.
Other evidence being the cold temperature of the room; no-one would bat an eye over it, him being a cryo vision holder and all.

Though the frost on his fingers persisted.

Notes:

So, in this fic I have portrayed the visions being stronger than they are in game. Kaeya's powers are like those in the manga.
And unlike other vision holders he doesn't have full control over his powers. So yea, and Elsa moment for Kaeya in this chapter lol.

Chapter 7: The unseen threat - 1

Summary:

Kaeya, after a long day, meets with Jean, who reveals troubling intel about the Springvale incident. Jean suspects a larger threat behind recent events, suggesting that Kaeya himself might have been the target of an orchestrated attack.

Kaeya sighed as he signed yet another document, placing it atop the growing pile of completed paperwork. After hours of reading, re-reading, and signing what seemed like endless paperwork, he finally put his quill down and carefully closed the ink bottle.

He was halfway through his work and decided to take a break. Leaning back in his chair, neck still stiff from his earlier...episode, he stretched his fingers and began massaging them. His back was still sore, and he felt as if someone had placed iron weights on his shoulders.

He took a moment to breathe and stretched out his limbs, relishing in the pops and cracks of his bones. With his legs stretched out under his desk, he began to roll his ankles and tilted his head backward.

The huge stained glass window came into view, depicting some piece of Mondstadt history. The various colors reflected off the window, and the depictions glowed under the noon sun, each and every detail visible and carved to perfection. He would often stare at it and get lost in its beauty.

The colors reflected off the window, casting a serene spell over the room. Everything was still and quiet, enveloped in a peaceful aura. Everything felt peaceful. Now, Kaeya was no fool; if he got a moment of peace, he would gladly bask in it. With the peace and quiet haze that enveloped him, he found himself drifting off to sleep. The earlier episode and then the paperwork had taken a lot out of him. With a sigh, he closed his eyes. Just as the wisps of sleep began to whisk him away, the stillness of his surroundings was interrupted by three sharp and loud knocks.

Noelle.

During his time as the Cavalry Captain, he’d managed to learn some quirks and habits of his co-workers. It was all in pure fun, but the knowledge served him well in some instances, just like this one. He knew about their knock patterns, their ways of walking, body movements, hand gestures—you name it, he knew it. He liked to think—fool himself>, really—that it was all just subconscious, but deep down, he knew the reason all too well.

He ran an icy cold hand over his face and schooled his expression before answering.

“Do come in, dear Noelle.”

With that, the door to his office opened and in came Noelle, along with a cart full of snacks and tea.

“Ah, you must be on lunch duty this week,” he smiled at her. Such a diligent knight. Noelle always made him smile, be it her caring nature or her determination to become a knight. Her hard work and good-natured personality were her defining traits.

“Good afternoon, Captain Kaeya,” Noelle greeted, her voice as cheerful as ever. “Yes, I’m on lunch duty this week,” she added as she glanced down at the cart full of food—some fruity skewers, biscuits, and tea.

“Wednesday’s lunch is something I look forward to the most during the week,” Kaeya confessed with a playful grin, but never failing to show genuine appreciation.

“Though that’s not the only reason for my visit,” she continued, a slight blush dusting her cheeks as she gently rolled the cart towards his desk. Instinctively, he began to clear the space, making room as he helped her put the food down.

“Let me guess,” Kaeya mused, pretending to actually ponder the thought. “Is Master Jean requesting my presence?”

His tone was playful, and he chuckled as he saw her startled expression.

“You guessed correctly, Captain,” she admitted with a nod. “Master Jean was indeed asking for you. She asked me to inform you during lunch. She has requested your presence as soon as you’re available.”

“Well, thank you, Noelle, for the delicious lunch and for delivering the message. I must say, I am proud to have such a hard-working young lady under the knights’ training. I can see the future is in good hands.” He complimented her, meaning every single word. He knew she’d been working hard for a long time to get accepted into the Knights and needed the encouragement.

Noelle's eyes brightened at his words, her heart swelling with pride at the praise. She offered him a small, earnest bow. "Thank you, Captain Kaeya. That means a lot coming from you."

“Don’t thank me, Noelle," Kaeya replied with a warm smile, his voice carrying a note of sincerity. "I’m just stating the facts.”

He leaned back slightly, his gaze steady and reassuring. "Your hard work and dedication speak for themselves."

"Then I’ll be sure to work even harder," Noelle responded, determination shining through her eyes as she looked up at him with a bright smile. "It feels good to know that you're proud of me, Captain."

“Don’t work too hard, though, kiddo,” Kaeya advised with a playful grin. “Remember to be a kid sometimes, too. Even the most diligent knights need a little time to relax and enjoy life.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said as she began to roll the cart away. “Now I won’t keep you much longer. Please enjoy your lunch and have a good day, Captain.”

She offered him a warm, sincere smile before turning to leave, the quiet confidence in her stride echoing her commitment and respect.

"Good day to you too, Noelle," Kaeya called after her, his voice carrying a note of genuine warmth.

He watched as she left, and as the door shut close, he found himself smiling softly. He had had a god-awful day, but this small interaction had lifted his spirits, and the thought of finally, finally getting to eat was pure joy. He’d skipped dinner the previous night, and the thought of eating breakfast this morning after everything made his stomach churn. Briefly, his eyes drifted to the bag of food he’d got from Good Hunter. It lay by the door, tucked near the foot of a plant. He was relieved Noelle hadn’t spotted it.

He didn’t let his thoughts linger and snapped out of the spiral he was beginning to enter.

He glanced back down at the food and happily began munching away.

He did have an idea why Jean wanted to talk to him. Last week, during his weekly training session with the kids of Mondstadt, something had gone awry. The session, usually filled with laughter and energetic drills, had taken an unexpected turn. It wasn’t too bad; no one had gotten hurt, but it did startle some villagers of Springvale. The knights had investigated and resolved resolved the matter within a day but he knew Jean wanted to talk about it personally. They weren't able to talk or meet like they casually did every once in a while, due to their schedules not overlapping and the past couple of days were quiet hectic.

For now, though, he set his mind on enjoying the lunch Noelle had provided, savoring the brief respite before diving into whatever awaited him.

---

Knock
Knock

Kaeya knocked on Jean’s office door. He’d eaten his lunch and was loving the feeling of a full stomach after not eating for a while.

“Come in.” Jean’s voice called out, soft and muffled.

Kaeya pushed open the door and stepped into Jean’s office. The fragrance of dandelion incense filled his nose.

“Grand Master Jean, you requested my presence.”

“Acting Grand Master, Captain Kaeya. How many times do I have to correct you?” Jean’s voice held a touch of exasperation, though he could sense the softness and playfulness behind those eyes.

“And how many times do I have to correct you?” Kaeya teased. “It’s Kaeya for you. Not Captain Kaeya or Sir Kaeya.”

He laughed as she got up, rolling her eyes at his antics. She made her way to the sofa and gestured for him to follow.

Kaeya’s smile widened as he crossed the room to join her. "An invitation to relax with the Grand Master? How could I refuse?"

An exasperated sigh left Jean’s lips at the title, and she shook her head, the corners of her mouth twitching as she fought back a smile. "You don’t ever let up, do you?"

"Never," Kaeya replied with a mischievous glint in his eye. "It’s part of my charm."

“Is it now? Or do you do this just to annoy me?” Jean shot back, raising an eyebrow as she settled onto the sofa.

Kaeya followed suit, sinking into the soft cushions with a content sigh. The warm meal had soothed his aching muscles and strains, but he could feel the exhaustion sinking into his bones.

“Maybe a bit of both,” he teased, his voice softened by the comfort of the moment. He stretched out, his joints popping in response.

Lazily, he rolled his head sideways to look at Jean. Her eyes softened. The softness in her eyes did not sit well with him as he remembered his thoughts and everything else. He turned his head to face the ceiling and sighed.

Jean was his safe place. After...that night. She’d done everything in her power to help him get back up. She’d done so much for him, more than he ever felt he deserved. He felt an ugly feeling of guilt crawl around in his chest. With Jean, he didn’t have to feel so guarded and on edge. He could let go, even if it was just a little. He could let go.

And that meant he could feel just a bit human. Not a perfect knight or a spy. Just a human. She’d seen his everything. The good, the bad. The burns and scars.

The room was quiet. He could feel Jean’s eyes on him, gaze steady and unyielding, burning holes. He knew why she’d called him in, but he didn’t understand the informal setting. The fragrance of the dandelion incense, the dull buzz of the afternoon added to the peace of the moment.

He didn’t know when he’d closed his eyes, but he snapped them open as he felt a gentle, gloved hand settle on his forehead. A gentle breeze of Anemo washed over him, bringing him back to the present moment. He turned to look at Jean. There she sat, with a concerned expression on her face, and those gray-blue eyes looked at him so, so softly that he felt himself leaning into the touch.

“You know you can tell me anything, right?” Jean’s voice was gentle, yet sincere.

Kaeya looked at her, and for a moment he felt the words crawl up his throat—ready to spill. He swallowed thickly and averted his gaze. He took a deep breath and composed himself.

“I know, Jeanie, I know.” He swallowed again. “I...I just had a bad dream, that’s all.” He admitted. After the whole crappy morning and everything, he felt exhausted. He knew he could lean on Jean, but he also knew his limits. He would never allow himself to speak of his truths or his burdens. But with Jean, because of everything, he felt like he owed her. Straight-out lying to her felt wrong, so he often opted for half-truths and white lies. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Jean—he did, more than anyone else. It was just that some parts of his truth felt too heavy to share.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jean asked softly. She knew he suffered from nightmares, so this wasn’t news to her, having witnessed the episodes with her own eyes.

Kaeya looked at her; the question hung heavy in the air. Jean’s eyes filled with hope, a silent plea for him to open up, and his eyes were full of guilt, a deep remorse for the hope he was about to disappoint.

Jean knew the answer before he answered, but that hope in her eyes didn’t turn into disappointment, just acceptance. She’d accepted his answer and just smiled at him.

“It’s okay,” she said softly, her voice as soothing as her Anemo swirling around his body and relieving him of his pain. “You don’t have to share everything right now. I’m here for you, no matter what.”

Kaeya met her gaze, seeing the acceptance in her eyes. It was a relief to know that she didn’t expect more than he could give at the moment. The guilt he had felt began to fade, replaced by a deep sense of gratitude for her understanding.

“Thank you, Jean,” he said quietly, sincerely. She just smiled and withdrew her hand.

“So what did you want to talk about?” Kaeya asked, shifting his focus to her. He watched her carefully, noting the subtle change in her demeanor as she leaned back against the cushions. Concern painted her face.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you,” she began, her tone serious. Kaeya’s brow furrowed slightly. He had anticipated where their conversation might turn, but he had hoped for a more casual shift in focus. He sat up a bit straighter, giving her his full attention.

“Is this about the Springvale incident?”

At the mention of the village name, Jean sat up straight, hands resting on her legs as she turned to look at Kaeya with a newfound seriousness. The reaction troubled and confused Kaeya. To Kaeya, the incident at Springvale, while troublesome, didn’t seem to warrant such a serious response.

“Yes,” she said, her voice steady but carrying an edge of concern. “The Springvale incident has been weighing heavily on me.”

“Jean?” Kaeya asked, his voice tinged with concern. “I know the incident was troublesome, but is there something more to this that I’m not aware of? I thought that the investigation was stiil going on.”

“That’s what I thought. I thought everything was taken care of and under wraps which it still is, but I received some concerning intel today.”

Kaeya’s brow furrowed in concern. “Concerning intel? What kind of information are we talking about?”

Jean took a deep breath, her gaze unwavering. “The information suggests that the Springvale incident might not have been an isolated occurrence. There are indications that it could be part of a larger pattern or strategy. I’m worried that there might be underlying motives or threats that we haven’t fully uncovered.”

Jean’s expression grew even more serious as she continued.

“Last night, a group of knights were patrolling the village. One of them was injured and hasn’t woken up since.”

Kaeya leaned in, his attention fully captured. “What happened?” He had a bad feeling about this. His gut twisted with unease.

Jean’s expression darkened. “According to the statements from the other knights, everything was going as planned during their patrol. However, just as they were about to switch their locations, they heard some commotion in the woods near the entrance of the village. Three of them went to investigate, and two stayed behind. According to those two, they waited for a long time, but those three didn’t come back.”

Kaeya’s concern deepened. “So, the knights who went to investigate never returned?”

Jean nodded, her eyes troubled. “Yes. When the two knights who stayed behind realized something was wrong, they went looking for their comrades. They found one of them injured but unconscious, and the other two were also unconscious but unharmed. The injured knight was brought back to the city, but he hasn’t woken up since.”

Kaeya’s mind raced. “This sounds like a planned ambush. Whoever did this knew that the patrol was about to change shifts and used that opportunity to strike. They might have been waiting for the right moment to attack.”

Jean’s gaze was disturbed, more than before. “Exactly. The attackers knew the patrol schedule and exploited it. But there’s more.”

Kaeya’s curiosity was piqued. “What do you mean?”

Jean took a long, deep breath before speaking.

“Remember what happened with you and the kids last week? We all assumed that whoever or whatever it was that attacked them, you know... just because. To scare us or for the heck of it. But now i think otherwise.”

Kaeya’s eyes widened in surprise. “You think so? But why would anyone target the kids? There was no motive or so we thought apparently.”

“I think the kids weren’t the target, Kaeya.”

Jean shook her head. She took a long, deep breath once again before speaking, her voice trembling slightly with the weight of what she was about to say.

“I think the target was you, Kaeya.”

The whole world seemed to stop. The words hung in the air, heavy and laden with the gravity of their implication.

Notes:

Pleaseee do comment and tell me how do you like it.
I am so sorry for the abisimal late update but here it is. To make up to you guys I made the chapter longer than usual and I am hoping to maintain this word limit.
Have a good day <3
Do comment!!!

Also this chapter is slightly edited just some dialogues that fit in better with the rest of the chapters.

Chapter 8: The unseen threat - 2

Summary:

In this chapter, Kaeya and the teens—Bennett, Fischl, and Razor—enjoy a playful and chaotic day by the pond in Springvale, filled with laughter and mud fights. As evening falls, Kaeya’s sense of duty is triggered by a commotion in the village, prompting him to check on the situation while asking the teens to stay behind and stay safe.

*What Happened at Springvale - 1*

“OUCHHHH!!!!”

Kaeya swiftly turned around to find Bennett sprawled out face-first on the ground, struck down again by his terrible luck. He couldn’t help but laugh at the boy’s condition. The scene was almost too predictable.

Still chuckling, he made his way over to the fallen adventurer and extended a hand. “Oh Benny, what misfortune befell you this time?”
Taking his hand, Bennett pushed himself up.

“I don’t know. This stupid rock just came out of nowhere. I swear it wasn’t there just a second,” Bennett groaned, glaring at the rock as if it had intentionally tripped him, the look almost accusatory.

Kaeya, trying to stifle another laugh, glanced at the rock, then back at Bennett. “It does have that ‘out to get you’ vibe, doesn’t it?” he teased.

Bennett groaned loudly, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Don’t tease me right now, Captain. I swear it’s the rock’s fault. I swear on Lord Barbatos.” He gave another murderous look to that rock before turning to face him. His expression grew more comical as he realized that the Captain was still laughing at him.

“I’m not joking! It just jumped out of nowhere. One second I’m fine, and the next, boom, face in the dirt.”

Kaeya chuckled, trying to keep a straight face. “Alright, alright. I believe you, Benny. It’s clearly the rock’s fault, and I’m sure Barbatos would agree. We’ll be more careful from now on.”

“I will be. I won’t let more rocks trip me over.” Bennett nodded, eyes shining with determination. He gave one last glare to the offending rock as if warning it to stay in its place, before marching over to where Razor and Fischl were sitting by the lake.

Kaeya couldn’t help but laugh at the boy’s antics. “That’s the spirit. Just keep an eye out—those rocks can be sneaky.”

“CAPTAINNN! Stop teasing meee!” Bennett cried out, his face flushing a deep red with embarrassment. He turned to Kaeya, his voice somewhere between a whine and a plea, clearly flustered by the playful banter.

Kaeya laughed, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright! I’ll give you a break… for now,” he said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Bennett just shook his head, smiling softly at the Captain’s antics. Without another word, he turned away from Kaeya and walked over to the small pond, where Razor and Fischl were already settled, playing in the water and seeking comfort from the blazing sun.

Chuckling softly, Kaeya also made his way towards the three teens. Fischl and Razor, with their shoes off, were relaxing in the cool water of the pond. Meanwhile, Bennett was sitting on the edge of the pond, struggling with his shoes. He fumbled with the laces, failing to undo them. He harshly pulled and tugged at the laces, but to no avail.

Something tugged at his heart seeing the young boy struggle with his shoes. The sight brought a wave of nostalgia, and he couldn’t help but remember a young red-headed, hyperactive pyro-wielding boy. The memories flashed through his mind as quickly as they had appeared.

He sighed wistfully before crouching down beside the boy and wordlessly taking over the task. His hands gently untangled and loosened the knots. Bennett awkwardly hovered his hands around before placing them back on the ground and letting Kaeya untangle and loosen the knots. Soon the laces were undone. Gently, Kaeya took the shoes off the boy’s feet and looked at him, smiling softly.

“You mustn’t hurry so much, Benny. The most important quality a young adventurer like you must possess is patience. Okay?” He spoke softly, his voice full of love and care for the young boy.

Bennett listened, nodding slowly as he took in the words. Despite his young age and his terrible luck, Bennett was a special and gifted child. Kaeya adored the young adventurer. Bennett, no matter how hard things got, always kept his head held high, and most importantly, he was a diligent learner, always eager to improve and grow despite the obstacles he faced. Also, he reminded Kaeya of someone he used to know.

“Rushing only leads to mistakes and frustrations,” Kaeya continued, offering a reassuring smile. “Take your time, and you’ll find things often go much smoother.”
Bennett’s eyes softened with understanding. “Got it, Captain. I’ll remember that.”

With the laces finally untangled and the shoes free, Kaeya set them aside and looked up at Bennett with a warm smile. “There you go. Now go enjoy the water with your friends.”

With that, the boy stood up, gave a charming smile to the Captain before rushing over to his friends and joining them in the water.

“Let’s have a fish-catching competition!” Bennett yelled enthusiastically and approached his friends. The two teens turned to look at him, and as luck would have it, the poor boy ended up slipping and falling face-first in the shallow water again.

Fischl and Razor paid no mind to the boy’s predicament, already used to his countless accidents. They laughed as the boy emerged from the water, cheeks flushed and hair sticking to his forehead.

Razor’s eyes filled with mirth before he burst into a hearty laugh. “Benny fell!!”

Fischl stifled a giggle, her hand covering her mouth as she tried to maintain her regal composure. “Ah, brave adventurer, it appears the pond has claimed you. Fear not, for such minor trials are but a test of your spirit.”

Bennett huffed as he got up. “I am glad my misfortune entertains my friends so much,” he said, his tone a mix of mock annoyance and genuine resignation. Both Fischl and Razor paid no mind to his comment and continued to laugh.

Kaeya, who had been watching from the shore, couldn’t hold back his laughter. “I see the pond’s also got it out for you, Benny. Looks like it’s in a competition with the rock.”
Bennett’s head snapped in Kaeya’s direction, his expression one of exaggerated betrayal. “Captain! You’re supposed to be on my side!”

“Oh, you ill-fated adventurer,” Fischl declared with her usual dramatic flair. “I see the forces of nature have come together to plot against you. Fear not, for the Prinzessin der Verurteilung shall lend you her wisdom and guidance.”

“Razor too. Razor, help Benny against nature. Pond and rock” Razor chimed in with a toothy grin, pulling the boy’s leg.

“Yes, wolf boy. Together we shall help Bennett overcome the evil forces of nature and uncover their—AHHH!!!”

A splash echoed around them, and before anyone could react, Fischl found herself face full of mud and moss. Bennett cackled mischievously and with a hint of evil. The group erupted in laughter—Bennett, Kaeya, and Razor all struggling to contain their amusement as they looked at Fischl’s dramatic predicament. Her eyes grew wide with shock, and for a moment, she just stood there before launching into her dramatic monologue.

“You fool!!!! How dare you—” Fischl’s dramatic reprimand was abruptly cut off by another ball of mud flying through the air, hitting her squarely in the face. Fischl sputtered and spat out the remnants of mud from her mouth, her face a picture of both exasperation and indignation. The sight of Bennett's uncontrollable laughter only seemed to fuel her irritation.

“STOP THAT THIS INSTANT!” she commanded.

“HAHAHA MAKE MEEE.” With that heroic declaration, Bennett launched himself towards her, hands full of mud.

Eyes widening in shock, Fischl hurriedly tried to get away from Bennett but ended up slipping and crashing into Razor. The two teens went down in a splash, tumbling into the shallow water with a resounding splash.

Bennett’s laughter, already out of control, erupted anew at the sight of Fischl and Razor, now both soaked and floundering in the pond. Razor glared at the adventurer and, before Bennett could launch another ball of mud, he pulled at the boy’s legs and, with an undignified shriek, Bennett also joined the two in the water.

Kaeya, witnessing the entire sequence of mishaps, couldn’t help but burst into laughter himself. “Well, it seems like nature has decided to even the playing field!”

And with that, the group erupted into chaos. Mud balls flew left and right.

Kaeya looked fondly at the group of teens, now shrieking with laughter and playfully splashing each other in the pond. Watching Bennett, Fischl, and Razor enjoying themselves, Kaeya felt a deep sense of fulfillment and contentment.
As he watched them continue their playful antics, Kaeya sat down beside the pond, a relaxed smile on his face. The sun cast a warm, golden hue over the scene, and he felt the gentle breeze ruffling his hair. The cool breeze soothed his exhaustion.

Once a week, Kaeya made it a point to take the three teens—Bennett, Fischl, and Razor—out for their regular sparring, training, and adventuring session. All three of them had visions and were young. Therefore, they were in danger of not being able to control their vision due to lack of experience and uncontrollable teenage emotions.

After the three of them caused a lot more damage than good, Jean had tasked the Knights to train the young vision holders. But the training had seemed uneventful. Due to that, Kaeya had stepped up as their teacher. He had no cavalry to captain, and he had days in the week where it was required for him to be on field duty.
So the tradition began. On his less busy days, Kaeya would take the teens out with him. Just like today. He had mostly small commissions to do during the day and was relatively free. On this day, the main work began after dusk.

They had made their way to Springvale early in the morning, taking a detour from Windrise. They had stopped there for a while, fought some hilichurls, and had a sparring session. He’d helped Fischl with the bow, her aim and her stance. With Razor, he’d shown him how to properly balance the weight of a claymore. To Bennett, he’d taught his Ceremonial Bladework.
The day was quite eventful and it was now nearing evening. He was done with his commissions, the kids were happy, all that was left to do was the work at night. But before that, he wanted to relax.

As the sun dipped lower, the sky painted with hues of orange and pink, Kaeya took a deep breath of the cool evening air. He appreciated these quiet moments filled with laughter at the end of a busy day.

Sighing softly, Kaeya took a moment to look around at the breathtaking landscape of Mondstadt. The gentle breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass, and the distant sounds of laughter, the village behind him, the slight buzz of windmills rotating—all of this added to the peace of the moment.

But, in Kaeya’s life, peace did not last long.

He heard a commotion break out behind him in the village. His instincts as a Knight of Favonius kicked in immediately, and he swiftly stood up, his expression shifting from serene to alert.

He glanced towards the village, where the sounds of shouting and clattering could be heard growing louder. His gaze then turned to the teens—Bennett, Fischl, and Razor—who were still engrossed in their playful banter and games. They seemed unaware of the disturbance, their laughter echoing through the evening air.

“Hey, you three!” Kaeya called out, trying to get their attention without alarming them too much. “Something’s going on in the village. Stay here and keep safe.”

Bennett looked up, his playful expression turning to one of concern. “What’s happening, Captain?”

“There’s no need to worry for now,” Kaeya replied, trying to keep his tone calm. “Just stay put and be ready in case I need to call for your help. I’ll check it out and make sure everything is okay.”

Fischl, sensing the change in the atmosphere, stood up with a look of determination. “If there’s trouble, the Prinzessin der Verurteilung is ready to assist.”

Razor, already on his feet, nodded in agreement. “Let us help, Captain.”

Kaeya appreciated their readiness but knew it was best for them to remain out of immediate danger. “Not just yet. I need you to stay here and keep an eye out. I’ll be back as soon as I’ve assessed the situation.”

With a final reassuring glance at the teens, Kaeya turned and made his way towards the village. His mind was already running through possible scenarios, and he hoped it was nothing too serious.

Notes:

Omg I can't believe I did it. So fast update. I made Kaeya suffer in last chapters so here is some fluff before it all goes down. HEHE.
Please I would like all the feedback I can get to keep going and keep improving.

Chapter 9: The unseen threat - 3

Summary:

Fire, smoke and burns. Kaeya not only has to deal with a house on fire but also his past trauma.

Kaeya jogged rest of the way to the village. As he got closer, louder the commotion got. Panicked voices of the villagers reached his ears. He acrid smell of smoke and gunpowder hit his nose, making his eyes water. He blinked rapidly to clear his sight and saw smoke rising above a rooftop. The sight alarmed his senses and he increased his pace.

Kaeya’s eyes soon fell upon the scene of destruction. A small house was on fire, rooftop already swallowed by flames and those very flames threatened to devour the houses nearby too.
Several villagers were gathered, some shouting in panic, while some attempting to put out the flames.

Kaeya’s mind jumped into action. Without hesitation he pushed past the villagers and jumped into action.

Kaeya pushed past the gathering crowd, his eyes narrowing as he quickly assessed the situation. The fire was spreading rapidly, licking the walls of the nearby homes.

With no time to lose, he shouted, "Everyone, move back! Get away from the fire!" His voice cut through the panic, and several villagers began to retreat, giving him space to act.

Kaeya's eyes flickered to the villagers who were hurriedly gathering buckets of water and mud, clearly ready to assist despite the panic. Their resolve gave him a sense of relief.
Good he had assistance. A plan was already forming in his mind as the flames reached higher.

"You there!" Kaeya called to the villagers hauling water, his voice firm but calm. "Focus on dousing the walls of the nearby houses. Stop the fire from spreading any further."
The villagers immediately sprang into action, their movements becoming more coordinated. Some dashed to the nearest well, buckets in hand, while others began slapping mud onto the walls to fortify them against the heat.

With the thought of preventing the fire from spreading, Kaeya’s mind settled on his next step. His focus shifted back to the heart of the flames, and with a steady breath, he called upon his cryo vision. The familiar, comforting cold surged through him, pooling in his palm before exploding into icy shards.

Frost began to spread, a barrier if ice fighting against the flames. Steam billowed up, making things difficult to see but he pushed through. The frost would only do so much. He needed to get closer and use frost-gnaw on a larger scale.

"Keep the water coming!" he called back to the villagers, his eyes scanning the fire. With the nearby houses now protected, his cryo could focus on attacking the blaze directly.
He made his forward. He could feel the heat. He could feel the heat.

The heat. It was unbearable now. It surrounded him, suffocating and oppressive. He could feel it—blistering warmth against his skin, the acrid smoke filling his lungs. His breath quickened. Heat. Fire. Warmth. Burns. His chest tightened. His heart began to race, each beat pounding loudly in his ears.

His heart thrummed and panic rose. He swallowed his anxiety and panic and tried to focus the task at hand.

No. Not now. Panic began to rise within him, clawing at the edges of his mind. Memories, flashes of fire and loss, flickered in the back of his thoughts, threatening to consume him. He squeezed his eyes shut for just a moment, trying to block it out, but the scorching heat pulled him back into the present. He felt trapped in a cage of fire and steam. He felt disconnected from the world. He felt like.....four years ago.

He swallowed hard, forcing down the growing anxiety as sweat dripped down his brow. Focus, Kaeya. Focus. He couldn't afford to falter now. The villagers needed him, and this was no time to let fear control him. He had to keep moving, keep fighting.

One. Two. Three.

Kaeya forced his mind to switch to autopilot, blocking out the panic, the memories, the relentless heat. He narrowed his focus to the task at hand. Move. Freeze. Freeze. Freeze.

His hands glowed with an icy blue aura as he called upon his cryo powers. He focused every ounce of his energy on his hands, directing it toward his Frost-gnaw. With a swift flick of his wrists, he unleashed rapid, sharp blasts of ice. One. Two. Three.

The freezing winds from his Frost-gnaw shot out, cutting through the blaze with rapid precision. Each blast hissed and sizzled against the raging flames, freezing the fire in its tracks. The heat clashed against the cold, steam rising as the ice clung to the flames, slowly suffocating them.

Kaeya moved with purpose, unleashing shot after shot, pushing the inferno back. His power fought the fire, beating it into submission. The flames weakened, their ferocity waning as the icy blasts swallowed them.

His ice reached higher, each shot stronger and larger than before, engulfing the flames. His cryo energy built with every blast, expanding in range and intensity. The flames, once ferocious and wild, were steadily beaten back by the cold, losing their strength against the relentless force of Kaeya's power.
Kaeya didn’t let up, pushing past the strain, until the blaze began to die, flickering out under the relentless force of his cryo.

With each new strike, the ice crept higher, smothering the blaze from all angles. The heat that had once overwhelmed him was now dissipating, replaced by a sharp chill. The strain in his muscles grew, but he ignored it, focused entirely on the task at hand.

The steam and fire cage that once trapped him, dissipated and thinned out. The fire slowly began to die out, surrendering to his cryo and as the steam thinned out the villagers rushed to help him. With the last few shots of his cryo and the villagers rushed forward to help him. With last of their combined efforts, a few shots of cryo and a few buckets of water the fire finally died out.

Cheers erupted among the villagers as the final flicker of fire succumbed to the cold. Kaeya lowered his hands, breathing heavily, the icy aura around him dissipating. He felt a rush of relief wash over him, the tension in his muscles easing as the immediate danger passed.

He didn’t allow his mind to wander to his previous thoughts. Instead, he adjusted his focus, shifting his persona to that of a perfect knight. Kaeya stepped into the role of a perfect Cavalry Captain.

“Gather round, everyone!” he called, his voice steady and authoritative. “Let’s ensure that no one is left behind and that those who need aid receive it first! I will send for reinforcements and call for healers. Until that time, be assured that we will get through this together!”

“Thank you Captain. You saved us just in time. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t come. We did send for reinforcements but I don’t know what happened. No one came.”
Kaeya turned to face the villager, whose expression was a mixture of relief and lingering fear. “I’m glad I could be here when you needed me,” he replied, his tone reassuring. “But what did you mean about sending someone for help?”.

The villager hesitated for a moment, their gaze drifting to the charred remains of the house. “Yes, we sent a man—Abe. We dispatched him as soon as the fire began to spiral out of control. It has been quite a while, and the help never arrived. When you came, we thought the knights had finally arrived, but then we realized it was just you.”

Kaeya's brow furrowed, concern etching deeper lines on his face. He paused, taking in the gravity of the situation. “Abe was sent to alert the knights, yet they still haven’t come?” The villager looked tiered and concerned. Kaeya knew he couldn’t afford to panic the villagers further, so he decided to play it cool.

He smoothed his face and relaxed his features, putting on a mask.

“Let’s not dwell on what hasn’t happened yet,” Kaeya said, his voice steady as he scanned the gathering crowd. “First, we need to account for everyone and ensure there are no injuries. We can address the lack of reinforcements after we’ve assessed the situation here.”

He could feel the villagers’ apprehension and fear but also their trust in him. They began to move, some seeking out the injured while others gathered their belongings from the remnants of the house. Kaeya joined them, his mind racing with possibilities. Why hadn’t the knights responded? What could be causing the delay?

As he helped around the village he also began to use his cryo to slowly heal himself. It wasn’t much but he needed some relief from the the lingering effects of the steam which had managed to somewhat irritate his skin. He also needed to get away from the feeling of fire.
The sensation of flames still flickered in the back of his mind, vivid and insistent. He could almost feel them swallowing him again, the heat wrapping around him like a sinister embrace, pulling him closer and closer and closer...

He took a deep breath and stopped his brain from spiralling further. For now he can just shut his brain down and play into his role. He can have a breakdown later. Fuck, he needed a drink.

Despite the exhaustion from using so much cryo at once, he still called upon that familiar cold. He felt frost cover his hands and crawl up his arms, smoothing his skin and mind.

He knew there was more to this incident. Alarm bells were ringing loud and clear in his head. Kaeya scanned the area, his keen instincts kicking in. He looked around, soaking in every little detail. He needed to remain vigilant. For now, he needed to help and comfort the villagers and send for more reinforcements and notify HQ.

But, right now he couldn’t leave the scene of crime but reinforcements were needed urgently.

Villagers were still in shock, their faces full f fear and worry. They needed assurance, a figure of strength to guide them through the aftermath. The flames might be extinguished for now, but something about this incident felt wrong, he felt it in his gut.

He took a steadying breath, forcing himself to maintain composure. “I’ll send for backup,” he assured the villagers. The all looked at him eyes filled with hope but the fear still lingered.
“You don’t need to worry,” he continued, his tone firm but gentle. “The Knights of Favonius will carry out a proper and thorough investigation of this incident. All those who were injured will be taken to the church for proper healing. But until the reinforcements arrive, we all need to be strong.”

As he spoke he saw some relief ease into the villagers. Their shoulders relaxed slightly, and various murmurs of thanks and gratefulness rose from the crowd.

Satisfied, he turned to a villager who looked relatively unshaken and eager to help. “Could you please call for the kids playing by the lake—Bennett, Razor, and Fischl?” he requested, his tone firm yet encouraging.

The villager nodded, understanding the urgency behind Kaeya's words. With a purposeful stride, he moved toward the lakeshore, ready to fetch the trio who had been playing in blissful ignorance of the chaos that had unfolded.

He needed to notify HQ fast and the fastest way to do that was Fischl’s bird, Oz. While they awaited reinforcements, he knew they would all need to band together and help the villagers as much as possible.

He couldn’t get rid of the knot forming in his gut. Something was wrong.

Notes:

So I am back after a very long time and I apologize.
I really hope you enjoy and I will try to update fast as I have a vacation coming up.
And yes the visons are more powerful and the actual ones.

Chapter 10: The unseen threat - 4

Summary:

Just as the flames settle and the worry in his heart begins to ease, another incident ignites a new, burning turmoil within him—one far more intense and unforgiving.

“CAPTAINNNNN!!!!”

“CAPTAIN KAEYAAAA!!!”

Bennett’s panicked voice rang from behind him. His high pitched voice stunned him out of his stupor and he turned around just in time as a small body came colliding. His arms instinctively wrapped around the smaller boy but his concern only deepened at the sight of Bennett’s distressed expression.

“Bennett? What’s wrong? Are you alright?” He could sense the panic in his voice. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t escape the worry clawing at his chest.

Bennett just hugged him tighter, body shaking. No matter how much Kaeya wanted to embrace the boy and shield him, he couldn’t afford to do so right now. It will have to wait. He needed answers. He steeled his nerves and gently pulled back.

Kneeling down to Bennet’s eye level and placing his hands on his shaking shoulders, he urged the boy to look at him.

“Bennett,” he said, keeping his tone calm and gentle, “I know you’re scared, but I need you to tell me what’s wrong.”

Bennet finally looked up at him, eyes filled with tears to the brim. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out—only a choked breath. Tears began to roll down his dirt covered cheeks.
Wait. What? Dirt covered?

Kaeya pulled back to fully examine the boy. He was covered in dirt, hands and knees scraped up and little cuts littering his body.
All the useless stuff and thoughts just vanished from his mind and for a solid two seconds he could hear static.
Instinctively he snapped back to his role of Cavalry Captain.

“Bennet, look at me. Deep breaths. Calm down.” He tried to keep his tone soft but worry bled through, making his tone sound a bit harsh.
Bennet, too seemed to exit of panicked his state. Eyes full of fear and tears.

“Razor and Fischl.” These were the words he uttered.

These were the words enough for Kaeya to jump into action. He leapt to his feet and without second thought he hurried towards the lake. Bennet too followed him.

A small hand slipped into his own.
Bennett was running beside him.
Kaeya’s mind exploded with a single, all-consuming thought.
Please, let me not be too late.

Kaeya’s mind screamed at him. Thousands of self deprecating thoughts stuck like needles in his mind. Every thought stung.
His legs were burning with exhaustion by the time they both reached the lake. Bennett was huffing loudly and Kaeya could hear the exhaustion in his own breath too.
The scene in front of him filled every fibre of his being with rage and evil feeling threatening of claw out of him and consume him.

Chapter 11: The unseen threat - 5

Summary:

Things just seem to keep getting worse for poor kaeya.

Fischl was crouched behind Razor, his head in her lap and his body seizing. Aftershocks. Fischl flinched every time his body shook, hands trembling and unsure. He rushed forward, Bennett scrambling behind him. Fischl’s head snapped towards him, and he could see how hard the girl was trying to hold back her tears. Her face crumbled upon seeing Kaeya, and Kaeya’s heart broke seeing her pitiful expression.

“Captain, please help!” Fischl’s voice broke, thick with desperation, void of her usual dramatic flair.

Instinctively, Kaeya rushed forward, taking off his fur coat and starting to dry the unconscious boy. Razor was soaked to the bone. Clothes sticking to his body and face two shades too pale. His breathing was fast, and his chest heaving with pain.

“Fischl, go to the village and get someone for help. Hurry!” Kaeya instructed the girl, his voice gentle yet firm. She looked at him for a second before hurriedly standing up and rushing off. Tears finally falling down.

Kaeya’s heart clenched. He was used to her usual dramatics and theatrical scenarios, but seeing her like this—so terrified and so raw—pained his heart. Gone was the Prinzessin der Verurteilung, now she was just a little girl who was scared to the core. He made a mental note to comfort her later.

Kaeya turned back to Razor, his body still wracked with tremors. He was ice-cold, and his skin was pale.

Kaeya tried to keep the panic out of his voice. If he panicked, so would the kids, and he couldn’t afford that.

“Bennett, help me dry him off,” Kaeya instructed, pulling Razor into a more stable position and draping his own coat over him. “Then use your healing circle.”

Wordlessly, the young adventurer got to work. Heating up his hands with pyro, he began to dry the boy off. Kaeya could literally see the tension oozing out of Bennett. His hands were trembling, and his eyes were full of unshed tears. His breathing was sharp and uneven. He was about to break down and fall apart.

“Bennett,” Kaeya called out to the boy, keeping his voice calm and gentle.

The boy didn’t listen, too far gone in his own head.

“Kaeya called out again more softly this time, voice barely above a whisper.”

Tears began to roll down his face. Each tear was a stab to Kaeya’s heart. For a short and seemingly long moment, Kaeya just looked at the boy. He didn’t know when his vision began to blur and blend in multiple shades of red. And for a very brief moment, he saw a child with hair as bright as fire, sitting in front of him, not Bennett.

Kaeya inhaled sharply and shook his head. He needed to get rid of these thoughts. It seemed like today’s events were taking a toll on him.

Ignoring his very disturbing thoughts, he forced his attention back to Bennett, who was now casting his healing circle.

“Benny, look at me.”

For a brief second, Bennett paused. Hands hovering mid-air, above Razor’s body. His whole body was unnaturally stiff, as if one wrong move would shatter him completely.

He let out a shaky breath, his head hung low. His messy blonde hair fell over his eyes, but Kaeya could see his trembling lips, face wet with tears.

“I—I can’t mess this up,” Bennett choked out, his voice barely audible over the crackling embers of his healing circle. “I need to—I need to help him. I can’t afford to—”

Kaeya moved closer to the boy and squeezed his shoulder, grounding him. “You won’t mess this up. Razor needs you, and you’re helping him.”

His voice softened. “But I need you to breathe, Benny. Just breathe.”

And just like that, the boy fell apart.

A broken sob tore through his throat, and he crashed forward. Kaeya caught him just in time.

Kaeya held him close, one hand steadying the back of his head while the other gripped his shoulder. Bennett clung to him like a lifeline, his whole body shaking with painful, gut-wrenching sobs.

His fingers clenched the fabric of Kaeya’s shirt, desperate, as if anchoring himself to something solid was the only thing keeping him from completely unraveling.

“I don’t k-know w-what happened,” Bennett choked out. “We were just—just waiting for you—you to come back and—and all of a sudden,” His voice broke several times. He took several gasps of air before continuing. Kaeya knew he couldn’t rush the boy, so he waited patiently for the boy to regain some of his composure.

Kaeya gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, steady and warm. “It’s alright, Benny. Take your time.”

Bennett swallowed hard and clung tighter to Kaeya, burying his face in his shoulder. Kaeya’s one hand rubbed circles on his back and the other gently massaged his head, fingers making way through Bennett’s tangled blonde hair.

“You’re safe,” Kaeya murmured, his voice a quiet reassurance. “You’re doing good, Benny.”

“Benny, I need you to listen to me very carefully. Okay?” Kaeya spoke softly.

Bennett slowly nodded his head against Kaeya’s shoulder. His body relaxing a tad bit.

“I know you’re scared and probably terrified out of your mind,” Kaeya said, his voice gentle and soft, barely above a whisper. “But right now, Razor needs us. Okay? He needs us to be strong for him. We need to be strong for him.”

Bennett sucked in a sharp breath, still clutching tightly to Kaeya. For a moment, his grip tightened around Kaeya, his knuckles turning white.

Kaeya could feel the tension in him, the struggle between wanting to break down and needing to stay strong. He didn’t say anything, just let Bennett hold on, understanding the silent plea for comfort.

Slowly, Bennett nodded. His grip loosened slightly, his breathing evening out, though his eyes were red and all puffed up.

Kaeya patted his back and smiled. “There you go. Don’t worry, he’ll be alright.”

Bennett wiped his eyes, swallowing hard. He nodded and looked Kaeya in the eye. His eyes burned with a thousand emotions. Coming back to himself, he turned his attention back to Razor.

Kaeya knew right now wasn’t the best time for conversations, and he knew Bennett wasn’t going to utter a word until Razor was alright.

Right now, it wasn’t about talking—it was about action.

Still, Kaeya made sure to keep an eye out for the young adventurer.

Both of them worked silently. Their hands working in sync, drying and healing the wolf boy.

The sun had long set, and the sky had turned dark. The air around them was still. Too still. Everything around them had settled into an eerie silence, and it didn’t sit right with Kaeya. He made sure to stay vigilant.

The soft light of Bennett’s healing circle faded into nothing just as he heard a commotion from behind them. He turned around to see Fischl and two guards of Favonious and a nun rushing towards them.

Kaeya let out a silent sigh of relief. But things were far from over.

Chapter 12: Burnt air and charred wood

Summary:

Will Kaeya be able to uncover what happned?

“Oh dear Barbatos! What happened here?” the nun cried as she came rushing towards Razor.

She hurriedly splayed open her medical kit and started treating the wolf teen.

“Captain Kaeya.” The guard saluted. His posture was stiff and he seemed tired, beads of sweat covering his face.

Kaeya stood up in all his Cavalry Captain glory and hurriedly saluted the guards back before turning his attention to the nun who was already seated beside Razor, healing him.

“I still don’t know the details myself, sister. Bennet was too terrified and I found Razor like this,” he explained. “I will be sure to get the whole story, but right now I need you to heal the boy and take care of the kids while I sort out the situation in Springvale.”

The nun looked at him and nodded in determination, focusing all her attention on Razor. Kaeya was relieved the nun was an experienced one, having handled more than enough cases like this.

Fischl was hugging Bennet, who seemed a little relieved, intently watching the nun heal his injured friend. She too looked terrified, and Kaeya felt a cold anger twist in his gut. Whoever did this will pay.

“Fischl. Bennet. I need you to take care of each other for a while and help the sister. I need to go back to the village. If something else happens, I want you to shout, scream—do whatever to get my attention—but let me know. I don’t want any of you to get hurt,” he said, crouching in front of the duo.

He patted both of their heads, comforting them. Their eyes were full of fear and unshed tears. But despite everything, they both nodded sincerely.

Relieved now that they both were stable enough, he got up, legs tingling from exhaustion, and turned his attention back to the two guards.

“A fire broke out in the village,” he said, his voice steady but not hiding the urgency. “Fortunately, no one was harmed, and I was able to bring it under control. But the house—" he paused, shaking his head. "It was beyond saving. I’ve seen enough to know it wasn’t an accident. We need to investigate. Something feels off, and I suspect foul play.”

“You,” he motioned to one of the guards, “Stay with them and help the sister bring Razor to the village.”

He then turned his head towards the other guard and motioned for him to follow.

“Be careful and hurry,” he said, before the two of them turned and made their way back to the village, steps full of urgency.

“Captain. My name is Darwin. I know it’s not the time for pleasantries, but it’s better if you know my name if we are going to be working together.” The guard, Darwin, explained.

Kaeya didn’t mind. He liked this attitude. Most of them were too intimidated to talk to him and it irked him sometimes, but he liked it—heck, even preferred it—when they were straightforward. It showed their dedication to the job.

“I don’t mind, Darwin. It’s good to know you,” Kaeya grinned, easily slipping into the mask of a cool and confident Captain. “I appreciate it. Not many speak up and take charge.”

Darwin nodded, his gaze unwavering, but Kaeya saw the flicker of pride and a small smile. “In my line of work, it’s either speak up or get walked over. Not much room for hesitation.”

“I respect that,” Kaeya said, turning toward him with a slight smirk. “Well, Darwin, I’m sure we’ll get along just fine. Let’s get to work.”

They reached the village, and it was still full of chaos. The scent of fire and burnt, charred wood lingered heavily in the air. People were rushing all over, children crying, and some men were trying to put barricades around the now-burned-down house, making sure no one got too close to the unsteady structure. He put a mental reminder to thank them later and talk to them.

Kaeya and Darwin made their way straight to the heart of the chaos.

“According to what the villagers told me, when the fire started they sent a guy—Abe—to fetch the guards. But no one ever came back. No guards, no Abe.” He looked at Darwin, who simply shook his head.

“We didn’t receive a distress signal, Captain. I would know. I was stationed at the main gates and no one except the vendors came in or out of the city,” Darwin explained, a bit confused.

“So we have a supposedly accidental fire and a missing guy. All of this screams plot,” Kaeya continued, his brow furrowed as he scanned the area, clearly piecing together the details in his mind. “I’m betting there’s more to this than just bad luck.” Darwin listened to every word carefully and took all the information in.

“You’re right, Captain. Even if it was an accidental fire, it doesn’t make sense for the guy sent for help to just disappear,” Darwin added. He too was confused and a bit worried. Kaeya could see him racking his brain for answers, brows furrowed and deep in thought.

“We need to investigate. You start by asking the villagers and send some of them to help the nun and the kids.” Kaeya ordered Darwin, tone carrying the authority of a Cavalry Captain.

Darwin saluted Kaeya before turning back and starting his investigation.

---

Now it was Kaeya’s turn. He really appreciated the help and Darwin’s attitude was a great bonus. But the thing is…

Kaeya can’t work with others. It’s not like he doesn’t want to or doesn’t like to. He just can’t work—can’t function—with someone working by his side. No matter the innocence of his partners, he couldn’t afford for his masks to slip. He couldn’t let them know of his... unconventional methods. If they were to know, it would raise a lot of eyebrows. And Kaeya couldn’t afford someone—or anyone—to question his carefully crafted persona.

Shaking his head, ridding himself of those thoughts, he resumed his work.

He looked around, taking in every bit of evidence. With eyes scanning the area carefully, he slowly walked around the property, looking for any abnormalities. It took him a good fifteen minutes before he found it.

At the back of the house—where most of the fire was centred—the wall was blackened and charred, pieces of wood hanging off at various places. It looked like this was where the wreckage had begun. But then he saw it. Just below the roof, there was a hole in the wall—unnatural, deliberate.

Kaeya moved closer, the burnt earth crunching beneath his boots. The hole was too far up the ground, too round, with splinters of wood jutting out like sharp teeth. The placement, the angle, and the charred wood around it gave Kaeya the idea that the fire had indeed been deliberate.

It looked like... fire from an explosive or something similar. Someone had thrown something at the house.

Kaeya stood still, eyes narrowed as he surveyed the scene, lost in thought. Who could’ve done this? Mages? Hilichurls? Bandits?

None of it made sense—not yet.

He snapped out of his over-working mind when he heard someone calling for him.

He made his way back to the front, carefully avoiding the pieces of wood that littered the whole area.

Kaeya let out a quiet sigh of relief as a full squadron of guards finally arrived.

Reinforcements. Now they could handle the situation properly, with structure and control. At last, it wasn’t just chaos.

Kaeya couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Took them long enough. He knew the squadron had been preparing to dispatch and had only sent Darwin and another guard ahead to assess the situation—but still. Waiting in the middle of smoke and scattered chaos hadn’t exactly been his idea of fun.

And he could still feel the cold fury when the image of an injured Razor and terrified Bennett flashed in his mind.

He clenched his fists and bit his tongue. He could take his anger out later, but right now he needed to get to work and figure this mess out.

With a sigh, he suppressed his anger and irritation, put on his mask, and made his way to the guards.

Chapter 13: Ashes and Diplomats

Summary:

Things just don't seem to get better for Kaeya.

Urgh. Stupid fucking knights.

Kaeya knows he’s not supposed to curse out the knights (he is one of them). But still. Their absolute buffoonery and incompetence makes him want to stab himself. Gosh, he is beginning to sound like a certain redhead. Could this get any more worse?
Yes. Yes, it absolutely could.

“Captain.” A knight walked over to him and saluted.

Kaeya quickly fixed his expression before turning around, acting like a good sub-ordinate.
“Yes. Any news?”

“Yes Captain. We sent out some guards to look for Abe and they have come back. They found him lying unconscious in a ditch not too far from the village. He seemed to have taken the normal route which villagers use to commute to Mondstadt. We found him behind some trees off the road. He doesn’t seem to be injured.”

Thank fuck. Kaeya was happy to finally receive some good news.

“Hmmm. So we find our guy lying in a ditch. No injuries, just passed out. Is he awake?” Kaeya asked, as he turned to look where the guard was now pointing. A few distance away, two guards were carrying an unconscious Abe towards a house, with the nun following suit.

“No Captain. We tried to wake him up but got no results. The sister is going to look after him.”

“So we are back to square one.” Kaeya looked at the guard. His tone was a bit cold and the guard seemed to pick up on it. Good.

The guard cleared his throat, eyes shifting before answering.
“We are trying our best to find the leads, Captain.” the guard said weakly. Pathetic.

Kaeya resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
“Try harder. We know that the accident was staged. We do find our guy, but unconscious,” Kaeya said as he turned to look at the burnt house. “None of this is adding up.” Kaeya sighed.

“Send over Darwin please.” Kaeya asked the guard who seemed eager to get away from him.
“Yes, Captain.” As soon as the words left his mouth the guard scurried away.

Kaeya sighed for the hundredth time.

He needed to go over to the place where Abe was found and check it out himself. The moon was high in the sky casting its white light around. Many stars littered the sky along the moon. They all twinkled and glimmered and complimented each other’s movements. The scenery would look beautiful to someone... normal. But, not to Kaeya. He felt disgust crawl up his throat and a sneer tried to make way to his face. He looked away before he could get more agitated.

Just then Darwin’s voice called out.
“You called for me Captain.”

Kaeya turned to look at him. Darwin looked a bit worn up, cheeks red and sweat collecting on his boyish face. His brown eyes were filled with silent questions.

“Yes. Get two more guards you deem fit and meet at the burnt house in five minutes. No delays.” Kaeya ordered. He wasn’t in the mood to be playful right now. He was already in a foul mood and wanted answers as soon as possible.

Gladly, Darwin didn’t ask too many questions, even though his eyes betrayed him. But Kaeya appreciated it.

Darwin didn’t reply. He saluted Kaeya before hurrying off to his task.

Kaeya walked over to the heart of the chaos. As he got closer to the house, the air started to smell like fire again and the earth beneath his boots began to fall apart. Hmmmm. Interesting.

Whenever he seemed to close in on the area around the house, the smell changed. He chalked it up to the aftermath of the fire but what if it’s not? It could be the scent of the chemical used to start the fire. That could get them a lead.

His mind, always alert and calculating, started to piece together possibilities.

Behind the house the forest stretched out. Darkness seemed to swallow the path leading into the forest. Kaeya lost himself for a moment. Staring at the dark path. It was so ominous yet so inviting. Just a step and he could revel in the memories it brought.

He heard footsteps behind him. Darwin with two other guards appeared into the view. Kaeya turned to face them.

“I want two of you to start investigating this area,” Kaeya explained. He looked over to the other two guards and they both nodded in response.

He motioned for them to follow him. They all got closer to the back of the house where the hole in the wall lay.

“I know we have already investigated this area once but I want you both to start anew and look from a new perspective.”

They both replied at the same time.
“Yes Captain.”
“Of course, Captain.”

“Also, there is this weird smell surrounding this area. I want you to look into it too.” Kaeya explained. He looked over to the guards again, gaze sharp. They both looked a bit confused and were sniffing the air. Their eyes widened when they realised that Kaeya was right.

“Yes, there is a weird smell now that you mention it.” Darwin said adjusting his stance.

“Yes. I didn’t notice it at first too as it’s very faint. But it’s there.” Kaeya motioned with his hands. Now that they had noticed the change, it was all they could smell.

“It could tell us what kind of explosive was used and we could get a possible lead. The air quality here… it’s not just residual smoke or burned debris. There’s something chemical in this. Something meant to be hidden.”

Kaeya didn’t speak for a moment. All four of them stood there in silence as their brains tried to come up with any possible explanation.

One of the guards frowned before saying, “But what kind of explosive? This doesn’t smell like any common mixture or like the explosives from Mond.”

Kaeya’s lips stretched into a thin line, expression serious. “It’s not common but...” he paused and took a deep sniff. His eyes widened as realisation dawned on him. This is the smell of explosives used by... Snezhnayan diplomats. Less emphasis on the word diplomat, more on the word terrorists. But any ways. Now they had a lead.

“It’s Snezhnayan.”

The urgency in Kaeya’s voice caught all of them off guard. Kaeya included. The urgency in Kaeya’s voice was unmistakable, and they moved into action immediately.

His mind raced with endless possibilities. If it was indeed Snezhnayan, then this could mean..... war.
Oh fuck.

The situation escalated from a zero to a fuckton.

“You two,” Kaeya’s voice cut through the air like a blade, his eyes locked onto the guards with a chilling intensity. His usual playful demeanor was replaced with something far more dangerous—fury, and the cold, calculated resolve of someone who knew the stakes were far higher than anyone else could fathom.

“This is Code Black. I want all three of you to keep quiet until I say otherwise. No one else is to be informed about this—understood?”

His gaze didn’t waver, piercing through the two guards with a level of seriousness that they’d rarely seen from him.

The guards’ uncertain glances, their usual confidence now rattled. They hadn’t expected this. They were used to Kaeya’s teasing, his charming smile, his calculated misdirection—but this... this was something else entirely.

“Yes, Sir…” Darwin responded first, his voice shaky, as if the gravity of the situation was just starting to sink in.

He turned on his heel, signaling the end of the conversation. “Keep your heads low and your mouths shut. I repeat do not fuck up.”

Before walking away he motioned Darwin to follow him. Darwin looked scared and swallowed thickly before being able to move his feet. He silently followed Kaeya into the forest.

As the silence stretched, one of guards finally broke it, his voice barely above a whisper. “What the hell just happened?”

The guards’ expressions were grim, minds racing. The other responded in a shaky and meek tone.
“I don’t know, but we’d better do exactly what he says.”

Chapter 14: Ashes and Diplomats II

Kaeya was fuming. He was fed up enough already with the incompetent knights and now adding Snezhnayan “diplomats” to the equation is a recipe for disaster.
The earth crushed underneath their feet as Kaeya and Darwin carefully made their way ahead. The moon was the only guarding light they had. The forest was quiet except for the noises of crickets and nocturnal animals and pests.

Darwin was just a couple of steps behind, and Kaeya could feel his nervousness and jitters but chose to stay silent. He had a feeling this was Darwin’s first rodeo and he respected the guy for having the guts to continue and put up with the situation rather than chickening out and whining like a baby.

“Umm...,” Darwin started nervously. He paused and swallowed hard. Kaeya didn’t have to turn around to know that the poor guy was confused and a bit scared. “Where are we going exactly, Captain?”

“Looking at the site of the ‘accident’,” Kaeya rolled his eyes at the word accident, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “I observed that someone probably threw the explosive or whatever it was from behind. Like someone took this exact path probably, sneaked up behind the house and did their business.” Kaeya explained patiently. He decided to take pity on the guy and be a little nice to him. Darwin was his only backup right now and he didn’t want him to mess up because of his nerves.

“Oh, but doesn’t it seem counterproductive to, you know, like follow them without backup and we don’t have much evidence to prove your...” Darwin paused, a bit hesitant to continue.
“To prove your speculation?” He finished.

Kaeya smiled a bit. The new ones are always so eager to follow rules.

“It’s not just the speculation. I know that’s what happened.” Kaeya said, while keeping a keen eye on his surroundings and keeping his senses sharp.

“But how so, Captain?” Darwin asked. His tone wasn’t judgy or anything. He sounded genuinely curious. Kaeya appreciated that. He could deal with this genuine curiosity rather than the usual stupid semantics of the knights.

“Just a gut feeling.”

Poor Darwin couldn’t help but feel an ominous feeling settle in his bones.

“Well, we found our guy,” Kaeya said a bit too cheerfully.

Darwin was already moving ahead and untying poor Abe from the tree he was tied to. He looked pretty beat up and was unconscious. He had a busted lip, and deep, dark bruises marred his face and arms. But other than that, he seemed alive, in one piece. He heaved a quiet sigh of relief. A weight lifted off his shoulders—now they could move ahead in their investigation, and he was really glad the guy was okay.

“He seems fine. Looks like he put up a fight and his attackers had to resort to this.” Darwin’s breath was heavy, and he adjusted the guy to lay him down properly. His fingers moved carefully over Abe’s body, checking for any more wounds and his pulse.

“Darwin, take him back to town and send a guard to fetch the Grandmaster.” Kaeya’s tone was light, despite the circumstances. He wanted Darwin out of here. Now.

Darwin’s head snapped toward him at light speed. Kaeya internally winced for the guy’s poor neck.
His mouth opened and closed like that of a fish, and if the situation wasn't so serious, he would have laughed. Kaeya let him process before the guy found his words again.

“B-but why? What about you? What if you need backup? What if—” Darwin fired questions faster than an Electro Vision.

Something moved far behind Darwin. A dark shadow. It disappeared just as Kaeya spotted it.

“Darwin,” Kaeya said very carefully. His tone made Darwin sit up straight.

“Do not question your seniors. Especially me.” His tone was dangerous. Dark.

The poor guy was sweating bullets and swallowed hard. He knew that at this moment he wasn’t speaking to Kaeya. He was speaking to Kaeya Alberich, the Cavalry Captain, the Quartermaster.
He could feel Kaeya’s blue eyes pinning him down, daring him to question him again.

Darwin just nodded and followed his captain’s orders. He had a feeling that disobeying Captain Kaeya right now would not be the best option. With a huff, he picked up Abe by his shoulder.
Just as Darwin thought of something to say, Kaeya said the words that made him sweat even more.

“Make sure to keep everyone in a discreet lockdown till the Grandmaster arrives. Brief her on the situation and tell her, ‘The wind is blowing north.’”
Darwin couldn't even form words, felt his mouth going dry because of the tense situation and his captain’s deadly gaze. He just nodded and saluted his captain with his free hand and walked back to the town.

He really couldn't understand his senior, but he knew when to shut up and follow orders. Captain Kaeya was a dangerous puzzle.

As he walked and dragged Abe with him, he felt eyes on him. The hair on his neck stood up, and a deep pricking sensation crawled up and down his neck. He was too scared to look back and too scared to stop.

He had a sickening feeling that he had just escaped a really bad fate.

Chapter 15: Ashes and diplomats III

Kaeya sighed internally when he saw Darwin’s form finally fade in the night, leaving only darkness where he stood just moments ago. With him gone, Kaeya could finally, finally start investigating the actual matter. He hadn’t seen any other ‘apparitions’ or shadowy figures and he could no longer sense eyes on him, no longer sense someone spying on him. Oh, how ironic. Spying on a spy, the thought gave Kaeya a weird thrill. Whatever or whoever was there was gone now, leaving Kaeya standing alone in the darkness, while fake stars glittered over his head.

In the soft light of the moon, he could see things clearly. He scanned his surroundings with clever eyes. Every nook and cranny, every branch, every noise. His ears and eyes strained as he moved with precise motions. Each step careful, cautious, and trained.

Kaeya had always had a very... strong gut feeling. Almost like intuition. But he didn’t like to dwell on that particular thought. He had enough messed up thoughts to deal with already, and he didn’t have any desire to open the can of worms that is his past. Anyways, right now his gut told him to be careful.

Spotting nothing with naked eyes, he resorted to using his elemental sight. Taking a deep inhale, he closed his eyes. With an exhale, he opened them again. Everything around him had turned to a dull grey. The trees and the grass, everything in the forest was now stripped of their original colours and muted down to grey. He scanned the woods with careful eyes.

For whatever reason, when Kaeya used his elemental sight for too long, his head would begin to hurt and his eyes would water. So, more often than not, he chose not to use it, choosing to rely on his training and intuition. He was a trained spy after all. He pushed through the strain that gradually seemed to take over his eyes. Then he finally saw it, hell, he had almost missed it with how small it was.

When he blinked again, everything was restored to its original hue. The trees were lush and green again, the grass and bushes no longer dull, and the apples looked edible again. Slowly he moved ahead, in the direction where the damning piece of evidence lay. As he got close, he could smell the faintest bit of the same explosive powder that he had smelled before, back in the village. He grinned as he crouched down. The smell a bit stronger now.

Tucked beneath a tree was the faintest and smallest hint of elemental energy. Pyro elemental energy. Carefully, he strained his neck to see it better. To a non-vision holder, there was nothing. To a naked, untrained eye, there lay just some wildflowers and a tree. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just a normal tree, with normal surroundings.

But Kaeya saw what he was trained to see. He could see someone’s ashy handprint on the tree bark. Just a single hasty handprint that was smudged from one side. The imprint had only three of the fingers along with the whole palm. Kaeya sat silent, observing.

He turned around hoping to prove his theory right. And he was right. Not too far from the tree, he could see a footprint. A small rock embedded in the earth and the footprint just beside it. Kaeya stood up straight. He looked down at his feet and counted his steps as he moved closer to the small rock. Five steps. Hmmm.

Kaeya circled the rock like a hawk. Anyone saw him right now would probably think that the Captain was too drunk and probably out of his mind, given Kaeya’s notorious drinking reputation. But, as always, Kaeya knew better. He stuck his foot out to the rock. The front of his left boot pressed firm against the rock. If Kaeya were to trip right now... he would probably break the fall and not trip. But what if... it was not Kaeya but someone else. Someone not as... aware or sharp as him. Someone... careless. Someone foolish enough to trip in the haste of getting away. Probably falling down and then... taking the trunk of the tree as support, getting up and leaving a handprint behind.

The whole theory seemed very far-fetched. But to Kaeya it was almost laughable. In his line of work, nothing was far-fetched, everything was plausible, and he had seen too much, been through too much to ignore it.

Kaeya knew he was right and just to be sure, he tried to re-enact the... fall. And yes, again he was right. Jean would probably smack him in the head if she were here right now. He chuckled at the thought.

With his suspicions confirmed, Kaeya was even more confident in his next steps. Kaeya carefully scanned the surroundings near the tree and the rock and found even more tiny traces of ash and pyro elemental energy. He could now conclude that there were definitely more than one or two people, and they were most definitely accompanied by a vision holder or an abyss monster. Neither possibility seemed good.

Kaeya sighed, feeling like he was back at square one. He had a feeling that he would not find any more evidence but decided to investigate further ahead regardless. And again, he was right. He was getting too smug now. But back to business, he was right. There was no more evidence. Not even a single footprint besides that one beside the rock. Whoever it was, was careful enough to cover their tracks, but they would not escape Kaeya’s icy grip.

Chapter 16: Abyssal energies I

Summary:

Did the Abyss finally come for Kaeya?

The forest around him was quiet. A slight wind swayed the trees softly, and the moon now cast an eerie glow. The forest stood witness to a calculated crime.

Kaeya continued forward, keeping his senses sharp while still maintaining his usual nonchalant attitude. Sometimes, he wondered—when were his masks just... masks? And when did he get so used to donning them? When did they become a part of him, so deeply woven into his skin and bones? A thousand faces stitched into his own.

With a slight frown, he shook his head and chided himself for thinking such things while on fieldwork.

He needed to check the area further, just to be sure. His gut told him it would be pointless—but he wouldn't be Kaeya Alberich if he didn’t. What do they say? Ah, yes. Curiosity killed the cat.

And he was right. There was no more evidence. No more footprints or elemental traces. Which only led him to believe that the Abyss was at play too. People don’t just vanish into thin air. Leave it to the Snezhnayans to pull such backhanded tricks.

Combined with the scent of Snezhnayan explosives, traces of ash, and residual Pyro energy, he had a solid case. All he needed now was to get this information to Jean, have a private meeting with her, and keep it all hush-hush. The Knights couldn’t afford to let this precious piece of intel slip into the wild just yet. It could be their trump card against those ridiculous Snezhnayan "diplomats" crawling around the city, fouling the very air of Mondstadt.

Just as he was about to turn back, something in his gut twisted. The hair on the back of his neck stood at attention, and goosebumps ran down his arms.

He stood very, very still.

Someone was watching him.

He felt eyes drilling into him from the left.

Drawing his sword, he swept his gaze across the trees, activating his Elemental Sight. Behind some trees on his left, he spotted remnants of abyssal energy. The dark matter swirled and oozed out from thin air. It twisted and curled ominously—before finally vanishing.

He was not alone.

Kaeya scanned the area, eyes locking onto even the slightest movement, trying to pinpoint the perpetrator. He didn’t dare move. This was starting to feel like a trap.

He was cornered.

The prey—and someone out there was enjoying the hunt.

Crunch.

Kaeya snapped toward the sound. Nothing.

He hated it when he wasn’t the one playing mind games.

Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.

Twigs and branches snapped around him from every direction. He gripped his sword tighter, bracing himself for the shadows to leap.

He wouldn’t lie—he was nervous.

Snezhnaya and the Abyss was never a good combo. Something foul was brewing. He had to be careful.

"My, my now. Looks like I'm not the only one who enjoys stalking their enemies," he said coolly, his voice smooth as ever. Inside, though, his mind raced. Maybe he could bait them with his silver tongue—people rarely resisted his charm or his bait.

"Don’t you think we should have this conversation like adults? I mean, come on. What’s with the theatrics?” He chuckled, humourless.

Silence.

But the eyes never left him.

“I see... you want to play the long game.” His smile was razor-sharp. “Well, I might be gloating, but I do think I can win this one.”

He’d spent most of his life playing the long game. Though, that thought was usually reserved for late-night drinking sessions.

Just as he opened his mouth for another jab, the shadows around him began to shift.

The world twisted.

The trees bent. The sky folded.

Nausea hit him like a crashing wave, and the world spun.

He grounded himself with a pulse of Cryo, the icy shock bringing clarity—but as he took a step, the world tilted again.

He fell.

But never hit the ground.

It was as if time itself had frozen. He was suspended in the moment—trapped in limbo.

Nausea crept up his throat, but something worse followed. A sharp, crawling pain wrapped around his leg—and moved.

What was happening?

He was still frozen, stuck in a moment that refused to pass.

The pain traveled up, burning and freezing his skin at once.

His head felt like it was being pierced with a red-hot iron rod, but he couldn’t even scream.

The pain twisted and slithered up his chest, burning through old scars that marred his skin.

Up.
And up.
And up.

He could hear his heart pounding in his ears—deafening. It was the only sound left.

He was stripped of everything else. No touch, no balance, no control.

His limbs were suspended like a marionette's—and panic clawed its way up his spine.

He tried to move. Nothing.

His breathing grew ragged. Desperate. The pain curled around his throat—tightened.

For a moment, he thought it would end there. That he'd be choked out into nothingness.

But no. That wasn’t the destination.

It kept climbing.

It was going for his eye.

His eyepatch-clad eye.
His cursed eye.

The one hidden beneath burn scars—still glowing as fiercely as fire.
Still golden.
Still Khanrian.
Still his.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Jean heard the words "The wind is blowing north," it felt like her soul left her body.

Just for a second.

Just for a second, she allowed herself to worry—to fret, to overthink about her dearest friend. Just for a second, she allowed herself to panic over his well-being.

Then she snapped back into her role.

Without wasting a moment, she rose from her desk and left her office, urgency guiding every step.

She found Lisa, handed over command, and placed the city in her care.

Her mouth worked faster than her brain—orders spilling out faster than she could formulate them.

Within minutes, the Acting Grandmaster had left the city, flanked by two of her most skilled knights—Eula and Amber—and a platoon of knights carrying every kind of medical supply they could muster.

Her prayers to the Anemo Archon didn’t stop—not once—until they reached the fire-wrecked village.

Notes:

I was feeling nauseous when writing this and I decided that Kaeya had to go through that too. I know I am not the most punctual on updates but I'll try to be more consistent.
Also I know this is too long of a flash back. But please stick around for a couple of more chapters (hopefully only one). This is important for the story building.

A lot of you may ask "why did you start from the present when you could have started from the flash back?" And you are right, I could have but at that point I did not have a particular direction for this story. Like I knew the plot and the ending and all but I lacked direction. So yea. Please forgive meee.

Please also, please a comment so I can get an idea if you guys like it or not. It really makes my day.

Thank you and have a great day. <3 <3 <3

Chapter 17: Abyssal Energies II

Summary:

Jeanie. Jeanie. Jeanie.
Kaeya's gonna give you white hair in your youth.

The wind was cruel and harsh. The moon, no longer visible, hidden behind thick, angry dark clouds.

Blonde hair swept violently behind her, as Jean marched as fast as she could. Dust was swirling around, getting into her eyes, her mouth, her nose, and her hair. At some point, she had to squeeze her eyes, despite desperately wanting to keep them open. It was a good thing her horse was so well trained and trustworthy (all thanks to Kaeya). The dark brown mare was strong and fast. Faster than her companions, causing Jean to be quite ahead of everybody else.

But right now? She could not care less. Her companions were formidable knights, with years of experience. She trusted them to hold their own.

It was something in the very air that made her stomach churn and put her on edge. The winds of Mondstadt were no longer calm and gentle. The air itself lacked warmth and comfort. It was dry and cold.

So, so cold.

It just made Jean even more unsettled as the seconds flew by. She herself was an Anemo Vision holder, thanks to Barbatos (she muttered a quick and hasty prayer for her dear captain). Ever since she got her vision, she found herself tuned with the winds of Mondstadt. It felt like the winds of the city of freedom often spoke to her, bringing her blessings and warnings alike.

And today felt like one of those horrible, horrible days, when the wind brought her warnings and whispers of danger.

If Jean was a normal, ordinary person without a vision, she would have brushed these feelings off too easily and gone on about her life. But she knew better. She knew when to listen to subtle changes in the winds of the city she swore to protect. She knew the signs. Something was not right.

The winds picked up their pace and so did her heart. She had rarely felt this nervous and anxious on her missions. She had seen and experienced too much to be this disturbed.
“Please be alright, Kaeya.”
Amber and Eula soon caught up to her and flanked her on both sides. It seemed that too could sense the unrest of the winds.

 

Soon they reached Springvale.
Jean dismounted her horse in haste, her breath catching as the scene before her came into view. Why hadn’t she been informed of this sooner?

A house stood in ruins — burned down to its very bones, its charred remains still smoldering. The smell of fire still heavily lingered in the village. Her eyes burned with dust and the potent smell.

As the sound of their arrival stirred the village, guards and townsfolk came rushing forward, concern etched into their soot-covered faces.

“Medics and healers! On the field now!” Jean’s voice rang out — sharp, commanding, never cruel.

At her command, several knights and some sisters of the church rushed inside the village to help. Their footsteps full of urgency and haste.

Jean continued giving orders and she hastily made her way to the crime scene.
“Amber.” The outrider stood tall, snapping into a proper knight’s salute.

“Yes, Acting Grandmaster Jean.” She liked that Amber could sense her no-nonsense tone.

“I want every scrap of information you can find. Talk to the villagers, check for tracks, witness statements — everything. And send Knight Darwin to me immediately.” Without saying anything else, the outrider saluted once again and rushed off to her duties.

“Eula, I need you to take command of the knights already stationed here. Keep them steady—no panic, no confusion. And remember…”

She leaned in, voice low but firm.

 

“This stays strictly confidential. The village is already under silent lockdown—neither the guards nor the citizens suspect a thing. Let’s make sure it remains that way.”

Eula’s eyes widened just a bit when she heard the words. But she understood the implication well enough.

“Vengeance… will be served.” Her words were low, cold and deadly.

 

Jean always forgot just how menacing Eula could sound when serious. Still, she couldn’t help but smile faintly and nod in approval before striding away.
Now Jean could finally focus all her attention on the house that stood at the heart of all this chaos. As she grew closer and closer to the house she could tell that the Cavalry Captain had put all of his efforts into putting out the fire.

 

The earth beneath her boots crunched, like snow or frost. She looked down to see remnants of frost scattered here and there. The air was colder too.

 

Her heart ached a little, Kaeya… wasn’t a fan of fire and hot things in general. Places like this — scorched and suffocating — must feel like hell to him.

 

She tried not to dwell on it, but the longer she stared at the remains of the house — a hollow skeleton of wood, blackened beams jutting out like broken ribs, scraps of cloth and charred furniture still clinging to the frame like skin — the more her worry for the starry-eyed Cavalry Captain grew.

 

She heard rushed footsteps behind her and saw a pale-looking guard approach her. His body language was all over the place. His face too sickly pale, hands and legs shaking and short, fast breaths. He looked terrified. He must be Darwin.

 

It was moments like this when she thought, “Kaeya has taught me well.”

 

When they were young and… Diluc had just… upped and left. It was just Jean and Kaeya. Kaeya and Jean. The first year was brutal for her. She couldn’t ever imagine what it must have been like for Kaeya back then. But, they both had found comfort in each other.

 

For a while, Jean was the only person Kaeya talked to after… that night. It had been like that up until he was discharged from the cathedral due to his mysterious burns (she internally rolled her eyes at Kaeya’s weak cover story but she hadn’t questioned him either. As long as no one asked unwanted questions he was safe and she made sure of that).

 

It was during one of those times in the cathedral that Kaeya had taught her how to read people. More specifically their body language. At first she was confused. It was an odd topic of discussion but she knew whatever was bothering Kaeya he could not tell her just yet or maybe never (he did tell her after a while but that was another story). But whatever the reason was, it seemed to have helped him… mentally at least.

 

“A-acting GrandMaster J-Jean!” The knight fumbled over his own words, nearly tripping over his own feet as he snapped into a jittery salute.

 

Jean’s gaze settled on him — steady and unreadable. She looked him over, once, then again. The message had likely come through him... relayed by Kaeya.

 

“You must be Darwin.”
Her tone shifted — soft, light as a dandelion on the wind.

 

“It’s alright, Darwin. Breathe. Calm yourself.”

 

The knight blinked, visibly startled by the gentleness in her voice. For a moment, he seemed uncertain... then, slowly, he began to take deep, measured breaths. Still tense, still on edge — but no longer on the verge of falling apart.

 

Good. She could work with that.

 

“That’s good, Darwin. You are doing really well.”

 

He must be new, Jean thought. He looked sharp and active but there were some things that one could only gain through experience. If Kaeya had picked him, literally weeded him out from a bunch of knights (knowing how picky and prickly he can be), to relay such an important message, then she trusted Kaeya’s judgment. And, hence, in turn, she could try to have some faith in the young knight in front of him too.

“Th-thank y-you for your kind words, Miss Gun—n-no—I-I mean, Acting Grand Master!”
And just like that, he was back to fumbling again.

Jean suppressed a sigh — or perhaps a smile. This boy was a bundle of nerves. Almost amusing, really… if the situation weren’t so dire.

“No need to worry, Darwin. We all have our moments.”

Jean chuckled softly, letting just a hint of warmth into her voice — enough to ease the poor knight’s nerves, if only a little.

 

Maybe it was her kind and empathetic attitude that seemed to snap the knight out of his nervous haze. She saw clarity and urgency bleed into his face and eyes. He stood taller, posture straight and firm.

 

“I apologize again, Acting Grand Master,” he said, more firmly this time. “I’m a new recruit… but that’s no excuse for being so unprofessional. I had no intention of wasting your time. I’ll get right into the details if you allow me to.” He bowed stiffly.

 

Jean could now see why Kaeya picked (weeded) him out.

 

“Yes please. Go ahead.”

 

And just like that, her demeanor shifted — calm, composed, and utterly focused. She slipped effortlessly into the role of a commander overseeing a critical investigation.

 

Jean listened very, very carefully to the words that tumbled out of Darwin’s mouth. She made sure to keep her face as neutral as possible. With each second that passed, the fear that had gripped her till now, turned into a cold anger towards the reckless Captain. Leave it to Kaeya to go investigate a possible act of terrorism from the gaddammed Fatui, all alone.

 

In the dead of the night.

 

With such terrible winds that seemed relentless in their assault.

 

With no help.

 

And did she emphasize again that he went alone.

 

Jean knew she was a hypocrite.

 

But what do they say?

 

Ah, yes… to know one’s flaws is the first step toward mastering them—or so the saying went.

 

She was the Acting Grand Master. If she wanted to investigate, she could go alone. And she couldn’t emphasize enough—this was potentially an act of terrorism. To hell with it.

 

Jean also knew that Kaeya was a very skilled and formidable knight. One of the best, actually. But it wasn’t that the Cavalry Captain went alone. It was Kaeya Albrich, her dear friend—not a knight but a friend.

 

Jean knew her vices, and she knew this was one of them.

 

But when it comes to friends, family, and duty, she couldn’t seem to keep them separate, no matter how hard she tried.

 

Damn you, Kaeya. Making me so self-aware. Always ready to point it out.
Jean took a deep breath, steeling herself. There was no time to waste in second-guessing. The weight of her title pressed down on her shoulders, but so did the stubborn warmth of loyalty and friendship. She wouldn’t let either falter.

 

So, she went on forward into the dark forest in search of her Captain and friend.

 

Darwin had given her a general idea of the direction he and Kaeya had gone. So she followed their trail, squinting hard in the dark, following the light footprints. She kept switching between her normal sight and her elemental sight.

 

For a time, she came up empty—no signs, no clues. Then, just as doubt began to creep in, the trail ended abruptly. Only a single set of footprints pressed on, disappearing alone into the thickening darkness.
Jean’s heart tightened. Kaeya was out there, moving forward—alone.
Not for long.

 

With newfound determination, Jean took a deep breath and continued on. The winds of Mondstadt were still as harsh as they had been earlier. But now, it seemed as if… there was an edge to it. A certain restlessness in the air. The trees swayed and leaves flew around her. The setting made her a bit nervous. As if something ominous was hiding around the corner, ready to jump out.

 

Her grip tightened on her sword.

 

Soon she stumbled upon some traces of pyro elemental energy, and sighed in relief that she seemed to be going in the right direction. She made a mental note to ask Amber or Eula to check the place out later and moved forward.

 

She was not ready for what she saw.

 

Her heart nearly leapt out of her body, hands falling to her sides. Mute prayers fell from her quivering lips, and she rushed ahead.

Notes:

This was my first time writing Jean. I had so much fun writing her. I know that she is not like canon Jean but I feel kike to some extent she is?
Idk?
Please tell me how I did writing Jean. T T
I can really use some feedback.
Also, I feel like everyone needed a change of pace, so yea, a new POV from one and only Jean ~~~.

Chapter 18: Abyssal Energies III

Summary:

Guess who makes an appearance?

Jean was deeply grateful for the rigorous training she had received as a knight. From a young age, she had been immersed in the disciplines of combat, strategy, and command—honed by countless drills, real battles, and the unforgiving expectations of her mentors.

By the time she earned her knighthood, she already possessed more experience than many of her seniors, her skills tempered not just by practice, but by trial. Yet her training had not been limited to the sword alone. She had been taught the subtle arts of diplomacy, the weight of leadership, and the importance of reading both people and politics with a keen eye.

And to say she was “deeply grateful” didn’t even come close, given the current situation.

Because it was because of that training. That rigorous and bone-breaking training and hard-earned experience, that she was able to move as fast as she did.

Her body moved on autopilot.

Putting all her emotions and panic and fear aside, shoving it away, away, away into a dark, dark corner, for another time. Locking them in a chest and throwing away the key. She’d mull it over when she made sure that Kaeya was okay.

His body on the ground, motionless.

The wind picked up pace and for a moment all she could hear was the wind roaring in her ears. Trying her best to ignore the thunderous sounds of the Mond winds, she nearly broke her knees trying to get to Kaeya’s side.

Kaeya’s Cryo Vision lay beside his head, glowing ever so bright — icy and cold, indicating that the starry-eyed knight was okay. Alive.

In that instant, a weight Jean hadn’t realized she’d been carrying uncoiled from her chest. The cold light of the Vision seemed to reach into her, stilling the storm that had been threatening to rise behind her eyes.

With trembling hands, Jean reached out and gently shook Kaeya, her voice hoarse as she called his name again and again. Voice cracking and eyes watering.

“Kaeya. Kaeya, wake up. Please.”

Her fingers moved over his armor, searching desperately for blood, for wounds, for any sign of injury. She braced herself for the worst — a shattered rib, a hidden gash, something the Vision's glow couldn’t reveal. But there was nothing. No blood. No breaks. No sign of pain etched into his features.

Another tight coil of fear unwound in her chest, and she let out a shaky breath she hadn’t realized she'd been holding.

He was okay. Truly okay.

And yet, her hands still trembled.

He seemed to be just unconscious. Maybe he hit his head, or someone came at the Captain and managed to land a blow. These two were the only possible options Jean’s mind could conjure up at the moment.

His breathing was steady — calm, even. If Jean didn’t know any better, she might have thought he was simply… sleeping. Peacefully.

But Jean couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Everything felt wrong. Kaeya seemed okay on the surface — no injuries, no concussion — nothing. Then why couldn't she accept what lay in front of her eyes?

The pit in her stomach grew and grew, and all the tension and pressure slammed into her body and mind at full force.

The winds were getting worse now, howling louder with each passing moment, tearing through the trees with a force that made the branches groan and bend at awful, awful angles. Leaves whipped around them in chaotic spirals, stinging Jean's cheeks like tiny shards of glass.

It was as if… as if... the winds were trying to push them out. Trying to make them leave.

Now, Jean was no fool. She knew when the battle was not worth fighting.

Jean glanced around, her instincts screaming. This was no ordinary storm — not natural, not safe. She didn’t know if it was magic, a warning, or something worse, but they had to move. Now.

Her hand found Kaeya’s shoulder again.

“Come on,” she urged, voice steadier than she felt. “You have to wake up. We can’t stay here.”

With no signs of movement, Jean threw all caution to the raging wind and hauled Kaeya up.

Maybe it was the adrenaline running wild in her veins or the sheer hysteria in the air or the helpless urgency to leave.

Gritting her teeth, she pulled Kaeya’s arm over her shoulders, anchoring his weight against her side. He was heavier than her and taller than her — or maybe it was the exhaustion creeping into her bones — but she didn’t stop. Couldn’t.

They had to get out. Now.

With careful and determined steps, she began to drag the man and lead them out of this chaos.

Dust and tiny particles flew into her eyes, rendering her unable to see. Her eyes burned and stung. She could feel dust all the way in the back of her throat, making it hard to breathe. Hard to focus. Uncontrolled coughs and hacks climbed up her chest and spilled out her throat.

She bit down on her tongue, hard, forcing herself to stay focused. With vision stolen from her, she leaned into memory — the shape of the path, the curve of the trees, the incline beneath her boots. Every step forward was an act of faith.

Clutching Kaeya tightly, she pressed on, doing her best to retrace the route she had taken — every muscle straining to stay upright, every instinct screaming to run faster.

She knew — no, she trusted herself — that they were on the right path. She trusted herself to get them out. But the raging wind was making it hard to keep balance.

She almost lost her footing twice — stumbling over twisted roots and slick earth — but each time, she caught herself before she fell, Kaeya's weight nearly dragging them both down. Each time she managed to break the fall and move forward, adrenaline running haywire.

She was the Lionfang Knight. She does not fall.

Squinting through the storm, she forced her eyes open despite the sting of grit and dust clawing at them. For a moment, all she saw was chaos and a raging forest—

Then, a flicker. A pale blue light in the dark. Faint, but steady.

It was getting closer. She dared to hope.

Amongst the raging wind, the screeching forest, she couldn't hear anything but her thunderous heart, beating wildly with desperation.

But she knew what she heard. The faint echo of her name. Kaeya’s name.

Her legs almost gave out from the sheer relief that filled her body as she realized it was the Spindrift Knight.

“Jean!!!” Eula’s cry was so full of fear and desperation that it rendered Jean confused for a moment, her steps faltering for a second.

Her eyes searched Eula’s face, her eyes. So full of… where was she looking? She wasn’t looking at Jean or Kaeya. She was looking... behind them.

The roar of the wind dulled, as if it were coming from underwater, distant and muted. The world around her dragged sluggishly. Jean felt as though her head were stuffed with cotton, her thoughts thick and heavy, like trying to move through a dream she couldn't quite wake from.

Her breaths came shallow. Her legs, heavy. Even Kaeya’s weight, once manageable, now felt like stone.

Her eyes followed Eula’s line of sight. Ever so slowly, she turned her head to look. The moment felt longer than necessary.

But she saw it. She saw what had Eula panicking and screaming her name.

Behind them, a tree swayed violently in the howling wind — too violently. Its roots, long loosened by the storm, tore free from the earth.

Jean’s heart jumped as she caught sight of the exact moment the massive trunk broke free, tipping forward with growing momentum.

The world seemed to slow again as the giant tree crashed down toward them, a living wall of splintering wood and dirt.

For a moment all Jean saw was that tree. That darned tree and its equally darned shadow fall across her face, blocking the rest of the world out.

In the next heartbeat, Jean gathered every ounce of strength she had and threw herself — and Kaeya — out of the tree’s path, pushing them as far as she could.

For a long while, Jean could hear nothing, see nothing. All she knew was that Kaeya was in her arms, safe. His weight in her arms was the only thing grounding her. Kaeya.

Kaeya in her arms, safe.

Both of them lay on the forest floor, away from the disaster that lay mere feet away from their faces.

The impact was too strong when they hit the ground. Jean had managed to cover Kaeya’s head as they fell. She twisted her body just enough to avoid a direct blow to her own skull, absorbing the shock across her shoulder and back instead.

In the shock of the moment, she couldn't even register the pain.

In the shock of the moment, she couldn't even register the pain.

The shock really was too much. Everything seemed… muddled. Like jelly. She struggled to regain her breathing, but her arms never left Kaeya. Her lungs burned with the need to breathe, to get some air, but Jean had no idea why it seemed so… difficult.

Her head was underwater, and she could now hear the ever-angry winds and… and someone.
Someone?

Yes!! Eula!

“–an!”
“Jea–”
“–ting Grand–”
“JEAN!”

Jean felt cold hands on her — not harsh or urgent, but steady, gentle. Soothing.
The touch carried the unmistakable chill of Cryo, and beneath it, the calm control of the Spindrift Knight. Eula.

Jean’s muddled mind struggled to focus, thoughts buried under static and exhaustion. But she recognized the touch — the way Eula moved with quiet efficiency, guiding her into a safer position.

She tried to speak but only violent coughs came out, her throat dry like sandpaper.

“Here. Drink.”

Eula’s voice was soft and gentle. Jean tried to focus only on her.

She needed something to anchor her to reality, something solid amid the chaos still ringing in her head.

Eula. Her gentle voice, her Cryo touch. She needed something to ground herself back to reality. Cool water was brought to her lips. She drank it hungrily, but she felt Eula pulling the water canteen away and then guiding her to drink in slow sips.

“Slowly,” she murmured. “You’ll choke.”

The cold water seemed to bring her back. The static in her mind began to ease. Her breathing steadied. The ground stopped spinning.

Her voice was hoarse when she finally spoke.

“Kaeya... I found him unconscious in the forest.”

She turned, eyes meeting Eula’s.

“Look after him.”

Something unspoken passed between them — urgency, trust, shared instinct. Eula gave a curt nod and helped Jean to her feet with surprising gentleness.

“We need to leave,” Jean said, eyes scanning the thrashing trees around them. “The winds are no longer safe.”

Now with Eula’s combined help, it was much easier to carry Kaeya back to the safety of Springvale. But each step was agony for Jean. Her shoulder was… not in a good place. Quite literally. She suspected it was dislocated, and her back was sore. But the pressing matter at hand allowed her to ignore it and file it away.

She wasn’t much different than Kaeya in that department, she supposed.

Jean was thankful Eula did not ask any questions yet. Jean barely had answers herself, and right now probably wasn’t a good moment to have an interrogation.

Besides, they wouldn’t have been able to hear each other over the raging winds.

So, with quiet understanding and strength, they trudged on.

 

It didn’t take them long to reach the village — though to Jean, it felt like an eternity.

Eula was doing far, far better than Jean, though exhaustion lingered on her trembling limbs and slightly red face. But other than that, she was okay.
Jean, however, was far worse than Eula. Nothing she couldn't handle, but she was only human. Her body ached, her mind still fogged from the earlier strain. Every muscle burned with effort, her lungs screamed for air, but Jean suppressed her needs. She tried to play it casual. She was the Acting Grand Master, after all. She had a reputation and image to uphold. But still, of the two, she had clearly taken the brunt of the storm — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Amber, flanked by several knights, surrounded them before Jean could even register what was happening. The next few moments felt surreal, dreamlike — blurred at the edges.
Someone took Kaeya from her arms. Or perhaps... gently peeled him away.
From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Rosaria stepping in — silent, composed — slipping seamlessly into place beside Kaeya and guiding him toward a nearby shelter.

Jean didn’t resist, finally feeling long-awaited relief wash over her like a cool Anemo breeze on a hot summer day.
Another hand found hers, steady and warm. It was Amber, her voice soft with concern. Beside her, Darwin offered a quiet nod — one hand ready at his sword, the other extended to help.
Together, they led Jean into a nearby house.
Safe now, at last, from the raging storm outside.

 

“He seems stable. No injuries. No concussion.” Rosaria’s voice was quiet, yet always carried that distant cold. “By the looks of it, he should wake up soon.” The sister quietly concluded.
Her red eyes seemed to take in each and every detail of her drinking companion. And for a drinking companion, she seemed to care a lot. Jean was just happy that Kaeya had good friends looking out for him, even if he refused to admit it.
“She is gonna give him hell when he wakes up,” Jean internally chuckled at the thought.

It was just her with her hurriedly patched shouder, an unconscious Kaeya, Sister Rosaria, and Eula inside the quiet house. The warm lights of the candles around the room and the lanterns hanging off the ceiling danced off of them. Their shadows fell to the rhythm of the flames.
Jean had given them the overview of the situation.

“Thank Barbatos. I am glad that moron is alright. But…” Jean’s voice trailed off.
It was quiet for a moment, and she let the silence fill the room before collecting her thoughts. “It just doesn’t feel right. Nothing about this makes sense. Also, the winds are so... violent tonight. I cannot help but feel as if... this is,” she paused once again. She had no idea if she was right, but alarm bells were ringing loudly all over.
Jean really considered saying the next words. Saying them meant that the threat was real and they had no idea what was coming.
“As if this is a warning from the Anemo Archon himself.”

No one spoke for a long moment. It was moments like these Jean truly appreciated her comrades.
Eula, who was sitting across from Jean, had a blank expression on her face. But her body was tense and rigid, hands fidgeting with her Vision.
“What transpired today could have ended… far worse,” Eula said, her voice calm but clipped. “When you left to search for Kaeya and the winds intensified, panic began to spread. Even among the knights. It became difficult to uphold both discipline and your standing orders.”

There was a brief pause. Jean, though still recovering, could hear the strain in her voice — a quiet thread of dread woven into the words.
“If not for your intervention…” Eula trailed off for a moment, then continued, her tone sharpening as her eyes flicked to Rosaria, who was keenly watching the rise and fall of Kaeya’s chest.
“Sister Rosaria. I must acknowledge your actions. Had you not remained behind, I would not have been free to locate the Acting Grand Master. It was that recruit — Darwin, I believe — who found me. He was… rather distressed, speaking of you heading out alone into the forest.”

“Our immediate priority must be to stabilize the public’s emotions,” Eula said, her tone crisp and deliberate. “If the situation is truly as grave as we suspect, then allowing information to spread unchecked would only invite chaos.”
She folded her arms, eyes narrowing slightly, watching her shadow dance on the wall.
“At present, we cannot afford widespread hysteria. The best course of action is containment — both of the facts and the fears surrounding them. What we need… is a plausible cover story.”

“You knights can certainly be clever when you want to be,” Rosaria said, her voice rough and plain, with that usual edge of indifference.
“No offense to you, Master Jean.”
Her sharp gaze settled on Jean, and despite the blunt words, there was no mistaking it — she was on board.

Jean offered a faint, tired smile. “None taken, Sister.” She straightened slightly, trying to gather the last of her composure. “What can I say? Knowing when to fall back is part of command.”
“Eula. I entrust you with handling the public affairs while we deal with this situation.” Her gaze flickered over to Kaeya.
Eula gave a respectful nod. “Understood, Master Jean. You can rest assured — vengeance will be delivered. For the damage done to Mondstadt…” Her eyes shifted briefly to Kaeya. “And for our Captain.”
She straightened, the chill in her voice sharpening ever so slightly. “Leave the public to me.”

“But before anything else, we need a good cover story.” Jean was tired, but the duties of her homeland pressed on her shoulders.
“You know,” Rosaria drawled, arms loosely crossed, “we should keep it simple. Plain. Like our dear citizens.”
She rolled her eyes. “They don’t need the truth. Just something soft enough to swallow.”
“If it comes from their beloved Acting Grand Master,” Rosaria said flatly, “they’ll swallow it like dog scraps and thank her for the meal.”

Jean barely had the energy to respond to Rosaria’s blunt remark, so she let it slide. There was no point in sparring over words — not now.
Still, deep down, she knew there was some truth in it.
Rosaria had been harsh — too harsh, maybe — but not wrong. Mondstadt’s people did prefer simplicity, comfort over complexity. They didn’t want the weight of hard truths, just reassurance that everything was under control.
To each their own, Jean thought, her shoulders heavy with more than just fatigue. Who was she to judge?

“I’ll issue an official statement first thing in the morning,” Jean said, her voice quiet but resolute. “The sooner we get it over with, the better.”
She turned to Rosaria, gaze steady. “Though, Sister Rosaria, I’m afraid I’m going to need your assistance in this matter.”
Rosaria merely raised an eyebrow — nothing more. No protest, no agreement. Just that familiar, unreadable expression.
Jean took the silence as permission to continue.

“Due to the... how should I put it? The nature of this case,” Jean said carefully, “I’ll need you — and your informants — to dig deeper. Discreetly.”
“The Knights present here cannot know the full extent of what’s happened. Not yet. If they do, word will spread — and I simply cannot afford that.”

“Hmmmm,” Rosaria mused, her voice sharp and indifferent, “is that mistrust I hear in your voice, Acting Grand Master?
Do you not trust your knights enough to handle this matter on their own?”

“We both know too well, Sister, this isn’t about trust,” Jean sighed, her voice heavy with exhaustion.
“This goes beyond trust,” she said quietly. “It’s about the consequences — if the wrong word slips out, if fear spreads among the knights or the people... it could unravel everything we’re trying to hold together.”
Her eyes met Rosaria’s, steady despite the fatigue.
“I need this contained, controlled. And for that, I need someone who can move in the shadows, someone who understands the weight of silence.”

Rosaria’s lips curled into a faint, knowing smirk.
“Moving in the shadows is more my style than the spotlight, Acting Grand Master. Consider it done.”
She paused, her gaze steady and cold. She looked Jean in the eye, and Jean knew that no matter how prickly and distant the eccentric sister may try to seem, she had placed her trust in the right hands. Even if those hands were stained with blood, covered in frost and cold like death itself, they were loyal to Mondstadt nonetheless. Those same hands would raise the spear and follow her orders, no matter how reluctant, no matter how willing.

They lapsed into silence once again, but this time it wasn’t so tense. Only the winds howled outside, rapping on the windows and banging on the doors.
The silence lingered a moment longer before Eula finally spoke, breaking through the stillness.
She seemed to have gathered her thoughts carefully, her expression sharp and focused — as if she had just drawn a crucial conclusion.

“We could say it was treasure hoarders,” Eula said carefully, her tone measured and deliberate. “They became far too reckless, venturing too close to the village.
Captain Kaeya, with his usual sense of duty, followed their trail alone. He put the safety of his fellow knights above all else.
He fought them off single-handedly and, unfortunately, sustained some injuries in the process.”

“That does seem like an easy pill to swallow,” Rosaria said, rolling her eyes.
“Yes, Kaeya will probably gloat and bask in the attention,” Jean laughed softly, shaking her head. “But other than that, I believe we can proceed with this.”
“Oh, Kaeya, you’re going to have a storm of people thanking you — whether you like it or not.”
“He’ll probably try to run off to Dragonspine,” Rosaria said with a wry smirk. “But you needn’t worry, Grand Master. I’ll keep my eye on that bastard.”

“That’s Kaeya for you,” Jean said softly. She couldn’t wait for him to wake up. She’d lecture him to no end. He’d most definitely pout and try to charm his way out, but Jean was not going to let him off the hook. Well, maybe she would. But not after some stern ear pulling and lecturing.
She found herself smiling softly. Leave it to Kaeya to always be the one to bring her comfort, even while being unconscious.

“Well, now that everything’s settled,” Jean said, her voice calm but tired, “all that’s left is to wait for dawn... and for this forsaken storm to finally pass.”
No one spoke for the rest of the night.
No one slept — save for the unconscious Cavalry Captain.
The three women sat in silence, their eyes fixed on the storm as it slowly began to relent.

Finally, after hours of relentless fury, the dark clouds parted, and bright beams of dawn broke through, casting red and golden lights over the City of Freedom.

Notes:

Please let me know how ti was?
It was so much fun to write this chapter. I had no idea I had written this much.
Please do leave comments and kudos <3 <3 <3