Chapter Text
SEPTEMBER 22ND, YEAR [REDACTED]
A week since the Acting Grand Sage, Alhaitham, has locked himself up in his house and work, and a week since The Light of Kshahrewar and a wanderer from Mondstadt, have gone missing without a trace.
The Matra is already on the case, and getting a few investigators from Fontaine have been helping.
No traces, no signs, nothing.
Kaveh and Heit have vanished without a trace and presumably, no struggle.
Some have reported seeing glimpses of Kaveh and Heit wandering around, but quickly disappearing when the person call out to them, disappearing. On many instances, they been seen together, hurt yet avoiding any confirmation.
Trails of blood have been found matching the DNA of Kaveh An-Nur and Heit Leichenberg though the trails abruptly cut off at random points, before starting again far from the last trail. On one instance a detective found flesh seeming from the arm of Kaveh An-Nur.
Wherever the two are, they certainly won't live much longer.
★~—~★
Alhaitham sat in his office, utterly exhausted, reading yet another report on what the Matra and Detectives from Fontaine have found. Just some blood trails and ripped off stained clothes.
There was an item this time, just a bloodied sketching pencil of Kaveh's, nothing too big but at least it seemed like they were getting closer.
A knock on his office rang out, snapping him from his thoughts.
"Come in." He sighed, setting down the papers in his hands, looking up at the door.
It creeped open, and in step the General Mahamatra himself, Cyno.
"Alhaitham. We have another report." He started, pausing as he walked a bit farther into the room.
"Which is?" Alhaitham asked, raising an eyebrow, staring down Cyno expectantly.
"Well.. we went to check up by the Sanctuary of Surasthana, I was going to see if Lesser lord Kusanail could help, but the doors were locked, and.. black vines were growing from the area?" Cyno explained, clearing his throat as his eyes wandered as he thought.
"How does this relate to the search of Kaveh and Mr. Leichenberg?" he asked, raising an eyebrow expectantly as his eyes narrowed.
"We found Kaveh's drawing supplies and Mr. Leichenberg's bag.." Cyno trailed off. He could feel his heart beating rapidly, trying to recall what he saw.
"Their possessions were drenched in blood, and even flesh bits were laying around the area.. bitten too- like an animal had been eating at them." He finished, the lump in his throat caught, making it feel like he was suffocating.
Silence.
Pure undisturbed silence as Alhaitham thought, Cyno awaiting his response.
"Continue looking for the two. Don't stop until you find them-.." Alhaitham paused, frowning and his eyebrows furrowing.
"Or their bodies."
.
.
.
.
★~—~★
Kaveh scooted as far back into the alley as he could, trying to stay unseen from the few passers-by they walked by, not noticing him or Heit hidden away in the shadows.
His hand wasn't there anymore, Heit gnaw it off their first exchange along with part of his torso and his face.. he couldn't see very well now.
But he got Heit back to normal.
There was this undying hunger for flesh, more specifically human flesh. Like a plant eating monster.
He tore off Heit's calf and foot, leaving the muscle and bone exposed and ate half his jaw. They had to patch up their wounds so the Matra couldn't find them.
After all, they couldn't be around others anymore. Heit around infected another into whatever they were becoming, but it's not like anyone would find that person.
Kaveh glanced over at Heit, looking at the wounded man. He felt disgusted he attacked him, and even ate his own flesh as Heit tried to get Kaveh off him.
"..How you feeling..?" He asked, his voice raspy and quiet, though his gaze soft and caring.
Heit looked up at Kaveh, his eyes dead and more blood hungry by the minute.
"...F-ne.." He rasped out, both their voices weak from not using them anymore.
How long had it been? A week at most they've been "missing". They weren't going back.
This was some sort of plague. A virus. Something that could wipe out the entirety of Teyvat.
An apocalypse.
Kaveh just nodded, looking back up to the street, bright and anyone who walked past having a bright smile on their face. He could barely smile now.
He didn't even feel like himself anymore.
He leaned over to Heit, resting his head on the older mans shoulder, shutting his eye and breathing a sigh out as Heit leaned his head onto Kaveh's.
It felt like he was with his father, sitting on his bed, all tucked in as his father sat with him, reading to him.
At least they had a nice arrangement for now.