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Chapter Text

What was out here, in this barren wilderness? What was left after torrents of snow pelleted the ground with spine shattering ice and dust-like frost? In the haze of eternal winter, the gentle crystals of white could be linked to ash. Like ash, the droplets of snow ensured death. The cold, frozen numbing of the body until there was nothing left.

The mountain of Dragonspine was covered in ash, not snow. It was drenched in the dead bodies of young adventurers who had not the tools to properly scale the mountain in their time. So the mountain was left alone like a pile of ash waiting to be blown away by the wind, but even Barbatos' holy wind could not penetrate such an ominous figure. Dragonspine would remain and in it would remain the death of many living things like a glorious burial ground.

Perhaps, then, the snow was not ash but rather flower petals there to grace the graves of many with proper respect. The one who lorded over the mountain was then generous in its disregard for human life. It allowed death as the natural course, but still properly mourned those who passed away. Whether plant, animal, fungi, fish, or human, all was covered in snow.

A clean sheet of white, as if to cover up from the eyes of those with fragile hearts. That was Dragonspine. The most improperly proper of burial grounds blessed by nothing but snow, ash, and flower petals.

Oh, how they continued to fall. Such was a fitting grave, to be buried in the mountain. From the soil and back into the earth. A complete, fitting cycle. Even while being sucked under countless layers of snow, Albedo couldn't help but think that.

Of course, he wasn't simply accepting his inevitable death nor patiently waiting for rescue. Currently, he was in contemplation. According to his research, he should've been well suited to traverse through the mountain. He had the proper tools and a means to keep himself warm, so where exactly in his calculated plan had he stumbled and fallen into the abyss?

No, those were thoughts for another time. Right now, finding his research material was of priority. If he could find his satchel, then he could gain access to his diminishing number of warming potions and buy his time while finding a safe place to ride through the storm and recover. No matter the number he had left, one or two was better than a quick, frozen death. Without them, returning to the soil would be a swift process for Dragonspine to accomplish.

Albedo found that his limbs refused to move. It seemed that, in his deep contemplation over his next course of action, he had forgotten about the clawing numbness that was encroaching on his body. Stiff muscles and sharp, painful pinpricks ran down his limbs as the feather light snow continued to cover his body in ash. He was being buried. From the very beginning of when he tripped and rolled down the mountain, the large pyramid of rock had a grave ready for him. Perhaps even before then it had already prepared his last resting place.

Albedo wished to turn his head and look around, to get some last glimpse of natures natural beauty instead of the ashy sky before passing on, but found he couldn't even turn his head. His eyelids were the only last working part of his body, but he knew soon even they would be either forced shut or left open to look like a haunting ghost of a corpse.

He probably should've been less calm about the situation. He realized then that his body was in shock. It probably had been since he fell, and since he had been too late to snap himself out of it, the mountain began to bury him. Dragonspine wouldn't accept weakness. Only those with strong will, intelligence, savvy, and a portion of luck would be able to survive. That was what Albedo deduced, yet it seemed he was still missing something, if he ended up in this situation despite his preparations. That missing puzzle piece was the last straw which would bury him beneath the snowy ash like many others.

Albedo pondered whether he should close his eyes or not. It wasn't as if anyone would find his body out in this snowy grave, not for a long time, so perhaps it didn't matter what he chose. But in his last moments, Albedo wished to look up at the sky and watch the beauty of death rain upon him. That was all he could think.

"Hey!"

A voice called out to him in the snow. The person was probably yelling, yet their voice sounded like a muffled whisper blanketed underneath layers of snow. The crunching footsteps in the soft powder was more prominent to Albedo who was mostly buried in the earth.

"Hey!" The voice called out to him again. The crunching sound was closer now, just paces away. They were heavy, stumbling steps."Is he even alive...?" The voice now spoke to itself, breathless rasp in quality. The person sounded winded."Hey!"

Suddenly, an encroaching darkness shadowed over part of Albedo's body."C'mon...C'mon...." the voice was desperate and pleading. It was as if it was crying without the tears, begging for something.

Fingers nudged at Albedo's neck, yet he couldn't feel anything but pain from the action. He wished to cry out, to jolt and move around from the rough touch against his skin which felt like cracking ice, but he couldn't even do that.

"C'mon..." the voice murmured again."Please...please be alive..."

Albedo had never heard a voice so softly begging for life. It was a wistful beauty and suddenly the ash-like snow against Albedo's face felt like flower petals. This person, in this moment, pleaded to the mountain for his life. They begged the imposing force to let him live. And with batted breath, the pair waited for the regal mountains response.

Two beats later and the person let out a large, thankful sigh."Oh thank god...thank god...thank you..." they spoke, murmurs the closest sound to someone physically getting on their hands and knees and bowing their head.

And then, the person began murmuring to him."It's okay. It's okay. I'll get you out of here. I'll get you out." It was the murmurings of a mad man. And insistent, or perhaps persistent, reassurance that everything would be okay.

The person began to dig away the snow from around Albedo's body. They were quick, working with a haste before the mountain changed its mind and decided to bury them both.

Albedo felt the weight of the snow being lifted off him, yet could move no more than he could minutes ago. Even his eyes, now, could barely blink. They may have actually stopped doing so awhile ago. His entire body felt impossibly fragile and he worried that the minute this person picked him up he would simply shatter like glass.

But this person who begged for his life was gentle. Their hands were feather light and touch like he was a precious antique. The slight pinpricks of pain were already expected, but the strain was lesser then if he was handled roughly. It felt as if with each touch this person was trying to breathe life back into him.

Suddenly, the dark shadow of their body moved further upwards and Albedo's view of the ashen sky was covered. Looking upon the face of his savior, Albedo realized he had never seen a more welcome sight. Vibrant strands for red hair and deep pooling eyes that spoke of dawn stared back at him with a plead to live.

Ah, it's the sun, Albedo thought. It had been a long time since he had seen the sun in this icy wilderness. How glorious it was in its light and warmth.

That was when Albedo realized what he had been missing. As he was lifted up from his snowy grave, he finally understood the final puzzle piece to success to survive on this luminous mountain. It was the one thing he struggled with the most in his life and chose to forgo whenever possible.

Companionship.

On Dragonspine, one was never truly warm. Standing next to a fire was only a temporary reprieve. The warming potions Albedo had created only ebbed some of the cold and didn't last forever. One could very well be burning and still feel an icy chill creeping over their body.

It was the mountains way of reminding people traversing through of who the true ruler was. It was Dragonspine's decision as to whether they would survive the cold or not. As Albedo slowly came back into consciousness, he came to understand that the mountain had granted him the right to live through the snow, if only for this one night.

He felt instantly a feverish sensation all throughout his body. Parts of him stung as his body was so cold it hurt to warm it back up. His eyelids hurt and refused to open themselves, but beneath them he could see a bright light flickering in sporadic intervals. It was fire. Heat. He truly was alive if he was feeling all these sensations at once. Only a living human body could be so imaginative in its decisions on how to feel.

A heavy weight fell over part of his body, stopping Albedo from moving any further. There was a gentle press, like a soft warmed furnace, against his back that wrapped all along his backside. This must've been part of what kept him alive, Albedo realized. By the up and down motion and soft breath over the top of his head, Albedo realized this weight was a living, breathing human, or something eerily similar.

To show the figure he was awake, Albedo forced his aching eyelids open. The ice along his eyelashes had mostly melted and a small droplet of excess water fell like a tear down his face. Ever so lightly, Albedo checked the motor abilities of his body. He could sense all this limbs there, so his body must've not succumbed to frostbite.

At his gentle stirring, the warm body behind him made itself known."You're awake?" A voice, distinctly male, spoke out to him. Deep in the snowstorm and half entrenched by white powder, Albedo could barely make out that voice, but now it spoke clearly to him. It was husky and deep, the slight raspy quality telling Albedo he needed water.

Albedo made a small movement in response, not trusting his voice in that moment. He had tried to work his mouth open and test his vocal cords but all that came out were small coughs and intelligible half-grunts.

"Don't push yourself," the man responded to him."Give your body another minute."

Albedo, in response, gave the man a telling grunt of affirmation. Even without the mans suggestion, that seemed the best course of action. His body stung against the heat. It ached and groaned as Albedo slowly moved his limbs back into action. He started small, blinking in and out and curling his fingers.

As he did so, the man behind him spoke."My apologies for my current closeness. I'm sure being touched by someone you're not familiar with is unsettling." His tone took a solemn, softened note."This was the only way I could keep you warm. You..." He trailed off. The gentle quality of his words juxtaposed the gruffness of his voice.

"I was on the verge of dying," Albedo finished for him bluntly. His voice was worn and it smarted as he spoke, but Albedo ignored it. He couldn't go mute forever."Worry not. I understand this was the most effective method of keeping me warm, especially with the condition my body was in. Based on the heat emitting from your body, may I assume you're a pyro vision holder?"

"Yeah, I am," the man responded."That's very keen of you to realize." It was an offhanded comment, spoken in a voice with no particular flavor.

"It's to my understanding that pyro vision holders have a natural body warmth. Based off the heat you're currently emitting, I would say you're also utilizing part of your vision to keep me warm," Albedo began, theories running wild in his head without fault."I've found that with visions, it takes a lot more concentration and skill to do smaller acts such as heating ones own body without burning ones self, so I assume you got your vision at a young age, perhaps before you hit your teen years."

Albedo paused abruptly there. He realized then that he was blabbering on. It was no good to do so, because he may accidentally be intruding on the mans life and making him uncomfortable without realizing so. Albedo always had a problem with that."My apologizes for all my rambling," he said after a beat.

"Don't worry about it," the man responded, voice cool as ever. The sight jovial rasp to it warmed Albedo's gut."The fact that you're talking so much lets me know you're feeling better."

It was the first time Albedo's excessiveness was met with a positive response. What an odd feeling.

"Do you think you're okay to move your limbs or would you like me to continue heating you up?" the man asked. He moved slightly away from Albedo in suggestion.

Albedo pondered his words for a second. Then, he realized this situation may be as uncomfortable for the man as it was odd for him. Though he still had a slight chill about him, he could move the rest of his body just fine. The cool chill that constantly kept his hairs on end was never going to go away. Not until he left Dragonspine.

"You may move now," Albedo responded politely."Thank you for the help."

"It's the least I could do," the man responded. The sound in his voice made Albedo realize that saving another's life came naturally to him. He was a true pursuer of justice.

The man moved away from Albedo, sticking behind him and aiding him as he slowly sat up and hunched near the small campfire in front of him. A thick woolen blanket was draped over his shoulders and Albedo found himself quickly shivering underneath it.

It wasn't as if the man kept him fully warm, but it was warmer than he was currently, despite the heat from the blanket that Albedo noted the man was using previously. He also felt the oncoming sniffles and feverish sensations course through his body. Sure enough, he had caught a small fever. It was no wonder he felt so sluggish and tired.

"Ah, right, I'm sorry for the late introduction. My name is Diluc Ragnvindr, owner of Dawn Winery," the man suddenly spoke on Albedo's left, snapping him out of his feverish daze. He took a seat next to him, thick coat the only thing keeping him warm besides his pyro vision. Albedo remembered that red hair and those red eyes. He had hallucinated them as the sun before and understood exactly why when looking upon them in the snowy wilderness once again.

Albedo ran the mans name through his head. Right, he remembered the man being whispered about recently since he returned back to Mondstadt. If he recalled correctly, Diluc Ragnvindr also owned and ran Angel's Share, the tavern the Cavalry Captain liked frequenting.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Diluc," Albedo responded in kind."I'm Albedo Kreideprinz. I've just recently been appointed as Chief Alchemist of the Knight of Favonius."

Something in the mans expression changed, as if to harden into stone. The tone, or perhaps the air, that shifted between them changed its tune. Just one ringing off beat note before switching songs, back into rhythm once again. Albedo had no idea what he had said wrong. He had little time to ponder either as it seemed Diluc wanted to get straight to business.

"I'll be frank. I'm not sure where we are on the mountain right now. I lost my way in the middle of the snowstorm and was focused on looking for a safe place to hide out as the storm passed instead of tracking where I was." His tone was much more controlled than it was before. It was as if he had a reign over his words."But in your current condition and with the snowstorm yet to let up, it's probably better to just wait it out."

Albedo looked to the entrance of the small cave they were holed up in. White snow pattered and whipped around the entrance. It was as if a barrier of snowy ash forbade them from stepping a foot outside. Certainly, the storm had not let up any. It seemed as though it was warning Albedo. The small series of sniffles he endured after looking was all the more reminder.

Still, one didn't survive on Dragonspine because of fear. Nor did they due to negligence.

"Approximately how long have I been asleep?" Albedo asked.

"Five hours at most, I presume."

Albedo nodded and shook the blanket off his person."We must hurry then." He stood on shaky legs, feeling out his muscles and letting the thawing ligaments grow used to moving once again.

"Hurry where?" Diluc asked. He stood up alongside Albedo. He didn't reach out for him like he once did, but he did watch him wearily."You're in no condition to go anywhere right now. Plus, the snowstorm is still ongoing. There's no point in leaving now when we can't even tell where we're going."

Diluc's tone was clipped, curbing the edges of anger which wished to make themselves known. Albedo ignored his tone and instead gave Diluc a deep, long stare."Tell me, Master Diluc, when did you arrive on Dragonspine?"

"About a day ago."

"I see. And in that time, have you ever once not seen snow whipping through the air or falling from the sky? Has the air ever been completely still?"

Diluc mouth paused, parted slightly in a small gaping expression. He realized it then, Albedo was sure. Never once had Dragonspine not been trapped in a snowstorm. In the whipping winds raged snow that fell like ash. It engulfed the entire mountain like a death trap. In some areas it was less deathly, certainly, but it was always there. Ever present, just like the luminous mountain of graves.

"But still, why must we leave now?" Diluc asked, rough quality of his voice making itself known once again."There's no point in leaving during such a heavy snowstorm if we have no idea where we're going."

"I've been drawing a map of Dragonspine during my explorations here," Albedo explained, tone hurried in his hast to get moving."I slipped and fell down part of the mountain. What caused my fall was my bag which got clipped on a tree and caused me to slip. If we locate my bag, we'll find the map which can lead us back down the mountain. Which means we must leave now, because with the severity of this storm, my bag or the map inside of it may get picked up in the snow and wind and move to somewhere I can't find anymore."

Diluc took in his words, expression grimacing as he went on. It wasn't the ideal situation by far. Albedo knew by going to find his bag again, they would in fact be back tracking by heading further up the mountain. Whether it was a risk Diluc was willing to take was solely up to him. But Albedo wished, secretly in his heart, that he would agree. Right now, after facing the edges of deaths grasp over him, he realized that companionship was absolutely necessary on Dragonspine. He couldn't take this trip alone.

"...Do you even know the direction to get back to your bag? You were unconscious when I moved you." Diluc's words spoke to Albedo the fact that he was considering this option he proposed. Even with the small grimace on his face, he was weighing their options and tipping the scales of what was a good risk or not.

"When you picked me up, in which direction did you walk? Did you go in the direction my head was pointed or my feet? Or perhaps one of my arms?"

"I went in the direction your head was facing," Diluc responded wearily, though the clarity of his words told Albedo he wasn't second guessing himself. That was good to hear.

"Alright, then we'll go back the direction you came and slowly climb the mountain upwards. There are a couple key markers I remember. The minute I spot one of them I'm certain I'll be able to locate my bag with ease." His eyes shifted to Diluc, staring at him with a simple question."Will you help me, Master Diluc?"

He stared at him, seeing in Diluc's expression a solemn distaste of something. But besides that, what truly stood at the forefront of his expression was the face of a man who wished to get home safely. Someone who was willing to take the risk, even when a complete stranger was the one proposing such a plan.

He let out a long breath."Let me pack everything back up, and then we can leave."

Albedo smiled."Okay," was all he could find himself responding.

Relief flooded through his system. Now he was fit for Dragonspine. With a companion by his side and two minds and bodies to help one another in tandem, certainly they would be able to make it. They would be the first to not make Dragonspine their snowy grave. This place had coffins ready for them, but those spaces would remain empty, of that Albedo was certain.

Diluc finished packing what little things he had. Albedo offered to carry some of his supplies but with his fever still coursing through his body, he was mostly useless. He would be more of a hindrance than help. With a pensive look, Diluc offered him one of his smaller woolen blankets to put over his figure to protect from the cold.

"You're still running a low fever," he spoke to Albedo, handing it over to him."You may not be able to break out of it anytime soon, so the least we can do is keep it from worsening."

At this moment, it was all they could do. Albedo accepted the blanket with little protest."Thank you."

Diluc nodded, looking away sharply and heading to the entrance of the small cave in the mountain. He looked to and fro idly while waiting for Albedo to wrap the blanket around himself and meet him at his side.

"Which way did you come in from?" Albedo asked behind him.

"This way." Diluc pointed left."I'll lead the way for now, so stick behind me so I can try to block some of the wind from hitting you. If you see anything that's familiar to you, let me know."

"I will," Albedo responded, not protesting Diluc's plan. He would be useless leading at the moment. He needed to get over this fever quickly. The sluggishness of his body and mind was a weakness Dragonspine wasn't afraid to exploit.

"Alright." Diluc made sure his bag was securely on his person."Let's go."

And so they exited out into the snowstorm. The minute they stepped into the snowy winds of Dragonspine, a large gust of snow blew through the air right into their faces. The wind whipped even more rapidly, rustling nearby trees and causing them to snap and crackle. It was as if the mountain was laughing at them. In that moment, the same haunting fact ran through Albedo and Diluc's mind.

This mountain was alive.

Chapter Text

Snow pierced down from the sky onto the two figures trudging through the snowy winter. Before, when met with the cold caress of death while dealing with a body deep in shock, the snow had felt soft and weightless in its pursuit of the earth below. Now, each droplet of snow felt like a pellet of icicles which rained down from the sky like a barrage of arrows.

Perhaps this was because of the current fever running rampant throughout Albedo's body. It made him hazy and incoherent. Each breath of ice cold wind against his skin was a laceration against his subtle flesh. Diluc trudged along in front of him, wind whipping every which way. As was the violence of a snowstorm. With each gust, Albedo teetered more and more, on the verge of falling over.

His entire body was congested and weak. His steps began to drag behind the warm hair in front of him. The sniffles which frequently passed through him died with the wind, as if to silence his growing fever from making itself known. Albedo was grateful for it. Dragonspine's harsh, unrelenting nature towards a sick man was a steady reminder that he could not falter and weaken here. He had to continue forward despite the unwillingness of his body.

Keeping his feet moving wasn't enough, obviously. His sharp eyes had to keep watch of everything around him. Albedo was looking for a sign of familiarity, just the smallest lit torch or ominously manmade structure which he had come across in his brief travels would be enough. He needed to endure and find that sign. It was surely out there, in this cruel wilderness. If the mountain would allow it, then Albedo would find it amidst the snow.

He wished, for many extended periods of time, that ones body and mind were completely linked. Because then, if that were the case, when someones mentality was strong then their body would be too despite any physical injuries. But no such thing was the case, and therefore Albedo's body lagged behind and slugged along while Albedo's mind remained firm in its resolve.

He refused to let his mind slip. He needed to focus. That's what he spoke into himself over and over as his steps dragged slower and slower and the stark figure in front of him became duller. He hadn't realized it, but he had fallen behind.

"Albedo!" the voice was muffled in the wind. Albedo didn't even hear Diluc's first shout towards him until the other was back in his field of vision."Albedo!"

He realized then that he had completely spaced out. The fever had made him undoubtedly hazy in even his thoughts. Dragonspine was once again leeching its claws into him, trying to drag him down into his snowy coffin. It had granted him reprieve once, but it was not so forgiving as to do it again.

"Albedo!" Diluc called again, now within reach of him, yet he didn't reach out. There was a firm distance between them, more solid and unbreakable than a pillar of geo. Albedo, for all his hazy thoughts, felt as if Dragonspine could break even that wall and bury it in a snowy coffin.

"I'm alright," Albedo replied. Clearly he was not, if he was lagging behind so easily. They both knew as much, but they both also knew that Albedo needed to be okay if they were to continue. He had to hold onto that lie for the sake of their lives.

Diluc gave him a weary look all the same. He then slowly drew his brows in contemplation. Like with every interaction they shared since Albedo introduced himself, it was as if he was at war with his thoughts. Something in Diluc's every movement spoke of his clear distaste in something involving their circumstances.

"We can't have you lagging behind," he finally spoke. There was still a pensive look coloring his face."Alongside that, I can't have you so sidetracked looking for me that you miss something familiar to you that could've aided our search."

Diluc twisted his bag off his shoulders and dropped it down into the snow. He crouched over it, protecting his various wears from harm while searching for something inside. The frostbitten wind whistled and a particularly strong gust blew between them as if in protest as Diluc pulled out what he was looking for.

It was a brown rope, slightly frayed but nothing more than the look of a well used rope that was prepared to endure more hardship. The minute Diluc took the rope out, he closed up the rest of his bag from the treacherous snow. Firstly, he secured his bag back on his person, and then he held out one end of the rope to Albedo.

"We'll use this to tie ourselves together for the time being," Diluc explained to him."It's easy to get lost in the snow. It'll be more secure this way and you wont have to worry about following behind me and can focus on your surroundings."

It was a reasonable option. If they ran across any danger, all they had to do was cut the rope. So, to Diluc's suggestion, Albedo nodded."This will certainly be of help."

He took the end of the rope Diluc held out to him, tying it securely around his waist. Diluc did the same, making sure there was a reasonable amount of slack between them, but not enough so that the rope would fall to the snow and become extra weight they had to drag along.

Diluc stared at the rope Albedo had around his waist, then looked up to his face before sharply turning away."Are you ready to keep moving?" he asked, voice purposefully neutral.

Albedo knew he noticed the paleness of his face and shortness of his breath, yet he refused to comment on it. It was a good thing. If Diluc began to grow soft and comply with Dragonspine's wishes, then they would never survive. It was clear that breaks were not an option. They must continue.

"Yes, let's go," Albedo responded. He hoped his voice was loud and steady enough to not make the other party uselessly worried. He didn't need Diluc looking over his shoulder every couple seconds to make sure he was okay. He needed his eyes to be faced forward towards the snow so that they could make it down this mountain alive.

But something about the way Diluc currently regarded him told Albedo that Diluc wasn't concerned enough to do such a thing. He seemed in a rush, trying desperately to get off this mountain. Though, perhaps it was not this mountain he wanted to get away from but rather Albedo. The distance he was putting between them was clear enough. Luckily, Albedo wasn't someone to be bothered about such things.

He had never been one in need of companionship. That was precisely why he hadn't thought to bring anyone along with him when he went to Dragonspine. If appealing to others took much thought and effort, then he would rather put that time towards his research. Humans—people—were too fickle for him to devote himself to for longer than necessary.

Maybe Diluc was the same and that's why he was so off put about them traveling together. He was a businessman though, wasn't he? So that theory had no merit in the end.

Albedo didn't have the time to be thinking about his companion or worrying over the state of their relationship. As long as they watched out for one another when necessary they would survive. Right now, the snow was trying to muddle his mind. His fever was wrapping its tendrils around his body in an attempt to drag him down. The steady tug of the rope attached to him and Diluc was a wonderful, snapping jolt back into reality.

Albedo pierced his eyes on his surroundings. They squinted through the wind and snow for any signs of familiarity. He had no goggles or glasses so the snow whipped in his direction caused him to blink excessively. He stumbled for a second, breath ragged. One of his hands came up to provide some semblance of a shield against the snow for his eyes. Despite his teetering, Diluc never looked back.

In the distance, Albedo saw something that made him pause. There was a sharp spark, or perhaps a glint of light amidst the snow, that caught his eye. Albedo tugged against the rope connecting him to Diluc.

"Master Diluc!" he called along with the motion, voice practically a yell so that he would be able to hear him clearly. His throat ached, raw and chilled.

Diluc turned around to him, his red hair still the brightest beacon on the mountain."Did you find something?!" he asked, also yelling.

Albedo nodded, tugging him to the left. It was a steeper incline up to the thing which caught Albedo's eye, and he found that the terrain made his breath even more labored. His steps slowed into a dull trudge as his feet dragged in the snow. He had the slightest spell of dizziness but ignored it even as his vision went black for a brief moment. The whole while Diluc followed carefully behind him.

Finally, they made it up to what Albedo had been eyeing. Hidden deep in an incasement of thick ice was a chest. It was almost in perfect condition, as if the ice had kept it embalmed.

"A chest..." Albedo spoke, words a long breath of disappointment.

"I take it this wasn't what you were looking for?" Diluc asked.

"No. I haven't seen this chest before."

Diluc nodded."Well, we might as well take a look at what's inside," the other commented. He crouched down towards the block of ice while Albedo waited patiently behind him, attempting to clear his senses up once again.

Bursting forth from Diluc's palm was a small flame. It flickered insistently in the wind, threatening to die out. Diluc, of course, wouldn't let it leave so easily. He pressed his gloved palm up to the ice and let his pyro vision burn. They waited many agonizing seconds. The snowstorm whipped through their figures with boredom. It wasn't until a full minute passed that they realized something was wrong.

The ice wasn't melting.

"It hasn't melted an inch. And if I produce anymore pyro, I'm afraid I'll be burning us instead," Diluc commented. He sat back up, side by side with Albedo.

The alchemist had a gloved hand poised under his chin in deep contemplation."Perhaps this is not ice, but rather some type of rock. There are many types of minerals and rare gems that are translucent like this block of material we're looking at."

"A rock, you say..." Diluc didn't look averse to the possibility."I wield a claymore. Let me bring it out and try to break it."

"No need," Albedo responded."I have a geo vision. I'll try to deconstruct it."

Diluc, interestingly, looked shocked by Albedo having a vision. Did he not seem like the type to have one? Or was it because he didn't showcase it on his person like most people did? Well, he didn't exactly care about it. Most days, he forgot he even had one.

"Okay..." Diluc pattered off. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for Albedo. It was as if he was looking over the situation, assessing it from afar like a foreman.

Albedo accessed his geo vision, attempting to crack at the mineral in front of them. It didn't budge. No, Albedo realized that it was, in fact, made of ice and not rock. So, as his next course of action he erected something akin to a mass of geo from underneath the ice to uplift it from the ground.

He pushed the mass, yet the ice didn't budge. No matter how much force he used it seemed to be no use. Albedo began to break out into a cold sweat, legs wobbling. He felt an uncomfortable heat shudder through his body as it pulsed with nausea. It was no good.

"Don't push yourself," Diluc commented, watching Albedo the entire time. If he told him such a thing, then Albedo must look like a truly horrid sight at the moment. Perhaps he looked as bad as he felt, for once.

Albedo stopped his attempt with a shallow breath. He forced its body to calm itself, taking a couple deep breaths. From Diluc's pack, he handed Albedo a small jug of water.

"Drink." It was a command.

Albedo took it and drank a few small sips as demanded of him. He breathed and took his time swallowing, calming his nausea and steadying his body back into some semblance of equilibrium. He still felt a horrible, aching sluggishness along with an uncomfortable heat and lightheadedness, but at least the worst of his dizziness was curbed for the moment.

"It seems that it is ice," Albedo spoke, recovering enough to hand Diluc back his water. The man took a sip of his own before putting it away."I'm sure this is just another mystery of Dragonspine waiting to be uncovered..."

How curious it was that Diluc, with a pyro vision, couldn't melt this ice. Albedo wondered if something simple like an ice pick would do the trick or if one attempt to cut into the ice would only lead to a broken pick.

"Well, there's no use thinking about it now," Diluc responded."We need to keep moving."

"Yes, you're right." Diluc's words snapped Albedo out of his daze."From here on, Master Diluc, please head at an angle slightly up the mountain. It will be a steeper climb, but I believe we will progress much further that way."

Diluc stared at Albedo like he wanted to ask him a question, yet he never did. Instead, he turned away from him and continued walking. The steeper incline was tough for Albedo to deal with at first, but he pushed through.

They continued up the mountain, only snow and trees in sight. The only thing along their next stretch that caught Albedo's eye was a glowing red sort of quartz a few feet away from the patch of ice they found. Albedo wrote it off for a rare type of mineral which appeared on the mountain and forced his thoughts not to breach the subject further. It was no good if his mind wandered.

As they continued up the mountain, the air grew colder and wind harsher. This was something Albedo was prepared for. Having come up this far already, he knew to expect the tyrannical reign of Dragonspine to further its clenching hand. Without his warming potions and with only a blanket on his back, it was a much different severity.

Snow burned against his skin like ice. That particular feeling might've been the fever but he noticed even Diluc with his pyro vision keeping him warm began to shudder occasionally at the large drafts of wind. His steps were beginning to wear and slow, yet they continued insistently. Perhaps it was because Diluc was so focused on moving forward that he didn't notice it.

Albedo was once again reminded of the solidarity of companionship on Dragonspine. Because he kept his keen eyes on his surroundings, he was able to act quickly and yank on the string of rope in front of him, pulling Diluc down into the snow. He fell with a soft grunt and wide eyes full of surprise and panic.

Albedo's heart beat faster and loud as adrenaline coursed through him as he threw himself over Diluc, using the blanket to cover them, and especially cover Diluc's bright red hair.

"What—!"

Albedo snapped his hand over Diluc's mouth before he could say anything further. He rested his body fully against Diluc, making them as small as possible. He needed them to sink into the snow, almost as if they were making a coffin for themselves. His face came to rest next to Diluc's and he attempted to steady himself before he spoke.

His words were a mere whisper."There's a lawachurl," he said against Diluc's ear.

A small shudder ran through the others body. He now didn't protest against Albedo, but allowed his body to remain starkly still. It was almost as if he wasn't breathing.

Albedo sagged further against him and tilted his head minutely. As slowly and with as little sound or movement as possible, he lifted the blanket up a peek so he could look out for the imposing lawachurl. The monster hadn't spotted them, thankfully. It continued walking in the same line it had came. Slowly, it walked passed them from a considerable distance and kept moving deeper into the snow.

Albedo was sure Diluc could hear the way his heart pounded out of control. It paused and jumped in shock when the lawachurl stopped moving, breath sharpening as the creature looked around idly. One of his hands clenched against Diluc's coat.

His body was extremely sluggish. Even in such a dangerous situation, the way he was laying against a warm body made him want to simply let go of his muscles and close his eyes. It was here, with a searching lawachurl a few paces away, that Albedo wanted to rest his eyes and fall asleep. It was his fever making his mind dizzy. If he closed his eyes for a few seconds longer than usual, he was afraid that he would completely shut down.

The lawachurl stopped looking around and began moving once again. It continued on its route in the opposite direction by which they were going. Albedo couldn't be more thankful.

"Is it gone?" Diluc whispered, seeming to have sensed Albedo's relief.

"Almost," Albedo responded."Let's wait a minute longer just in case."

Diluc made no response, but it seemed he agreed with Albedo. And so, they waited like that. Albedo forced his eyes onto the snow where the lawachurl had last been in his sight while attempting to keep his body from shutting down. Diluc was stone still underneath him. He wondered if the sudden intrusion on his personal space made him uncomfortable. People typically didn't like others touching them.

With a few more seconds ticking by, agonizingly slow, Albedo finally let out a breath."We should be okay now," he spoke to Diluc, sitting up.

The other followed suit, making sure they didn't stumble over one another with the rope still tied to their persons. Albedo wrapped the blanket properly around himself while Diluc made sure any large clumps of snow that got onto his person were brushed off. They were hasty in their preparation to continue, not wanting to wait any longer for the lawachurl to come back.

Diluc gave Albedo a quick look."Ready?" he asked. Albedo nodded.

Diluc took the lead and they continued up. Albedo made sure to check behind them occasionally just incase until they were far enough away that he felt it was okay to focus his attention solely on his surroundings once again. Tumbling in the snow like that, pausing his aching muscles and causing them to chill for such a long period of time, was a bad idea.

Albedo's fever had worsened. He could feel it in the way his steps dragged along and the unnatural chill of his body. Or was he hot? He couldn't tell. His temperature was all over the place. Not only that, but he found his vision filtering more and more as they moved. There were moments where he would black out or forget if time had passed or not, and if it did, exactly how long?

There was no use in even sniffling. It was too much effort and he was sure he was a dirty mess anyways so he just stopped caring. His throat was sore and dry and his gut churned. Albedo had completely lost focus, or rather, he had no idea what to focus on anymore.

In his eyesight filtered red. Diluc's hair swayed back and forth, red strands catching bits of powdery snow while tossing some aside all the same. It clung to the top of his hair, never deepening as if shielded. His back was large and covered in black. Albedo found himself staring into its abyss. Inwards he sunk, closer and closer until his face was filled in that darkness.

Oh, he had ran into Diluc.

"Huh?" Albedo said nondescriptly. He pushed his face off Diluc's back, noticing the other man had stopped walking. Ah, it felt good to stop."Why did you stop?"

"Don't you see?" Diluc asked, turning so Albedo could get a look ahead."There's a hilichurl camp ahead of us."

Albedo's eyes shifted. One, two, three hilichurls plus a samachurl. It looked like one of the hilichurls was an archer too. They seemed to be resting around a small fire with a cooking pot above it. There was one of their huts to the right and a couple log benches surrounding the fire.

"I'll deal with them," Diluc spoke up, snapping Albedo's gaze away from the flickering flames in the distance. The man was already untying the rope attached to him.

"You don't need to," Albedo commented."We can just go around."

"I already checked and this is the clearest path." Diluc looked down to Albedo."Right now, in your condition, we can't afford to make any steep climbs or divert our path." Just as soon as his gaze met Albedo's it snapped away."Either way, it been hours now and we need to eat to replenish our stamina. I didn't bring a cooking pot, so this is the opportune moment to eat some warm food."

It may just be Albedo's current hazy mind, but this all sounded like a roundabout way of Diluc trying to say that he needed rest and a warm meal. Had the other noticed how his steps wavered and gaze blanked? Was he growing concerned for Albedo?

"Okay, I understand," Albedo responded."If you need any help, please let me know."

"I'll be fine," Diluc snapped back far too quickly. He took his bag off and set it near Albedo."I don't need any help. Just watch my things. This'll be over quickly."

Diluc was off before Albedo could respond. Without any interaction, Albedo's hazy mind was back to its muddled state. He watched as, amidst the snow, shots of pyro alit the ashen sky. They burned everything around it, the hilichurls, the snow, and Albedo felt even his eyes were being burned by the sudden contrast in the snowy wilderness.

How long had it been, exactly, since he last saw the sun? How much time had really passed since he entered Dragonspine?

Flames died quickly in the barren land. Even something as destructive as fire was no match for the piercing, frost-laden land. Albedo had lit torches and waypoints as he went, but found that once he doubled back to them they were already put out. In an experiment, he found it took only a minute for Dragonspine's all-reaching hand to devour the warmth completely. It was as if Albedo only had to blink once for his vision to be covered in ice once again.

Just like now. Diluc finished at record pace and once again that flame withered away along with his blade. Albedo watched it go, eyes shifting to the flame flickering under the cooking pot. Soon it would be devoured as well.

"...bedo! Albedo!" Diluc called, snapping the man out of his trance. He blinked twice before during to Diluc and showing he was now listening to him."C'mon, I cleared the hilichurls. Let's quickly get something to eat before continuing."

He nodded, following Diluc over to the small camp. His body all too willingly plopped itself down on one of the makeshift log benches surrounding the fire. He let out a steady breath as his aching muscles relaxed themselves. It was only then that he realized how much his feet ached.

He found himself curling inward, not due to the cold but because of pure exhaustion. As he stared into himself, Diluc readied a small meal for them in the cooking pot. Using his pyro vision, he made sure to keep the fire nice and healthy as he added a few sparing ingredients. It would be more liquid than solid, certainly.

Albedo then noticed his dripping nose. He idly wiped at it with his sleeve and thought nothing else of it. He was never one for appearances in the first place. When it came to sketching, yes he liked to be highly accurate, but in focusing on his own appearance he didn't mind as long as whatever he wore and however his hair was dressed was out of the way of his work.

"Here," Diluc's stoic voice spoke over his revery. He held out a cup to Albedo, sturdy and travel worn.

Albedo took it and watched as Diluc used his own cup in hand to dip into the watery soup. He then pulled the liquid up to his lips and drank without even blowing on it. Albedo looked down to the pot and did the same. His movements were slower, muscles aching and wanting to simply collapse.

His body had almost completely given in to Dragonspine's coffin. He feared that if they continued like this without any results, it may shut down and give in to the mountains cool embrace and his mind wouldn't be able to will it to stop anymore.

Slowly, he lifted the cup of soup up to his mouth and drank. It was the smallest of sips to ease his stomach, but a rewarding one. It felt as though the inside of his body was sparking with warmth and his very organs were being fueled and pumped to begin operating once again. With another sip and another after that, Albedo was leisurely taking back the functionality of his own body.

It wasn't as if the soup was particularly good or fulfilling. Rather, it was the warmth it provided that ran its course throughout his body that made him regain himself. Applying that along with a short rest of his limbs was a rewarding act. No, his fever wasn't anywhere near diminishing, but it was slowly itself as his body actively fought it back.

As he now gained enough stamina to properly look around, he noticed something in the distance. Up ahead of them, slightly up the mountain, was a small peek of an intricately designed stone pillar, rather odd and out of place in such snowy wilderness untouched by anything living. Something that made some question exactly what the history of this mountain truly was.

It was a starkly familiar, nostalgic sight to Albedo.

Yes, he had seen that pillar before.

Chapter Text

The first thing Albedo did was turn to Diluc. Suddenly, it was as if his body was full of vigor. This was what he had been waiting for. The walls surrounding the coffin that was Dragonspine had opened, if only a peak, for the pair to get a glimpse at the outside world. At the prospect of life.

Right now, they had a chance.

Albedo took one long sip of his watery soup, staring at the pillar as if one blink would make it disappear. This was Dragonspine, after all. Anything was possible on this dreaded, living, mountain top. The very geography of the mountain could shift overnight and they would be none the wiser, too trapped in its hazy winds to understand where they were.

"Master Diluc," Albedo called, eyes still on the pillar. He couldn't tell if the other had noticed he had spoken to him, yet pointed out the pillar all the same."Over there."

There was a low noise Diluc made in the back of his throat, something akin to shock, surprise, and a ting of questioning. He cleared his throat."That pillar?" Diluc asked."What about it? Do you think there's better shelter over there? Or perhaps another hoard of hilichurls?"

"No." Albedo idly took another sip of his soup."It's familiar."

"What?!" Diluc shot up out of his seat. Albedo could feel his eyes on him, but refused to let his gaze leave his target."Are you sure?" This time, he sounded weary. It was clear he didn't want to increase his expectations.

"Almost positive," he responded."I'll have to get a closer look to confirm. Once we're done eating here, let's take a look, shall we?"

"Okay..." His voice betrayed his actions. Diluc sat down once again, continuing to eat, but Albedo could tell just in his tone that he was edging to move. The chill of Dragonspine was getting to even the warm pyro user. It might've also been Albedo's presence which was edging him to quickly leave. All Albedo knew was that his discomfort wasn't priority enough to forgo finishing his food.

Perhaps he got Diluc all wrong, though. He wasn't the best at reading people. Maybe, Diluc was actually just concerned about him and his weakening health or, aversely, he could have commitments waiting for him down the mountain that he absolutely needed to get to. There were plenty of other things, so Albedo didn't know why he was caught up in this one particular theory.

Should he call it intuition? Could someone like him even be intuitive about something as complex as the human heart?

Albedo took as slow sip of his soup, finding himself reaching close to the bottom. Diluc had been on his third cup now and Albedo his second. He didn't have much of an appetite but knew he needed to eat both for the sake of his fever and to revitalize his body so he could keep moving, but he probably wouldn't be able to stomach more than this. Thankfully, the pot was low enough that there was only enough for half a cup.

"You can have the rest," Albedo told Diluc, taking his eyes off the pillar for a second to glance at the pot then in his direction.

Diluc had a disturbed look on his face, cup half raised as he regarded Albedo. His eyes roamed up and down his body, focusing especially on his face."Are you sure?" he asked simply.

"Yes, it's fine. I still haven't gained back my appetite." Albedo turned back to the pillar. He wasn't sure why, but that look on his face was something he couldn't bare to stare at for any longer. How strange.

There was a small grumble Diluc made in the back of his throat. The sound surprised Albedo, who wasn't looking at his face. It was a low, guttural thing, yet also immensely soft. He had never been able to classify a growl as soft until today. Usually, such sounds derived from danger or intimidation, but this sound came from a place of something different. Perhaps its exact counterpart.

Albedo heard the telltale clanking of metal as Diluc finished off the last of the soup. Taking the last small sip of his own, Albedo idly held the cup in his hands as he waited for Diluc to finish. He was ready to move again, or more, he needed to move. It would be bad if his body began shutting down like he had before. He could already feel wisps of sleep creeping up behind him, the cold tendrils of Dragonspine after his still-beating heart.

"You done?" Diluc asked.

Albedo snapped out of his haze."Yes, here." He handed the cup to Diluc.

The man took both cups and cleaned them with snow, not wanting to waste whatever water he had left. Water may become a slight concern later, but Albedo couldn't bother with such intricacies right now when his mind was thrumming so insistently to check out the pillar. It had to be something familiar to him. It had to be.

Once Diluc finished putting everything back in place in his bag, Albedo followed him in standing up once again. He was wobbly on his feet, vision blurring for a small few seconds, until he straightened out once again. It was only a momentary lapse, like blood rushing through his body too fast.

Diluc stared."Should we continue to keep ourselves tied together?" he asked, holding the rope out. Since Diluc took it off to fight the hilichurls, it had just been lying next to him in a useless heap.

"If this is what I think it is, it's better we stay tied together," Albedo responded, taking an end of the rope for himself."We'll have to be out in this snowstorm for about a half an hour longer until we reach the cave."

"Cave?" Diluc questioned.

"It'll be better to explain when we reach it."

One weary look from Diluc and that was it. He tied the other end of the rope around his body and then began leading the two of them up the small hill to where the pillar rested. As they moved slowly closer and closer, the pillar grew bigger and bigger. It was as Albedo expected. The height was growing to become similar to that which he was familiar with.

He had studied this pillar extensively during his travels up the mountain. By the intricate carvings in the stone and unique craftsmanship, it was clear this wasn't something oddly made by the mountain. No, it was a manmade pillar. Only a human, or something with similar intelligence, could take the same time and effort to so intricately craft such a work of art. Albedo had looked beneath the snow for any more signs—perhaps a building or the like—but found nothing. It was only one, solitary pillar.

A pillar that looked exactly the same as the one he was peering at currently.

"So?" Diluc asked over his shoulder."Is it the one?"

Albedo leaned back, finishing his assessment."Yes, it seems my prediction was correct. This means I can begin tracing my footsteps back to my bag."

Diluc looked around, pensive."Do you know which way to go?"

Albedo put a hand up to his chin thoughtfully. He better ease Diluc's worries before they continue."Based on the steepness of the mountain and the direction my body was facing the pillar when I continued walking, I went this way." Albedo pointed in the opposite direction by which they came. It was a small relief that they didn't have to double back. Definitely less disheartening.

"I wish I could be able to take us down the mountain from just this, but I don't trust myself to lead us back without getting lost. The snowstorm is too thick to be able to navigate clearly without some form of guide. And, in my current state, I'm afraid I'm unfit to lead us so blindly in such dire circumstances."

Diluc looked behind them at the sea of snow. Even the hilichurl camp they were just resting at was no longer able to be seen clearly now that the fire had gone out. It had taken mere seconds without Diluc's attentive hand to flicker and die.

He nodded."While it's good to take risks on occasion, I would rather go with the safer risk on this occasion and bank on luck than take my chance in the snowstorm."

Albedo agreed.

"Then, let's continue. This time I'll lead the way." Diluc gave him the lead without any protest. Before Albedo began walking, however, he turned back to Diluc."Master Diluc, if you would do me a small favor."

"Yes, what is it?" Diluc asked. His face was neutral.

"My mind works better when it's proactive," Albedo began to explain."In my current state, I often find myself drifting off without meaning to. So that I can focus on leading us to my bag, I would like to ask that you make conversation with me. Just ask me any questions you can think of so that I can keep my brain moving."

Diluc's eyebrows pinched together."And that wont distract you?"

"No. You saying nothing would be more of a hinderance. I need to be engaged every second possible." That was simply how Albedo's mind worked. Though the effects were much less drastic when he wasn't fever ridden, it was a fact that his brain needed to be occupied on multiple tasks with a multitude of different scenarios running about it to function at full capacity.

Diluc seemed to understand what Albedo meant, now, and nodded solemnly."Understood. I'll try my best to keep you talking. I'll also do my best to make sure you're focused, so please don't mind if I touch your shoulder on occasion."

"Of course." It was a plenty good idea to keep him check. That was why Diluc was here. His companion. It was an equal relationship. One of give and take. Mutual cooperation to reach a certain end.

"Well then, shall we go?"

"Yes."

They once again began their trudge up the cadaverous mountain. This time they had a destination and purpose in their stride. Though the mountain roared and whipped its ice cold winds against them in protest, they would continue. Driven with an intense desire to get back home, not even the coffin of snow could pique fear in their hearts.

Albedo's newfound vigor weaved through his muting fever. His senses, which were dulled as if putting ones hands over their ears, were now slowly waking themselves back up in prospect of the journey ahead, a short burst of adrenaline which would hopefully be enough to get him and Diluc to where they needed to go.

Albedo was unsure of how many steps he took before Diluc finally spoke up. He knew it was many. Many more than he hoped. Albedo had already prepared himself for Diluc's inevitable silence, or rather, his futile attempts at thinking up something to talk about with him. Diluc did not seem like someone without questions, but his blatant stoicism when concerning Albedo gave off that he would rather not speak longer than necessary to and with him.

Diluc wanted curt, business-like transactions when they spoke. Sure enough, Diluc was trying to think of a way to keep his questions purely professional and keep out of Albedo's business as much as possible.

"I assume you've been on Dragonspine longer than me..." Diluc started as a preamble to his inevitable question. He sounded awkward.

Albedo felt it necessary to respond, both for himself and for Diluc's sake."Yes, it's been about three days now, if I've been counting the hours right. It's often hard to tell the time here because of the lack of sun. Most of the time, it feels as if it's nighttime every hour of the day."

"I've noticed." Seems Diluc didn't want to delve into that subject further. Perhaps he didn't want to talk about himself."Since you've been on Dragonspine for that long, have you run into any of those lawachurl's before?"

"I haven't personally gotten too close to one, but I've studied them from afar. Have you been to Snezhnaya before? Or perhaps our neighboring country of Liyue?" Wait, that was a personal question. He probably shouldn't have asked that. In light of his sudden insight, Albedo masterfully continued speaking to avoid a response, or lack of one. It wouldn't do good to make his companion more uncomfortable than he already was.

"In Liyue, they have creatures which roam around called Stonehide Lawachurls. They have rough, stone-like shields around their figures formed by geo which protect their massive bodies. I'm sure if you've heard of lawachurl's, you're familiar with these shields," Albedo continued, giving Diluc no room to intervene."In Snezhnaya, the land of cyro, the lawachurl's there have shields infused with cyro. We call these monsters Frostarm Lawachurls. What we just ran across was indeed just that."

Albedo's mind was sharpening as he spoke. The intricacies of the biology of the monsters of Teyvet was something he was almost boorishly familiar with. He knew them inside out and was able to speak on end about the various creatures. Albedo could already feel the helpful effects of his spoken words. He began to notice more as they walked and he forgot about the aching pains and dulling senses of his body.

If one was solely focused on the pain they were feeling, they would never be able to push past it and remain stuck in an infinite cycle of hurt, but with a preoccupied mind, pain was only secondary. It could be forgotten and Albedo's body could move forward in haste like it was never there.

"But I have noticed something about them and the other creatures I've ran across on this mountain. You may have noticed as well when fighting those hilichurls that the creatures on this mountain are naturally more aggressive than normal. I'm not sure if this is the mountains influence or the natural course of evolution for the monsters here. They've all evolved from what you can see in Mondstadt to creatures that can withstand such drastic climates."

Diluc hummed amidst the snowstorm. Albedo could barely hear it, but it was sign enough he was still listening. It was odd, him now being at the front of the pack leading them forward. The only solace he had that behind him, Diluc was still following and hadn't been whisked away by the wind and put into an icy coffin was the subtle strain in the rope tied around their waists. It was still nerve-racking, not knowing what state the person behind him was in.

Albedo wondered, was this how Diluc felt when he was leading Albedo earlier? Did he feel these same edges of anxiety about his companion or was he simply unbothered?

There was no use in musing further what Albedo would never have an answer to. He wondered why he was thinking about it so throughly in the first place. It was unlike him to be so attracted to the intricacies of human emotions. A part of him may be more worried over the relationship between he and his companion than he thought. How curious.

"I have noticed many of the furs on the hilichurl's have changed colors. And all the samachurl's wield cryo," Diluc spoke up beneath the confines of Albedo's idle musing.

"Yes, it seems all the creatures here are imbued with cyro. If archers wield an element, it's cyro. All the slimes are of the cyro variety. Even Abyss Mages seen here use cyro."

Albedo found himself pausing a second as he noticed another familiar sight. Remnants of a stone pillar buried beneath the snow. He had tried to dig up as much as he could before but it was futile amidst the everlasting snowstorm. They were close to their destination.

"Albedo...?" Diluc called, voice softer and insistent. Was that the first time he said his name? To Albedo, it felt like it. What a curious notion indeed.

"Worry not, I'm still lucid," Albedo responded."I simply noticed another thing familiar to me. We're close to our destination."

Albedo wondered what kind of face Diluc was making behind him. He hoped it wasn't too relieved or hopeful. This was no time or place to be getting anyones hopes up. When Albedo had told Diluc about his map, he knew the other, in that moment, had resolved himself to the fact that they may not find his map or bag. This trip may end up being for nothing, but Diluc had decided to take the plunge with him. That's why, more than anything, Albedo didn't want him to ever hope for more than he should. Dragonspine was not a place for dreams.

Even now, as they closed in on the destination Albedo had spoken of previously, he grew nervous. The mountain noticed his sudden hesitance and exposed it. The wind whipped furiously around them. Snow picked up in the air, attempting to obscure Albedo's vision and drag him away from the cave. It was like invisible hands were grabbing at his arms and legs, clutching at him with an ironclad grip.

Albedo pushed away his worsening fever. It was just Dragonspine playing tricks on him. It could simply be an illusion by the wind that it had worsened back into its original state once again. His adrenaline was still high in his body. He could go on.

And soon Albedo saw it, the clear stone pillars he had been awaiting patiently to catch sight of. "Up here," Albedo motioned and Diluc followed. He noticed the structure by now, Albedo was sure.

Soon the two of them made it up the small hill and stood side by side in front of the large structure. There was a circular base with pillars leading upwards so that a ring of stone could be formed as extra support. Another series of pillars held up the ceiling of rock the large mountain formed.

One had to look down to see the base of the structure. Below, in the circle of stone, were small puddles of ice which one would be quick to slip on if not careful. When Albedo had first found this structure, he had known it was not natural. The craftsmanship was intricately human and another clear sign that there was life, and civilization, once before on this mountain. The question was, exactly how long ago was that?

Albedo pointed below him."I went below from here. I was hoping to search for more signs of life. I was also interested to find how much of this mountain is hollowed out, since it seemed like, from here, I would be entering straight into the center of Dragonspine."

"It does look fairly hollow from here," Diluc commented, a rare piece of wording from him."Actually, it almost looks like it's spacious."

"It's exactly that," Albedo nodded in approval."You'll see soon enough." He turned to Diluc then."Shall we go down, then? I can create a geo structure for us to use, since it's rather steep."

Diluc nodded."If you would."

He gave Albedo the lead once again and the alchemist was quick to form a platform for them. It was a device he had worked on and perfected many times before since he obtained his vision. Everyone had their own idiosyncrasies and styles when utilizing their visions, and this was just one of Albedo's few. He summoned the geo structure without much effort.

"It would be best to go one at a time," Albedo responded. He turned his head down to the rope connecting them. As used to the weight as he had gotten, it was time to sever it."We wont need this anymore. The snowstorm wont reach us inside the cave."

Diluc nodded, face neutral as he followed Albedo's lead and took the rope off his person. Albedo handed his end to Diluc and then stepped on the geo platform."I'll go down first," he said and went before Diluc could respond. He wanted to be sure the ground was sturdy enough with the sneakily thin layer of ice promising a cracked skull.

Once he got to the bottom, he surveyed the floor and took a step. It wasn't so bad, but it was obvious it had already frozen back over since Albedo had last took a step on it. He idly broke the ice with the heel of his shoe. It shattered with ease, despite Dragonspine's aching agony, and gave way to the fresh rock underneath. It was only slightly damp, but with thick shoes, it wouldn't even seep through the cracks.

"Okay, you're good to come down," Albedo yelled up at Diluc, finding his throat sore and raspy once again. It ached at the small bit of yelling. He coughed into a closed fist as he sent the geo platform back up to Diluc.

By the looks of that flaming bright red hair, Diluc had already put the rope away in his bag and was just waiting for Albedo. He stepped onto the geo platform, little hesitance to his steps which was curious to Albedo. He was so weary of him when they spoke to one another, but he was fine when Albedo was doing something as risky as controlling a geo platform he was on. It may be a matter of ethics he was unaware of or simply Diluc's constitution.

Albedo slowly lowered the platform down until it touched the ground. Diluc looked down and noticed the cracks in the ice but didn't comment. He followed Albedo over to the snowlaiden path before them they would be continuing on. There, he paused after a look at his surroundings. His eyes were wide.

"I wasn't sure if they would still be here or not, but I'm glad they were," Albedo spoke."This is why, even in my current state, I think we will be able to locate my bag."

On the ground, what Diluc was staring at with such fervor, as if to burn the snow below, was a single set of footprints. The indents in the snow were fresh and plain for the eyes to see. The footprints were a clear, precise path forward. In its own way, they were the map Diluc and Albedo had been waiting for.

"Thankfully the wind doesn't pick up inside this large cave," Albedo continued to talk."With this, we can navigate much easier."

"You're sure these are yours?" Diluc asked, skeptical.

"Yes, I'm sure." He held a foot up, taking a step back to show Diluc the mark his boot made in the snow. It was identical.

Diluc nodded in acknowledgement."Okay, but which path are we supposed to take?" He turned and pointedly looked at the two diverging sets of footprints. One led straightforward while the other diverged to the right sharply. From the markings, one could vaguely infer that Albedo went to the right first before heading straight. It was true that he could've left the map along the path to the right and then doubled back and fallen off the mountain, but the answer was much simpler than that.

Albedo liked how Diluc overthought things, though. It was reassuring to know that beside him was a man smart enough to overthink even the simplest of answers. He seemed to be always guessing and questioning, never one hundred percent sure about anything unless he was to see it for himself. Albedo was similar in that sense, but he found he could be a bit more carefree when making decisions, especially in the face of research.

"How does your current stock of supplies look?" Albedo asked."To the right is an area someone used to live in, or at least camped at for a period of time. There's still some dry food and fresh water which has yet to go bad. I'm sure you only prepared enough for one person, so we may need to restock before continuing."

Diluc, as much as he looked like he simply wanted to keep going, complied with a solemn voice."That would be wise. We don't know what awaits us, so it's best to prepare for the worst."

Albedo nodded along with his logical assumption, sniffling smally. His body was calming itself, as so naturally, his fever was making itself known again. It wasn't ideal. The shivers wracking themselves through Albedo's body were warnings. With each shudder, his steps dragged and body weakened to the point where the small shivers were beginning to be an exhausting chore on their own.

The short walk to the smaller cave where the camp was ensured to Albedo that he wouldn't be able to go on like this. Unless he pumped more adrenaline into his body like before, he would end up collapsing before they made it to his bag. And based on the route he took from here forward, it would be a dull a trip as any. No matter how strong Diluc could be, it was impossible for him to carry Albedo all the way to his bag and then use the map to carry the both on them down the mountain.

Perhaps along the way Albedo could find ingredients enough to concoct a small potion for himself. He had to keep his eyes peeled and bank on that possibility. With his alchemy experience, even the feeble amount of supplies available on this mountain may just be enough for him to make it work.

Diluc had to duck down a large amount to fit through the gap to the camp. Albedo, not as much, but he still had to tilt his body down. As he made his way through and sat back up, he rubbed at the snot on his nose and let out a feeble cough at the movement. If Diluc noticed his current state, he didn't say anything.

Instead, the man began to look around the small encampment. There were more books than actual useful items available. Anything of value was hidden amongst the shelfs and had to be shifted through to find. Diluc began his avid search while Albedo found a seat at a small nightstand that was clearly being used for anything but that.

He knew he shouldn't give in to rest like this, that his body would further shut down if he did, but the allure was too strong. This wasn't giving in to Dragonspine's will. He wouldn't fall into its icy grave. All he needed to do was rest his legs and ease his dizzy mind so that he could think clearly before he continued. What ingredients would he need to make a healing potion again...?

"...ey. Hey," Diluc called out to him, breaking Albedo out of his revery. How many times now had he called out to him? Albedo didn't want to be privy to an answer.

Diluc had a hand stretched out to him. Albedo scrutinized what was held in it before realizing with wide eyes what it was."A dried jueyun chili?"

"It's for you," Diluc responded, holding in his other hand a bag full of a couple more of them."Eat it. The spiciness of jueyun chili's is a good way to sweat out a fever. Their seeds also have properties that help reduce dizziness. The only reason they're not used often is because of how spicy they can get, but they should do the trick for now."

It wasn't a cure-all, but it was a start. Albedo took the chili."I hadn't heard about these chili's curing dizziness before, how interesting. I'd love to hear more about that. I may be able to use it in future research."

Diluc gave a small, stubborn hum. He crossed his arms, one hand still clutching the rest of the bag as he watched with narrow eyes as Albedo ate the chili. He radiated stubbornness, like he didn't want to admit to the fact that he just offered something to Albedo that would help his fever.

Albedo threw the stem of the chili onto the floor as he chewed the dried thing. It was better to do it all in one go. The intense flavor, of rather, overwhelming spiciness hit Albedo quickly. He wanted to just spit out the chili and shovel a handful of snow into his mouth but had to endure.

Pretty quickly, he could feel his body beginning to work up a sweat in reaction to the spicy sensation. He couldn't help but open his mouth and pant, trying and failing to air out the spiciness that felt like he was burning his tongue off. His clothes began to feel sticky and uncomfortable as his body heated and his nose began to run with more fervor.

Diluc, upon noticing his reaction, offered Albedo a small handkerchief with a turned head. Albedo took it."Thank you," he said through a burning mouth, quickly using it to blow his nose.

He noted Diluc's face was turned away from him in an attempt to purposefully not look at him, yet he didn't turn his body away completely to continue searching the camp. He responded with a hum to Albedo's thanks and continued conversation."What research are you doing out here anyways? Was it something so important that only you could go alone?"

"No," Albedo responded."I simply didn't feel the need to bring anyone along with me. Though I see now that was a miscalculation on my end."

Diluc gave him an odd look, yet didn't push.

Albedo was suddenly saddled with the need to continue. It would be great to have another persons insight on his research on the mountain, especially someone who had been there and experienced it themselves. Albedo was planning to bring his findings back to Mondstadt to bounce ideas off his assistants there, but was beginning to find that would only get him so far.

"I had heard about this mountain when I came to Mondstadt. It interested me, especially the fact that anyone who sought to explore it never lived." He said it so blatantly, yet still Diluc's face tightened for a second."I'm in search of limitless knowledge. Things left by old scholars in forgotten land such as this mountain. Human nature, the opaque essence of the universe, the origin of life. I seek that which interests me and pursue it until I'm satisfied with my results."

"That's a rather large spectrum of things," Diluc responded. His expression was a bit lighter now. It wasn't as if he was relaxing, but rather, he was easing the walls he put between himself and Albedo."Did you look through any of the books here?"

"Yes, I shifted through most of them," Albedo responded."Some are just bedtime stories or novels while others hold a more academic value. I intend to bring most of them back with me the next time I make a trip up here. I'm also the Captain of the Investigation Team for the Knights of Favonius, so it would be good to bring back as much knowledge of this land as possible before pursuing the mountain any further."

"Captain of the..." Diluc mumbled Albedo's words in repetition. His eyes were wide, lips slightly parted. Albedo couldn't make out what that expression held besides shock.

"Yes, I'm the Chief Alchemist as well as the Captain of the Investigation Team," he repeated.

"Then what the hell are you doing here?! You should be—!" Diluc paused there, mouth clamping shut. The words he shouted at Albedo with venom and hate echoed throughout the walls of the cave.

They were fiery, full of an enormous abhorrence that couldn't be built in only a few hours. It had been festering, building up and squeezing at his insides. It was like a murky tar that glopped over his skin and bubbled in a hissing resentment. Diluc had been letting it slash at his insides and fill his heart with hotblooded loathing.

Albedo realized, then, that his aversion wasn't just towards Albedo. It was bigger than that. Inordinate. He was never actually looking at Albedo but rather the organization he stood behind. The Knights of Favonius.

Albedo recalled now hearing once that Diluc was the former Cavalry Captain. Not many people left the Knights of Favonius once they joined unless for practical reasons like retirement or the birth of a child. There were not many dots to connect but enough for Albedo to know that, clearly, there was bad blood between Diluc and the Knights. And it seemed he had just stomped a foot in that puddle of blood.

Chapter Text

Albedo was reminded, once again, as to why he didn't bring any companions with him to Dragonspine.

He could easily deduce the facts behind Diluc's current actions, but he couldn't understand the feelings. He was completely unaware of the deep rooted emotions inside his companion. Even more so, he was a total novice in calming those feelings. Human emotions were not a subject he was a professional in. All Albedo knew were that the relationships between two people were complex and ever-changing and he didn't have the time nor energy to deal with such relations. But right now, he had no choice but to face them.

How was he supposed to calm Diluc? How was he to mend their relationship well enough for them to get off this mountain without any complications? He didn't know Diluc whatsoever. All he knew was the man ran Dawn Winery and was the former Cavalry Captain. He knew nothing personal about him besides the fact that he tended to keep his face slack of emotion. Even Albedo knew that wasn't enough to take a step forward.

He felt, idly, the chill of Dragonspine's wind run through him. They were far away from it, but it was as if its tendrils followed after Albedo. The mountain was displeased in Albedo leaving his coffin. It wanted him back where he belonged, buried beneath the snow.

Unbecoming of the current mood, the strained line in the air that was waiting to snap, Albedo sneezed. Diluc's eyes snapped to him, then sharply away again. He clicked his tongue.

"Let's just leave already," he spoke, voice cold. It was similar to when Albedo introduced himself, yet was less guarded and more the tone of a person attempting to hold back a mad yelling fit. It did not bode well for their future travels."I got everything I need already. There's no use sitting around. We can't waste any time, right?"

He turned his eyes to Albedo now and in them was a challenge. You can keep going, can't you? You're apart of the Knights of Favonius after all. A little fever is nothing to you, isn't it?

Albedo nodded, hopping off the nightstand he sat on."Yes, let's continue moving." He moved his muscles idly to restart them, not really looking at Diluc anymore. He wasn't someone easily bothered by threats or the presence of other people, no matter how scathing.

Something was thrown his way. Albedo didn't realize until it hit his chest. He quickly put his hands out and caught it, staring down at what Diluc decided to hand to him. It was the bag of dried jueyun chili's.

Albedo's eyes widened. Why now, of all times? By the sour look that still colored Diluc's face, he was clearly not doing this to mend their relationship, yet he still gave Albedo the chili's. He wasn't making him fight off his fever on his own. This was the best, and only, aid he could offer to Albedo. And he gave it without a single word.

Albedo didn't know what to take away from the small action. It was true that Diluc would need his fever to be reduced as much as possible so that he could lead them to his bag, so was it just an action done out of necessity, as he suspected? It could also be something as simple as the fact that he didn't want Albedo slowing him down. Right now, Diluc probably wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

Albedo took a chili out of the small bag and forced it in his mouth. A hot, burning sensation ran along his tongue and down his throat. He swallowed it down, forcing any ill feelings down along with it as he stared at Diluc's back. The man led them forward deeper into the cavern, following Albedo's trail of footprints. It was exactly like before in the ashen snowstorm exposed to the mountains whims. Diluc strode forward, never looking back at Albedo, and the other followed silently.

The whole way, Albedo munched on the chili's in the bag. He hugged the blanket close around his body as he dryly swallowed chili after chili. His whole body burned, despite the chill. He was sweating profusely, beads dripping down his forehead and soaking his clothes in an uncomfortable way. With each chili he swallowed, his runny nose worsened to the point where the handkerchief was no longer useful and Albedo resorted to using edges of the blanket to keep it at bay. If he wasn't aware of the effect the spicy chili's would have on him, he would've thought his fever had worsened just by his reaction to the food.

But his headache had lessened, despite the pain and panting in his breath. He hadn't had a single dizzy spell since then as well. Other than the sweltering heat and typical slow steps, he was overall feeling much better than he was before. By the time he finished off the last chili, his mouth had grown accustomed to the spicy heat and body was running its course to filter the food properly.

Albedo attempted, then, to focus his mind away from his body. The heat and sweat against the icy air of the cave was an overall bad combination. Unlike the outside of the mountain, the weather inside the cavern was a stagnant, stubborn cold. It was like being pricked with a thousand different needles endlessly. The frigid air was hollow in a way, soundless compared to the outside. A silent assassin quick to put one in a coffin of snow.

The quiet air didn't match well with Albedo's busy mind. He had noticed it before when he was all alone in the cavern. It was no wonder he made such a blunder and slipped. He was probably more out of sorts than he thought he was. Even Diluc's coupling steps and general presence weren't enough to keep his mind in place.

But then suddenly Albedo heard it, and he was once again reminded of the dangers of Dragonspine. There was a sharp creaking, then a series of jingles and clicks. They were calculated, like cracking ice, yet the sounds were soft as they didn't want to be heard. The noise shifted and jittered almost as if to laugh.

The sound didn't last long, only a few seconds. Diluc was completely unaware, with his noisy steps masking the sounds. But Albedo noticed. And after those two seconds of reprieve, at an intense speed suddenly a large icicle fell from the ceiling. It shot down towards the ground directly at Diluc with the stealth of a skilled assassin.

Those two seconds were enough for Albedo to react by yanking Diluc back by the buckle of his bag. He exerted an inane amount of force, enough to shove both him and Diluc to the ground as the icicle jabbed straight into the floor, directly between Diluc's feet where he was previously standing.

Diluc sat up quickly in preparation to yell at Albedo when he paused, eyes widening at the large icicle that fell between his legs. Albedo sat up as well. It was massive, thicker and bulkier then Diluc's body. If he had been hit by it, he would've died instantly.

Albedo never knew his heart could pound so fast. He had reacted purely on instinct and was thankful his intuition was so sharp. If he had reacted any slower, it would've been over. If Diluc hadn't given him those chili's, he would've never had that type of speed. In the end, he was thankful. That's all he could think.

He was so thankful.

"Are—" Albedo stopped abruptly, attempting to clear his throat. Eating all those chili's made it incredibly dry. He tried to swallow down the ache so he wouldn't sound so croaky."Are you okay, Master Diluc?"

Diluc snapped out of whatever revery he was in, standing abruptly."I'm fine," he responded gruffly. In his voice, there was a deep emotion he attempted to clear away. He straightened his face before turning back to Albedo with controlled anger in his eyes."You should've told me if I had to look out for falling icicles! I could've been killed!"

"My apologies," Albedo responded, slowly sitting up on his own. Taking that fall with Diluc's heavier body on top of his was not pleasant."I had forgotten about the icicles. I have no excuses."

Diluc stared at him long and hard. Then, he huffed."Is there anything else you forgot to warn me about or can we keep moving?"

"No, that should be it."

Albedo was undeterred by his anger. He understood Diluc was mad, and rightfully so, yet it felt like a hopeless endeavor to fix now."I suggest checking the ceiling as you move along so that we can walk around any patches of large icicles. It seems like they are triggered to fall when a warm body is directly below them."

Diluc's voice grumbled,"Of course. This mountain is just out to kill us."

It was a true enough statement, seeming to be something Diluc spoke to himself rather than Albedo. So, he kept quiet and allowed Diluc to continue leading them. The man now occasionally looked up at the ceiling for icicles and adjusted accordingly. Albedo did the same, more to preoccupy his mind if anything.

The ceiling crackled and waned evil taunts at their actions. It was like the dry air was breathing out mocking threats of cowardice. They were ignored, because if something so simple made the pair act out they would be long dead by now. But the icy silence was demeaning in its own way. It haunted the air between Albedo and Diluc and reminded them of current wounds. Between them, the tension was never lessening. Diluc only got angrier and Albedo only grew more confused as he stumbled upon new landmines in the mans mind.

The crunching of snow echoed throughout the cavern, sound loud then soft in a simple melody. Albedo looked down briefly, eyes trailing after his previous set of footprints they were currently following. He rubbed at his leaking nose. It wouldn't be long until they reached the heart of the vast cave. He remembered this path. From there, the twists and turns of the different paths may grow confusing. He would, most likely, have to take the lead again. He hoped Diluc would trust him with that much.

There was a crackle, unlike the sound of their footsteps or frost-laden ceiling. Following the crackle was a distinct, guttural snarl. Both pairs of feet paused. Diluc and Albedo remained stone still like frozen ice.

There was another snarl which echoed from ahead of them, sound carrying through the cave back towards them. Albedo's eyes slowly widened as a series of snarls and growls were exchanged. From a distance, they were hard to make out, but Albedo realized that they were hilichurl's speaking. The thing that had him so shocked wasn't the sounds of the hilichurl's but the fact that there were hilichurl's in this cave at all.

They weren't there when he was here previously. By the glaring, scathing look Diluc whipped his head around to greet Albedo with, he realized he had stepped on another landmine.

"They're hilichurls," Albedo quickly blurted out, keeping his voice soft.

"Were you just expecting me to go out there and attack them without any warning?" Diluc seethed back, also being sure to keep quiet. Unlike Albedo, his voice seemed to carry naturally with the wind and echoed softly throughout the stone walls of the cave."Really, you Knights are so irresponsible..."

"I would've warned you before if I had known they were there." Though Albedo sought to explain himself, he felt his words were falling on deft ears."When I previously explored this cavern, there were no creatures of note. It would make sense to say they appeared because of my previous passing through."

Albedo idly put a hand up to his chin."Hilichurl's are known to have a keen sense of sight. They could've noticed my footprints and decided to make camp in hopes of seeing me pass through. They also have good hearing, though not as good as their sight, but they could've heard me and sought me out but gotten lost and decided to just chase aimlessly after me."

"I don't need an entire lesson on hilichurl's," Diluc snapped back, cutting Albedo off before he could continue further."So you haven't seen these before?"

"No I haven't." Even Albedo knew, at this point, it was better to just answer Diluc's questions at not go any further than that. The man seemed peeved whenever he spoke further than necessary, but Albedo was never one to only say a few words."I'm not sure how many are present, so I think it would be better to simply sneak by them if we can. It would be a waste of time and energy to fight every conglomerate we find. Plus, the section of the cavern we'll be reaching next is very open. We'll run the risk of falling to our deaths."

Diluc gave him a look, brows pinched together on his face. His hair swept across his vision as he turned sharply back around."That's fine. If we do end up getting in a fight, you stay back. I don't need you slowing me down."

"Understood."

So he would agree with Albedo's plans an insight. How curious.

The pair began to move forward once again, this time with even further caution in their steps. It wasn't just falling icicles this time, but also hilichurl's they had to be aware of alerting. Diluc took a few hesitant steps forward and into the open expanse of the heart of the cavern. He peered around for only a second, probably realizing what Albedo meant by easy to fall to their death.

There were a series of stone paths leading to and fro amongst the cave like bridges. There were no support railings or grapple holds. On wrong move and one would slip into the icy abyss below. It was here that the wind made its presence known in the smallest of whistles. It was nothing but a slight breeze, but clear enough for Albedo to wrap the blanket around his shoulders tighter.

On their left, a pair of hilichurl's grumbled and sat around a small fireplace. Just two archers. They wouldn't be a problem to get by unnoticed, thankfully.

Albedo looked forward and noticed Diluc staring at them for a couple seconds longer than necessary. He might've been contemplating taking them out, but seemed to have decided against it as he whipped his head back around and continued.

There was only one stony path leading forward before it split off into two, so naturally Diluc didn't have any trouble choosing a way to go at the moment. The bridge of stone was narrow and caked with ice. Ash-like snow drifted through the air now in forewarning.

They were about halfway across this portion of the bridge, hilichurl camp behind them now far enough away for them to be at ease. Diluc's head moved to eye up the rode ahead and the question came.

"Which path should I take—"

Popping up from the floor in a flurry of snowflakes was a cyro slime. It yanked itself up from the floor right under Diluc's right foot, uprooting itself with a maddening force that sent the man stumbling. With that same popping force, combined with Diluc's erratic movements, it popped straight off the edge of the path and dropped into the darkness below right along with Diluc himself.

A mass of red amidst white fluttered and fell.

"DILUC!" Albedo shouted, chasing after him. He roughly slid onto the floor, hands reaching out for Diluc who was now free falling over the edge.

Their hands just barely made purchase with one another. Albedo grunted loudly at the sudden weight and forced every fiber of his body not to slip down along with Diluc. Albedo slid along the stone and dirt, hands nicking past the edge of the path and just barely keeping his body from falling off completely at the sudden momentum. It was a maddening battle against the snow, icy substance eager to have them both slip to their deaths.

"Diluc—!" Albedo's clipped voice called, breath barely passing through his lips. He grabbed onto Diluc with both his hands, eyes pinched shut as he put all his effort into just keeping him in place. Diluc was just so heavy.

His weight sent a shocking force through Albedo's figure. He urged himself to keep himself steady, grip tightening to the point he felt his nails digging into Diluc's skin through layers of cloth. His body strained.

"Albedo!" Diluc called, voice holding a core-shattering urgency. It was bleeding, desperate."Move!"

For a second, Albedo was confused. Move? Why would he move now, of all times? Did Diluc want him to drop him down into that bottomless pit?

And then he heard it. A small, jittery crackling. A distinct set of jingles and clicks that the pair had been privy to hearing for what felt like hours now.

Albedo didn't have time to move, not with Diluc on the edge of death. He couldn't shift a single inch as a large chunk of ice fell from the ceiling and dropped and impaled itself directly into the side of his right leg.

"AHHHHH!!"

Albedo let out a gut wrenching scream as his vision turned black from the piercing pain. It was as if someone had slammed a hammer directly onto the bone of his leg. His whole body convulsed and shook, screaming out at him.

Albedo panted rapidly, vision still dark as the sound of his breathing and screams were the only thing he could hear amidst the pain. He wasn't even sure if he was holding onto Diluc anymore. Maybe his arms were just aching and gripping at air. He had no idea. He couldn't see. It hurt.

"...bedo! ...Albedo! Albedo!"

A voice. Diluc. It was Diluc. He was still holding onto him. It was okay. He still had him.

Thank the Archons.

"D-Don't let go!" Albedo's words came out in stuttered, breathless gasps. It was like he was gulping at the air."Don't let go. Diluc, don't let go. Don't let go."

He gripped at him. He was there. Albedo's vision began to brighten, but the pain was ever present. The ice dug into his skin and made good on its promise of pain with every one of Albedo's movements.

"Albedo," Diluc called out to him. His voice was gruff, but a gentle gruffness, a calm collection of sounds in the chaos. Albedo felt his breath slow.

"Don't let go..." he said to him, desperate.

"Albedo," Diluc called again."Albedo, open your eyes."

They were closed?

Albedo realized they were, as he found them opening upon Diluc's command. He stared down and was greeted by the shadowy abyss below. It was like the open mouth of a large beast, just waiting and salivating after it's delicious treat. It would swallow them whole without a thought.

"Albedo," Diluc called again, and his vision shifted.

Diluc's face was a calm, collected mask. His icy breath powdered the air in front of him. For once, he stared Albedo directly in the eyes with such an intensity it made all the other thoughts in his head pause.

Albedo found those words sputtering out of his mouth again."D-Don't let go."

Diluc's hand gripped his arm tighter."I wont," he responded.

Albedo almost had a feeling akin to relief fill him. Just as quickly as he felt himself beginning to calm, suddenly a series of snarls were heard. Both heads snapped to the source of the sound and eyes widened.

The hilichurl's had been alerted.

With a bloodthirsty ruthlessness, the pair of archers quickly ran over until they had proper range and then aimed to fire. They quickly shot arrows directly towards Albedo's hunched figure.

"Albedo!" Diluc yelled with urgency.

Quickly, Albedo put up a geo shield around his body to block the arrows. They clicked off it and fell down below with an eery echo.

"I can't—" Albedo tried to speak, but found he was expelling all his energy to just keep his grip on Diluc and his shield up."The shield...It's..."

"I know!" Diluc yelled back, throwing his other arm up in an attempt to grab at some of the ledge."Hurry up! Hurry!"

The shield wouldn't hold. They weren't Albedo's specialty for a reason. It would survive another rain of arrows but that was it. Right now, he couldn't focus on that. He needed to get Diluc up, especially before they started aiming at him.

With all the strength Albedo could muster, he attempted to raise Diluc up. Both his hands gripped at his arm and pulled with all his might. He forgot about the pain coursing throughout his body or the archers which lined up to shoot another series of arrows at them. All his focus was now on was raising Diluc up enough so that he could grab at the ledge and hoist himself up.

There was another series of telling snarls that made Albedo feel like he was falling further into despair. With a quick snap of his head in the other direction, Albedo saw another telltale pack of hilichurl's which had noticed their presence. How many was it this time? What other enemies did he have to fend off now?

"Albedo!" Diluc snapped at him again."Don't focus on them! Just focus on pulling me up! That's all that matters!"

Diluc was right. He knew he was right. Albedo wasn't thinking logically now. His mind was scattered, pain and fear swaying his thoughts into disarray. He forced himself to pull. Pull and pull with all his might.

Another rain of arrows followed Diluc's words. Albedo's shield broke. He was completely exposed. Even the blanket Diluc had given to him had drifted away into the mouth of Dragonspine in his haste. He forged past those thoughts and pulled.

Diluc was so close to having a firm hold. Just inches away. They were so close.

Albedo pulled and cried out. He used every bit of strength he had left to muster. He pulled regardless of knowing if he was actually making any progress or not. The sounds of arrows being slung into crossbows echoed all around them. The wind whipped and ash fell. Albedo, for a brief moment, saw the face of death waiting for him down below in the depths. It smiled eerily and opened its arms.

Diluc grunted, grabbed at the edge, and swung his body back up. He, with his own body, created a shield around Albedo. An arrow wizzed by, coming from the new pack of hilichurls. It found its target directly in the back of Diluc's shoulder blade, right where Albedo's head would've been. Rough, ragged breathing echoed between them.

Diluc only let out a short, clipped grunt of pain before roughly yanking the arrow out of his shoulder blade and launching it directly back at the hilichurl who shot it at him. His movements were quick and that of a seasoned warrior.

The flung arrow embedded itself directly into the archers head, killing it on impact. Next, Diluc's gaze snapped to the two archers on the other side of them. His claymore appeared along his back and he sat up from over Albedo's body and slung his sword at one of them. The minute the weapon left his hand he was running after it. One archer down, he grabbed his weapon before it could touch the ground and killed the other archer with a flame-laden blade.

His gaze snapped back to the other pack of hilichurls: two regular, one shielded by a thick piece of ice and rock. He raced at them before they could even think to get close to Albedo who lied helplessly on the floor, pain overwhelming his senses.

A flaming blast of pyro took care of the ice shield and the two smaller hilichurls. The last was finished with the same ruthless swiftness. Albedo couldn't even see how it was done. He blinked once and the monster was on its knees, falling onto the ground in ashes.

Diluc put his claymore away and ran over to Albedo. His steps were cautious of the slippery snow all the same as he raced his way.

"I'm going to melt the ice," he spoke to Albedo, hand coming to rest on the large chunk on his right side.

Albedo nodded mutely and waited with his eyes pressed closed. His breath staggered in small, stuttered huffs. He hissed and groaned along with the sound of the ice melting back into nothingness.

Diluc took off his bag and opened it up."We can't stay here," he spoke as he procured a small roll of gauze. With haste, he began wrapping it around Albedo's leg. Just a temporary fix."We're too exposed. We need to find a place to fix up your leg before we continue. It's too dangerous here. We don't know how many hilichurl's have come since you were last here."

Albedo nodded.

"Do you remember coming across any caves further along? Anything?"

Diluc's voice was urgent and loud in his ringing ears. Albedo could barely focus."D-Down." That's all he could remember. There were never full on caves, but there were crevices. Small little indents in the stone cold walls. They were further down. The opposite direction in which they were supposed to go.

"Okay." Diluc nodded. He sounded like he was speaking to himself."Okay."

Slowly, he dragged Albedo up off the ground. He wasn't completely boneless, but he felt like he could only put any strength in his one working leg. His arms were practically jelly from holding Diluc up and strength exhausted from trying to maintain a geo shield not formed by crystallization.

He hobbled weakly next to Diluc. The other took his arm and wrapped it over his shoulders. A small hiss of pain passed through Diluc's lips that he probably didn't want Albedo to hear. His face was pinched in pain and Albedo knew he was probably pressing on his shoulder wound in some way. Regardless of the position, Diluc would be in some form of pain with the wound in his shoulder blade.

Diluc easily pushed past the pain and moved them forward. Step after step they trudged forward, still having to look out for icicles falling from the ceiling and camps of hilichurls. They had the sneaky cyro slimes popping up from the floor to dwell on as well.

"Master Diluc, about our conversation before..." Albedo started, finding himself wanting to speak. This tension between them was growing to become a nuisance. It was better not to leave ambiguous feelings between them. He should just get it all out now so Diluc could stop floundering around with his own feelings.

"Shut up," Diluc cut back harshly, yet the tone of his next words were softer."Save your strength."

Albedo kept talking."I'm not sure what you have against the Knights of Favonius, or maybe it's just an aversion to me..."

"It's not."

"That's good, then." Albedo let himself smile smally, head lulling forward."I didn't join the Knights of Favonius for any noble reasons. I became their Chief Alchemist because of the resources it would provide me. It wouldn't be wrong to say I'm abusing my power. Actually, it might be just that..."

Diluc grunted. Albedo couldn't see his face from his current position, but he wondered what his eyes held."It feels like more and more people are joining the Knights for such underhanded reasons, and those buffoons are just letting them in by the dozen." His next words were growled out."No wonder they remain such an ineffective, shoddy organization."

They turned sharply and Albedo let out a small groan. They were probably in the path of an icicle. Still, the sharp tug hurt his leg. It was probably also fueled by Diluc's emotions. As much as he held them in, they seemed to drive him as well.

"Master Diluc—" Albedo called.

"What now?" the other snapped.

"Say, what does the city of Mondstadt stand for? What does it pride itself on?" Albedo wondered where this affliction came from. This sudden burning need to wrap his heart around Diluc's mind and make him understand. His feverish desire to break this tension between them.

"What does that matter?"

"Just answer."

A rough sigh passed Diluc's lips. It was worn and ragged. The raspy quality told Albedo he needed a sip of water just as badly as he did.

"Freedom," Diluc responded. Those words echoed on the walls of the cavern. It filled the silence with something warm and intimate. Just the word had that much effect.

"Right, freedom..." Albedo words trailed off. He felt as though he almost lost his train of thought for a second."By joining the Knights and conducting my own research...doing my own experiments...I'm utilizing that freedom Mondstadt is so proud of. That's all I'm doing."

Diluc was quick as a viper to reject his idea."Freedom which causes harm to others is not freedom."

"But I'm not harming anyone."

He grew silent at Albedo's rebuttal. His mouth remained shut and Albedo could feel his jaw clench. The sound of his steps grew stiff and taut.

"Master Diluc—" Albedo tried again. This time, his words were cut off.

"I understand." The clipped words were growled out. It was as if it filled Diluc with hate to say his next words."You're exorcising your freedom. That doesn't make the Knights of Favonius any greater of an organization. It's still slow, ineffective, and—"

"Shoddy," Albedo finished. He couldn't help but smile even through the burning pain in his body. Something about Diluc's continued stubbornness and consistent nature was comforting."I think we may be partially in agreement there."

"If even the Knights working for Mondstadt think it's shoddy, then they ought to change leadership." Diluc huffed and Albedo's eyes widened.

Was that a joke that just came out of his mouth? Was he joking with him? It couldn't be. But Albedo didn't second guess himself. He was certain, despite all the questions running through his mind. Diluc was warming up to him or perhaps accepting his thought process. He wasn't so stagnant as to not accept change readily. Especially in their current circumstances.

They came across another crossroads. This time, instead of going further down the cavern like they had been, Diluc chose the path that kept to the same level they currently were. At this point, not finding what they were looking for for so long, Albedo would've made the same choice.

He kept with Diluc's pace, trying to think of some other conversation he could strike up so that his body wouldn't begin shutting down and making all the pain in his joints known. He needed a distraction, not just something to keep his mind busy this time.

They reached the end of the path before he could think of anything. The wind whipped and whistled in their ears. A fierce storm awaited them at the end of the unkept road. It raged gloriously with an awaiting anger. The path had led back outside the cave, exactly where they didn't want to be.

A sigh passed through Diluc's lips."Let's go back."

Albedo's eyes glazed over his surroundings."Wait," he spoke firmly, stopping Diluc before he could turn them back around."Over there." He pointed feebly in the direction he was looking.

A short distance away, nothing more than a few paces, was a dark crevice in the side of the mountain. It looked like it wasn't just a surface cave, but went deeper.

Diluc noticed it and nodded, beginning to drag the two of them through the harsh storm as quickly as possible to get them to the cave. The area they were in was odd. Albedo had never seen it before. It was as if a wall of rock was surrounding the outdoor space, creating somewhat of an oval shape that would be hard to leave. It seemed the only proper entrance was the cavern path they took to get there.

Diluc dragged them closer until they were right outside the cave. He began to roll them inside when he stopped. A loud, ominous snorting sound was heard from inside the cave. It was incredibly foreign to both of them, yet the sound echoed even in the snowy wind. Suddenly, a pair of two glowing beady red eyes shined through the darkness.

Tension shot through the pair. Diluc quickly shoved Albedo to one side of the cave, falling towards the other side just in time for a large blur to come ramming out of the cave. Both their backs fell against the stone of the mountain side as the dark figure slowly turned itself around to face the two of them.

Beady red eyes stared them down. Footprints clomped in the snow. A large, huffed breath of air passed through the two large nostrils of the beast. It was huge, both taller and larger than Diluc, with features they were both eerily familiar with.

This large beast was, without a doubt, a boar.

Chapter Text

Once, hundreds of years ago, there was a species of ancient boar hunted into extinction. It's said this boars meat was the finest of qualities and held a distinct, everlasting flavor no matter what way you cooked it. It was precisely because this meat was so highly sought after that it was gone so quickly.

Albedo had studied up on it before, when a chef once made an offhanded comment about wishing they would be able to get their hands on some. He had thought that just maybe, perhaps, some of this species may still exist but was met with nothing. It wasn't his area of expertise in the first place, so he didn't ponder long on it.

That little adventure came to mind to him now as he stared upon this massive beast. It's brown and white fur coating, the unique patterns and brash nature were all fitting of the pictures and descriptions he had seen in his research. Right in this moment, he was staring upon one of these long thought extinct ancient boars.

But, were they meant to be this massive?

"Albedo!" Diluc yelled at him.

He was snapped out of his revery by that distinct voice. It felt like Diluc was always snapping him out of his delusional thoughts. Albedo didn't have any time to respond to Diluc with the boar in front of them rearing its head and preparing to charge once again. It looked absolutely pissed at them, though they had done nothing to it.

The massive beast snorted and brushed a clomping hoof-like leg back like a bull getting ready to charge. Its eyes were focused on Albedo, gaze sharp and boring into him. He wouldn't be able to get out of the way, not with his leg in its current state. The only reason he was able to still hold himself upright was because of the wall of stone he was leaning against. Still, violent shivers wracked throughout his frame.

He was growing colder and his tamed fever was noticing. The spicy chili's he had eaten before in hopes of at least putting a lid on his woes were rattling like a kettle ready to sizzle and pop its lid off. Albedo needed to keep his wits about him. Desperately. He was on the verge of breaking out into another full-blown fever.

The bull-like boar's clomping hoofs suddenly twisted with its body as its head snapped in a different direction. Albedo was startled by its swiftness and turned sharply to see what it was looking at. He knew who was to the right of him. The warm reassurance of that glowing figure in the winter storm. A being which opposed Dragonspine with every gene in its body.

Diluc had already thrown his bag to the ground. His claymore rested in both of his hands, weight clearly being supported by his left arm as his right shoulder was currently wounded. From the shining blade of death and blood, brilliant flames burst forth as if wrapping the piece of metal in a protective shield.

The boar had noticed and in its noticing, it charged.

The beast let out a load cry of war and ran headfirst towards Diluc. It snorted a fearsome gust of air and rammed forward with a speed Albedo would've never thought a beast of its girth would have. Diluc tumbled swiftly to the side in one clean somersault over the snowy ground. His movements were not as perfected as they once were, but they still held the same amount of effectiveness.

The boars charge had it skidding to a stop as its head lightly rammed into the wall of stone it charged towards. The impact was enough to make a shuddering pile of snow slide down from the icy mountain and cake Albedo's head.

Diluc kept his blade alight and stance solid as he faced off against the boar once again, massive beast taking its time to slowly pivot around to glare at him again. It was close to Albedo, incredibly close, but its eyes were focused solely on Diluc. Perhaps it was drawn to his flame, or maybe it recognized him as the bigger threat and sought to eliminate him first before taking Albedo out.

"Albedo, grab my stuff and run into the cave if you're able to," Diluc spoke to Albedo in a surprising calm. His voice was just loud enough to carry over to him through the whistling wind. Neither his body nor his gaze moved from the boar, however. His body was tense and stance focused. He was trying his best to tame the beast into focusing exclusively on him.

The boar huffed, more a bull now in Albedo's eyes, and charged before Diluc could wait for his response. With his attention focused on the boar, he was able to dodge swiftly once again, but that wouldn't be enough. Just running around wouldn't guarantee them safety. The boar needed to be killed. It had to, for them to live. And if Diluc was to conserve his stamina, it needed to be killed quickly.

So, Albedo didn't think very long about following Diluc's words and hunkering into the safety of the cave. He knew it was a logical conclusion on Diluc's part and that, in his current state, he was no use in a head to head fight, but Albedo was never one to challenge opponents on his own in the first place. He was better at observing, at helping from afar and offering support where he could.

If he felt it was possible to muster up enough energy to use his vision, then there was nothing stopping him in doing so. Right now, Diluc was in a state of continuous dodging and moving around as the boar charged time and time again. Albedo noticed speckles of red in the pure white snow. Blood from Diluc's wound.

"Albedo, stop spacing out!" Diluc yelled at him, now angry. His blade was in front of him like a protective shield. His fiery hair looked as if it lifted and curled in his anger."Hurry up and get inside!"

The boar faced away from Albedo, not even bothering with him. Did Albedo look that dead? Had the wounds littering his body effected him that much?

He held a hand out."Come into being..." he spoke in a soft voice, half delirious. It felt like all his energy was draining straight out of his body. Inwardly, and perhaps outwardly too, he pleaded with his vision."Solar Isotoma."

Blooming forth came a flower made primarily of alchemy and backed by the power of his geo vision. A field surrounded his flower, one which would create more and more blossoms as long as contact was made. These flowers were deadly, however. Transcendent blossoms which promised a beautiful death buried in a bed of flowers, rather than snow.

Diluc noticed what he had done instantly and reacted swiftly before the boar could take notice of his companion. It seemed he, too, was mustering all his strength in every single one of his movements. His claymore waned against his hurt shoulder blade and swung heavily at the side of the boars head right near the junction between its shoulder and neck.

The hog squealed as Diluc's hit landed, yet it didn't dig into its skin enough to make the beast fall. Its skin was incredibly thick and durable, as expected. Even with Albedo's blossom backing him and offering additional damage, the boar was still full of energy. Its eyes grew harder and stance even more pissed. It shook Diluc away from him, causing him to tumble back at the sudden force of its massive cry.

Those beady red eyes grew with a more deathly rage. The boars body seemed to be glowing and steaming with its uncontrollable, violent anger. Albedo and Diluc were both in shock by the sudden transformation. There were plenty of creatures out there which changed forms or "powered themselves up" in a sense by donning a shield on their body, but never before had they seen a creature which grew stronger with anger.

There was no shield or ability powered by the magic of the elements. There was only pure brute strength with a vastness one had never seen before. Could they do it? Could they defeat this beast?

It wasn't a simple matter of "could" anymore. They had to do it.

All the while Albedo was thinking, Diluc was slowly inching his way over to Albedo's side. His steps were slow and cautious, daring the boar to attack, yet shielding himself in hopes it didn't.

"Watch out, or you might get burned," Diluc spoke to him, bringing his blade up next to his shoulder. His movements were focused, blade pulsing with pyro energy in preparation for something massive.

In challenge, the boar turned itself slowly around to face off against him. It seemed like this would be the end. But how was Diluc possibly hoping to succeed if his first strike did so little damage? Even a large round of pyro probably wouldn't break through that skin. Albedo tried to see what he was seeing and understand his thought process.

It was in this moment that his eyes caught the sight of the ledge of stone directly across from them. Before he had noticed that it was like they had been incased inside with nowhere to go but now, on that impenetrable wall of stone that was Dragonspine, there was a crack.

It wasn't just one, either. A series of cracks weaved its way through the stone wall in a delicate art waiting to shatter and break. Albedo realized now that in his earlier hazy revery, Diluc had been chipping at this wall. He had probably situated himself so that the boar would ram itself into the wall of stone repeatedly, based on the marks. He had been prepared to push the boar off the mountain from the very beginning.

Suddenly, Albedo felt like a fool. Diluc hadn't needed his help from the very beginning. He had already thought of a plan and executed it. He just wanted Albedo out of the way so that he could get the work done without having to worry about his health. While Albedo was reliant on Diluc as his steady companion, it was beginning to feel as though it was a one-sided relationship. Diluc had proved time and time again that he could go it on his own and that Albedo was the one presenting him with burdens.

If he wasn't so angered at him before, he probably would've noticed the icicles on the ceiling and slime on the ground. Even from way before, he bet Diluc could've taken that Frostarm Lawachurl all on his own. Albedo was beginning to wonder what really was a companion, because it seemed to him, in this moment, he was nothing more than a leech.

With that sorrowful thought, Albedo watched Diluc execute the last of his plan. From his claymore came a massive phoenix of flames which swept up the boar and slammed it against the stone wall, finally shattering it into pieces. It was a beautiful sight, a sputter of color in the pale snow. For a second, the cold frost was singed by a flickering flame. Dragonspine seemed to choke and stumble at the revelation of something so warm daring to disrupt it.

A thunderous rage broke out in the wind, whistling and growling with anger. It pushed at the three figures incapsulated in the snow. Diluc dug his claymore into the earth and Albedo clung to the wall behind him and quickly threw himself into the cave directly next to him, snatching Diluc's bag with a grunt of pain. For far to long of a second, he put pressure on his wounded leg.

As for the boar, it teetered over the edge of the mountain, hooves attempting to grip at the cliffs edge with a pure villainy. It didn't last and Diluc and Albedo heard its squeals and cries of pain as it slipped and fell down the mountain. Its fall was eery as its strangled cries echoed in the howling wind.

As soon as it was gone, Diluc was quick to begin making his way over to the cave. He clung to the wall at his side and used his claymore as support so that the treacherous winds wouldn't simply sweep him away to his coffin of death. Albedo couldn't offer him so much as a hand, leg throbbing with a clawing pain at his abrupt movements. He clung to the floor of the cave, curled up as he felt the full effects of accidentally putting some of his weight on the ligament.

Diluc slowly made his way over to him, worn and panting."Are you okay?" he asked. His voice was a telltale sign as any to his current state. His next words stuttered and he shuddered from the cold."W-We need to get further inside. Away from the wind..."

Albedo tried to force words past his hissing lips. It hurt, and all he could do was clutch uselessly at his leg and beg for the pain to pass. The mountain of Dragonspine would never be so kind, though.

"Don't try to move," Diluc said, realizing his current state."Let me carry you. It'll just be a couple seconds, but bare with it."

It was better to just get it over with than continue to wither in pain. Exposed to the cold, with a burning sensation in his body, Albedo was an open field for the elements to play around in.

"Don't worry about me," Albedo attempted to reassure Diluc, just to get him moving."It's better to act quickly and endure any other pain than to let my wound fester further."

Diluc nodded for a various amount of reasons and then bent down to pick Albedo up. His claymore disappeared at his back as he scooped his arms under Albedo's thighs and across his shoulders. Albedo's body tightened at the phantom pangs of hurt and he clutched tighter onto Diluc's bag curled around his form to keep his vision from going completely black.

As promised, Diluc's movements were quick. He didn't yank Albedo completely from the floor, but he was the perfect speed so that he wasn't in total pain. He then quickly led them deeper into the cave until they reached the very end. It opened up into a large circle just spacious enough for that boar to live comfortably. This was where Diluc set Albedo back down.

His body made contact with the cold floor and shuddered feverishly. As expected, it was already coming back, but the pain in his leg was the bigger problem. Their trek to find his bag was slowing now because of it. They wouldn't be able to repair it enough to walk on, but at least stopping anymore blood from flowing would be enough for now. As long as Albedo's mind was clear enough to guide them home, that's all they needed.

"Let me see my bag," Diluc demanded, holding a hand out. Albedo realized he was still gripping it tight as a catalyst to ease the pain and gave it over to Diluc.

The man searched through it and was quick to pull out the other blanket inside. He laid it down on the cold floor next to Albedo."Here, sit on this for now."

Albedo did as he asked. His leg dragged behind his body, protruding forward as straight as a stick. The pain made him want to claw at his eyes and grip something tight enough to draw blood. He hadn't experienced a pain so brutal in a long, long time. He forgot how unrelenting it was. There was nothing he could do about it either but endure and hope the throbbing dizziness in his head would fade soon.

But, like the snow on Dragonspine, he doubted it would.

"I didn't bring anything for the pain," Diluc began, taking a couple various things out of his bag."But I can at least disinfect it before we continue."

Albedo nodded. He forced himself to speak because he knew he would feel better if he was distracted."As long as I'm not at risk of falling completely unconscious in the future, do what you must do, Master Diluc. We don't have much time to waste, especially with the snowstorm picking up like it just did. I can't continue to guarantee my bag will be in the spot I last saw it if we keep delaying our travels like this."

Diluc's expression hardened. He leaned over Albedo's leg and began undressing the shoddy craftsmanship he made before in the name of haste. To Albedo's words, he said nothing when it was so clear he was perturbed.

"What is it?" Albedo asked, partially curious, partially wanting to rectify their tension.

"Stop having such disregard over your life," Diluc snapped quickly, tossing away his old bandages. Wounded skin now freely exposed to the cold air, Albedo couldn't help a small shiver."You should care more about staying alive than finding your bag."

"Yes, but my bag is what will get us off this mountain. Without it, ngh, we will very well die." Diluc poured some water over his wound, causing Albedo to hiss out his last couple words.

Diluc paused his ministrations there, looking up to Albedo. He stared him in the eye."Your life, right now, is what matters," he said. The words, though gentle, were spoken with a scathing bluntness like Diluc didn't realize how soft they truly were."I would rather we take our time and not find your bag then end up dying on the way back after finding it because we weren't taking proper care of ourselves."

Diluc spoke with the word "we" like he couldn't go it on his own. The minute they found Albedo's bag, he could probably just leave him behind and head back all on his own. A wealthy winery owner such as himself surely had plenty of duties to go back to. Things more urgent then the passion of Albedo's research.

"Still, I believe there's no reason to take so much time to care over my wound," Albedo began in response. He couldn't let it go. Not after realizing how meaningless it was for him to accompany Diluc."As long as I'm healthy till we reach my bag, that should be sufficient. You could leave me behind there and send for a rescue party or just carry me on your back if you feel able. I believe I'm in suitable enough condition to survive like this for a couple days at the least."

"Absolutely not!" Diluc snapped, thundering voice challenging even the wind. His head snapped as he stared at Albedo with a colossal anger he had never been privy to before."There's no way I would ever leave you behind. I would never betray you like that. Not now. Not after so long..."

His eyes trailed from Albedo and the other realized he was recalling something right now. Perhaps a memory from the past. Something that had happened to him. Inside himself, a curiosity like never before grew. Albedo wanted to know what Diluc was thinking about. He wanted to prod at his brain and understand everything behind it. What a curious thing.

"I..." Diluc's words paused and choked themselves on his lips. He swallowed thickly, eyebrows furrowing and then falling slack again."I've been left behind too many times. I know what it feels like to be betrayed by someone you had so much faith in. To find out everything's a lie, or not what you think...it's the worst kind of feeling. There's no way I would make someone experience that. Justice is meant to be upheld. When you promise something, you're meant to keep that promise."

Diluc stopped there, a hand coming up and rubbing at his eye idly."I don't know why I'm telling you any of this...It doesn't matter. All you need to know is that I wont abandon you, ever."

Albedo allowed himself to relax sightly as Diluc continued his treatment. He might've been embarrassed for spilling so much, who knew. Albedo was aware of the small bit of weight leaving his chest at Diluc's words. It seemed that Diluc did see him as his companion, if he refused to leave him so easily. What he was saying was that they were in this together until the end. It was what Albedo had been hoping for.

"I know that there's an odd bit of behavior about humans in which they tend to spill deep, secretive portions of their lives to strangers without regard. I believe it's because they realize that they will never see this person again, so they don't mind saying something they want to get off their chest that they normally wouldn't."

Diluc huffed, the closest Albedo had ever heard to a laugh coming out of his mouth. He peered at him, finding his lips curling into the smallest of smiles. It was only because Albedo was so close that he noticed it.

"I don't think we have such a carefree relationship as to call us strangers," Diluc spoke, voice mainly in jest."But I'd say some of that theory makes sense."

"I'm not the most in-tune with human relations, so forgive any blunders in my logic." Albedo found his breath steadying and body relaxing. What was he to say about this reaction to Diluc? Were they perhaps close enough now that his body grew relaxed around him? It might just be because Diluc was a warm body in a frigid place like Dragonspine.

He wondered why it was, then, that he felt like his body was naturally healing in his presence. His headache had gone away, the pain in his leg lessened further with treatment, and his fever was shying away from making a full appearance. Even the mountain winds whistled and died as they spoke, as if it wanted to listen in on their conversation.

Albedo, in the serenity, decided he wanted to be bold.

"Were you talking about the Knights of Favonius?" Diluc's body reacted to those three words strung together."I heard you were a former Knight. Were they perhaps the ones who betrayed you?"

Diluc looked up at Albedo and his eyes filtered through his. Hesitation, anger, sorrow, mourning, hurt, confusion in a steady flow. He looked like a newly born fawn in that moment, struggling on stick-like legs to take its first steps. Albedo waited for him to move forward with a patience. Time was both a wonderful medicine and a deathly disease.

In a small action, Diluc swallowed against his dry throat."They were one of many that day." And he didn't say anything further. His words were soft and vulnerable enough for the mountain to have eaten them up if it wasn't so eerily quiet. He adjusted his gloves like a nervous fidget and then got back to work on Albedo's leg.

Albedo couldn't help but wonder what the Knights of Favonius had done to him. The Knights he knew were so justice faced that he would consider himself the one with the worst intentions out of the entire bunch. The Knights of before must've been under a different leadership, one that caused Diluc to leave of his own violation.

There was a short silence which followed as Diluc finished his work on his leg. The wind brushing past the cave hummed in contemplation. Finishing wrapping up the wound, Diluc slowly backed away.

"Do you feel any better now?" he asked."I have some jerky in my bag if you need some food. Drink some water, too, and then we can set off again."

"Thank you," Albedo replied, holding his hand out to take the water and drink."What about your shoulder wound, Master Diluc? I think we should treat it as well before going. Those hilichurl's could've put something on the tips of their arrows."

"Ah..." The noise that came out of Diluc's mouth was like he had forgotten he even had such a wound. As expected of a man of such immense strength."Yes, it should be treated. I'll need some of your help, it's that's okay."

He was already stripping off his coat before Albedo could grace him with a reply. Of course, he would never deny helping him. It was rather shocking how quick he was to strip. With a pyro vision as refined as his, Albedo guessed it made sense for him to not mind the frigid weather.

His layers came off with ease and were folded and placed at his side. He handed over a bottle of water and some disinfectant salve to Albedo."If you would," he said.

Albedo nodded and Diluc turned his back to him."Please tell me if it hurts too much to bear." Because he couldn't say it wouldn't hurt at all. Thankfully his wound was much smaller than Albedo's. It looked like most of his clothes helped form a protective wall.

Diluc large back was a sight of awe. His shoulders stretched out broadly with purpose and muscles toned and defined from using his claymore. There were a couple scars here and there, some large and others small like this little arrow wound was sure to leave behind. Diluc had certainly had his fair share of fighting. Albedo couldn't help but stare a few seconds longer than necessary, remembering when he had first awoken wrapped up in the arms of the man who had such a strong looking back.

"You seem to be a seasoned warrior," Albedo spoke, breaking the silence."You have lots of scars. You must've gotten into many fights."

"I just do what needs to be done," Diluc replied, immensely simple.

Albedo felt as though he was trying to make conversation more for his own sake. Diluc's back was a distraction unneeded in the current moment. So, he finished as quickly as possible, a sudden nervousness spurring on his movements.

"Thank you," Diluc said gratefully after Albedo finished wrapping the wound. He put his clothes back on gently, careful of the new wrappings. He put on one of his coats, a darker pitch black one, and then turned his body to Albedo and held out the other one."Here, wear this. I don't want your cold to come back and with the way we're moving, I'll be okay without it."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Albedo asked. Though he trusted Diluc's judgement, if the other was just doing this out of pure worry and not thinking it through, the outcome would be more disastrous for them. If they both ended up with a cold, that would spell the end.

"I'm sure. Just take it." Diluc was incredibly stubborn, Albedo noted. It could almost be seen as cute.

"Okay. Thank you, Master Diluc." Albedo nodded gratefully and put the warm coat on. It was like the warmth from Diluc's body heating it still hadn't gone away. Maybe with this his fever would stay dormant just a little while longer.

Standing up, Diluc held out a welcome hand to Albedo after putting his bag back on. Albedo took it and let Diluc do most of the work in helping him back up. Once again, the other wrapped his arm across his shoulders for support.

And, without a word, they began their trek once again.

Chapter Text

The two left the snowy wilderness and entered back into the cavern. The wind, which had been eerily quiet for a spell, had picked up again in their pursuit to get away from its icy grip. It desired death with a raging cry, but Albedo and Diluc wouldn't give in. They had long since gotten used to the cries of the wind. It was now nothing more to them than a mild irritant, even with the plethora of injuries littering their bodies.

Albedo's leg continued to throb endlessly, but as long as he didn't put unnecessary weight on it he felt okay. It needed to be kept in a sense of normalcy and unstressed as they moved. By leaning his weight on Diluc, feeling the warmth of his skin and coat, Albedo was experiencing exactly that. It was the perfect combination to help him move forward amongst the wilderness and against the storm.

Their pace had certainly slowed compared to what it was before. Their stamina had been worn down to the point where only a deep, deep sleep would rectify it. They, of course, didn't have the time for such a thing. Right now, only pure adrenaline and desire could fuel them forward, and they had plenty to go around.

As they made it back into the center of the cavern where they could see the expanse of its zig-zag terrain, they both collectively paused. It wasn't that they were lost. The icy slopes and bridges of stone moving around the inside of the cave were familiar to them. Diluc was savvy enough to track their way back and even if he didn't know by memory, they had a trail of footprints to follow.

It was a good thing he had that sense of savvy because right now, those footprints etched deep into the snow were being painted over by a trail of thick, dark red blood. It trailed slowly and ominously down the slightly steep incline, trickling and dying the snow in crimson. A small droplet moved towards Diluc's foot, stopping its decline as it reached the sole of his shoe and began pooling there.

He moved it out of the way with a haste befitting of their current flabbergasted state. Blood didn't just appear in droves like this. There wasn't any sign of the beast it came from either. It felt like not a single other living thing was inside the cavern except for them, in fact. That only furthered their unease.

A putrid smell filled the air. It followed alongside the red liquid that could only be blood. There was a hint of sourness to it that made Albedo and Diluc's noses scrunch. It was not a welcome smell. In fact, it made them both dizzy and queasy, just enough so to be inconvenienced. Diluc turned his head further in every direction, but by the look in his eyes, he couldn't find the source.

"Have you ever seen this before?" he asked Albedo, as if for reassurance. Perhaps he was hopeful Albedo had some kind of knowledge on the subject so they weren't completely stepping into the unknown.

"No," Albedo responded calmly."Clearly it's blood, but I have no idea what could cause so much to spill." His eyes followed the trail upwards. It was the same way they were going."Let's head further up and see if we can find the source."

Diluc nodded."If it's anything dangerous, let me handle it. I'll try to avoid it if I can, but something ferocious enough to cause this much blood to spill will probably sense us quickly."

"Perhaps," Albedo responded, wincing only slightly as they began walking once again."Though it can often be vicious creatures such as this that are the most ignorant. They tend to focus only on what's in front of them, because they are already well fed enough to not have to rely on all their instincts to survive."

"Is this what your research has told you?" Diluc asked, slightest playful tint to his words. He carefully moved them around the trails of blood, but the path was thin enough as it was so it was often his boots smushing through the caked snow while he kept Albedo clean. How chivalrous, Albedo thought idly.

"Various studies have suggested such," Albedo responded, words serious and informative. He wasn't positive about the tone of their current conversation and whether he should lecture or not, but he gave way to his desire to continue."Though since the creatures here have shown themselves to be extremely aggressive, I'm unsure of how much of my knowledge applies to them."

"Is that why you're here?" Diluc asked. He stepped around an especially deep puddle in the ground, though he was forced to push one of his boots into the puddle. He did so with care so the blood didn't splash everywhere."I understand you're here to research, but I was wondering if it was any subject in particular."

"I study all things that interest me. There are many things on this mountain I have yet to see before which I wish to indulge my research in, far too many for me to come here casually. With that thought in mind, I intended to map out the region and then come back later to build a camp where I can conduct my research safely without having to constantly go back to Mondstadt."

Diluc let a small huff pass his nose."Of course the Knights wouldn't bat an eye at their Chief Alchemist leaving to go research on such a deathly mountain. It seems they're too incompetent to even send a group to aid you."

Diluc seemed to intend to jab at the Knights of Favonius whenever he got a chance. It was like he was trying to reaffirm his standing with them constantly. He was underhanded, in a sense, whereas Albedo liked to be straightforward at all times. It suited him best and made things run smoothly. Perhaps that was why he wasn't attuned to human relations. Being straightforward with people wasn't always smiled upon.

Diluc, however, hadn't been put off completely by his straightforwardness yet and he listened to Albedo talk on about his research. They had a small road bump at the beginning concerning Albedo's standing in the Knights of Favonius, but now that everything was resolved, they were moving smoothly along. Was this how relationships formed and cultivated? If it was just one person, maybe even Albedo could make it work.

Part of him, a part desperate enough it made him confused, hoped endlessly he could make it work. How odd.

"I will say," Albedo spoke up. He cleared his throat, wondering how Diluc would respond to his next words."That I decided to go alone without any of the Knights help willingly. I was offered aid, but I refused."

Albedo's heart pounded in his chest as he awaited Diluc's response. It felt like adrenaline was flowing through his bloodstream while the situation was actually a tame one.

Diluc, rightly so, got angry. It was an anger inlaid with heavy concern. Albedo could feel it in his voice."Why did you think coming up here alone would be a good idea?!" he snapped. His voice didn't grow too loud, however, in case any enemies nearby would pick it up."It's not safe alone! Especially in territory no adventurer has left alive! You're lucky you met me, or you would've been dead by now!"

Albedo couldn't help a small smile from crossing his lips. As usual, Diluc's words were sweetly soft behind their harsh edge."I am very grateful I met you, Master Diluc. I realize now how crucial companionship is. That's why I'm eternally grateful to have found such a compatible companion on this mountain."

Diluc made a sound in the back of his throat. It was odd, odd enough that Albedo looked over and up at Diluc's face to see if he was alright. The mans eyes were pinched, you could see the lack of sleep in them from such a close angle. A powdery layer of red ran across his cheeks and nose all the way to the tips of his ears that appeared as his hair moved back and forth. It seemed exaggerated now, but it looked good on his skin. Albedo knew it was because of the cold, but Diluc's expression made it seem like he was trying to cover it up.

Albedo decided not to question him on it and turned his gaze forward once again."However, Diluc, it's to my understanding that you came up this mountain alone as well. Is there a reason you couldn't bring any companions along with you?"

"Ah..." Diluc's voice had a bashful tint to it. It took him a few seconds to respond. In that time, he maneuvered them around a small bend in the path and continued to move them upwards. They were still following the edge of the inside of the mountain and had yet to reach the clearing of paths without any walls surrounding them for support.

Finally, he spoke."That's because I wasn't planning on being here long or entering this deep into Dragonspine." He chose his next words carefully with a stoic expression."I haven't been back in Mondstadt for long. Maybe a week at most. I originally only came back because I heard rumor that the Fatui had entered Dragonspine in search of something. I had an idea of where their camp would be, so I decided to make a small expedition to deal with them and figure out what they were doing here. I didn't predict how heavy the snow would fall or how blindly the eternal snowstorm here was and found myself lost shockingly easily."

"I see." If Diluc was only planning on traversing the edges of the mountain, and if it was something he didn't wish to tell anyone based off the hesitance in his voice, it would make sense that he went alone."Did you end up finding what you were looking for?"

"Only the remnants of the dead." Diluc's voice was sour. It seemed he wasn't the type to wish a cruel icy grave on Dragonspine to his enemies."I did figure out what they were looking for, or at least I was given an idea. Some sort of dragons heart."

"Dragon heart..." It sounded vaguely familiar to Albedo, just on the tips of his memory, but his mind was so hazy that it didn't want to think about it. His body only wanted rest. It desperately sought to lie down so that he may close his eyes and let the pain pass. That desire was growing deeper with every step they took. Keeping his brain occupied was beginning to grow a useless feat.

"Albedo?" Diluc called out to him, concern heavy in his voice.

"It seems my thoughts don't wish to make themselves known in my mind," Albedo responded with a chuckle."No bother. I believe I have heard about this dragon heart you speak of. I just can't seem to remember where at the moment. Perhaps I'll have more information for you once we leave Dragonspine."

"That's great to hear," Diluc responded, genuine joy in his voice, perhaps the first Albedo has ever heard."Let's consult when we get back to Mondstadt. Making plans for the future in these circumstances...is not a bad thing."

Such gentleness in his voice. Diluc was a contrast of soft and harsh words, yet all of his actions were heated with a desire, passion, and firm judgement. Albedo felt himself growing into that warmth. Something like lava flowing through thick slabs of stone which would never melt, but adapt. Bouncing off one another in perfect sync.

Albedo suddenly found himself conscious of the warmth along Diluc's body and the thick coat that belonged to the man draped over his shoulders. He felt his body heating not because of injury or fever but because of that warmth breathing into his skin. How lovely it was to bask in such a thing. It made his body want to curl up against it and heart sputter in an odd assortment of noise.

He was not one to get nervous, but suddenly he felt like he should be. Commonsense and his overactive mind, even in its dull state, stopped him before he could be. He wasn't sure why he was feeling this way. A thing that came along with relationships—emotions—were a tricky thing to understand.

Diluc stopped moving, and Albedo noticed quickly why he did so. The pyro users feet crunched in the snow and blood, making only a squelching noise which echoed in the softest of ways throughout the cave. They had reached the inevitable spiraling pathways of the very innermost of the cave. This was the most dangerous part of the cavern, with even more icicles threatening to crush them, cyro slimes hidden in the ground, and no walls to support them from falling into the abyss below.

The mountain seemed to roar and shift then, the winds from outside supposedly picking up and forcing the cavern inside to rumble and groan. A couple patches of snow shifted because of it and fell down, as if to foreshadow what would happen if they weren't careful.

Diluc didn't stop because of this, of course. On the path in front of them sat a single mitachurl. It lounged on the side of the path like a worn traveler, shield made of ice sitting at its side. It seemed to have migrated there since their trip down. Diluc and Albedo would've avoided it, but there was no way to do so. It sat facing the path they intended to take forward. There would be no avoiding this hilichurl.

Diluc began sliding Albedo's arm off him."I'll deal with it quickly," he spoke to him in a small voice as he let him down softly onto a bit of rock.

Albedo watched his leg the entire time he was being moved, using Diluc for support as long as necessary. Once he was safely seated, Diluc focused back on the mitachurl. Albedo took a couple breaths and calmed the pain in his leg before he focused back on Diluc's flaming hair outlined in the snowy wilderness.

His claymore seemed to cut sharply along with the icy air. It wasn't that he flowed with it, but that he sliced through it with the ease of a hot knife gently sliding its way through a block of ice. His motions, however fluid they may be, took time to work their way through the mitachurl's shield. Though made mainly of ice, it also looked to be reinforced by stone. One or two hits of pyro wasn't enough to cut through.

Diluc, with his worn shoulder, had a tougher time dealing with the mitachurl then he had dealing with bouts of enemies before. It was probably because the adrenaline had worn off. Dragging their feet up the mountain, through blood and snow, did nothing good but keep their blood flowing. His senses had dulled as Albedo's had, which made it a harder fight to get through, despite how easy the mitachurl would be to take down.

Diluc finally tore its shield down, exposing the creature to his blade. The impact of breaking through caused Diluc to slip, however, at the sudden shift in weight. His blade still tore through the mitachurl, flames licking at the creature and turning it to ash, but Diluc fell along with the slice. It seemed the bloody snow was a bad match and caused him to tumble.

"Diluc!" Albedo called, concerned he may tip over the edge again. He wished he could move and go to him and help in his fights more than just idly watching.

Thankfully, Diluc planted his blade in the ground before he could slide any further. A single hand ended up splashing in the bloodied snow and Diluc's face scrunched up in displeasure at the action. One of his pant legs was now coated in the smelly substance as well as his hand. It didn't look pleasant and smelled even less so.

The eeriness surrounding the trail of blood made the prospect of Diluc having more than necessary on his person a thing to be weary of. It looked to be just regular blood, but it felt as if it was the bleeding heart of Dragonspine reaching out for them and intending to swallow them whole. If the icy winds outside of the cavern weren't enough to bury them in a coffin of snow, then perhaps globs of blood could slow and freeze their body until they were nothing but unrecognizable statues.

Diluc stood up, large frame far from death. He turned to Albedo, eyes shining brilliantly in his post-fight glow."I'm okay," he said to him, walking back over to where he sat. There was a displeased expression on his face, probably thanks to the blood now coating his figure. As Diluc got closer and lifted him once again, Albedo's face scrunched at the putrid smell. Hopefully they would get used to the strong scent as they continued.

"Continue following my footsteps up from here," Albedo spoke to Diluc once they were properly situated."If there's a divide in the path I'll let you know which way to go if it's unclear."

Diluc nodded gratefully. And then, they continued.

The paths weren't any steeper than before, but they were much more dangerous, so more caution was exorcised in each step. The ground was already slippery enough, and the addition of the blood trailing along made it no better. Sometimes it was hard to find Albedo's footprints because the blood had covered them up. Still, they trudged on.

Now the territory was new, at least to Diluc, but sometimes Albedo's haze-ridden mind forgot he had seen the sights they passed by before. It was concerning that he was becoming forgetful. This death-ridden mountain was the first place to force Albedo to keep his mind sharp. Usually it was an effortless task to keep himself on task, but here he genuinely had to focus his eyes open and forward lest he fall into ruin.

All Albedo knew was that they were making progress. They were getting closer. He had, at this point in his previous journey of exploration, taken many of the alternative routes in the cavern to explore and map every little crevice inside. It was such a vast space full of a plethora of unique things ready to be researched. It made sense, then, that Albedo was only now noticing more of those patches of hard ice that they had run across at the beginning of his journey. Perhaps he would make that the first subject of his research. There were plenty of minerals unique to the mountain that he was itching to tinker with and analyze.

It was no wonder the path ahead was so confusing. He was probably focusing on everything around him more than the rode in front of him. Albedo tended to get like that when in the heat of his research.

Now, however, his mind needed to focus on both. It seemed that in the path ahead lied the last of Dragonspine's defenses. It felt like the mountain was trying its best to hold them back from reaching their destination. It was dragging out everything it could to keep them in their place on their trek to find his bag.

During Albedo's first trip, he had never seen so many hilichurls before. Not a single one was on the path to stop him. Maybe a cyro slime or two but that was it. Here, right now, it felt as if they were running into hilichurl after hilichurl. The camps weren't big. Every "group" he and Diluc ran into were about two or less. The only exception was one camp consisting of a hilichurl, archer, and small cyro smile which posed no threats to Diluc's burning pyro vision.

Each camp was situated just far enough to not interrupt one another. Albedo didn't know whether to be thankful for that or not. The odd thing about the camps was that the hilichurl's were always seeming to face in the direction they were walking in. The paths were thin as it was, but if they were huddled by a fireplace off to the side, Diluc and Albedo would stand at least some chance in passing them by. But with the way they set themselves up, they couldn't avoid them. So, they had to fight.

There was no way of counting how many encounters they had or how many hilichurls they took out. It was wave after wave, and unending battle filled with the cries of monsters and blood stained along the blade of Diluc's claymore. And at the end of the battle, Diluc would just breathe and pick up Albedo once again and continue.

He flipped the switch easily, body tensing and moving sharply to cut down their foes. He didn't complain, didn't say much, really, as they continued. His eyes looked has if they were hazing over rather than sparking to life in battle. Each time he came back to Albedo, his steps dragged slower and his body was covered in more blood than before. It was like Dragonspine's claws were carving their way into him and dragging him down with a thick weight resting on his shoulders.

Diluc didn't falter. His nose no longer scrunched up at the smell of the vile blood on his figure. His body, which ached with bruises Albedo knew he got from some hilichurls landing hits on him with wooden clubs, moved with a monotonous determination. And though their eyes met, it was like he was looking far off or at nothing at all.

His movements were growing staggered and dragged along slower and slower. Albedo felt himself falling into this pace, however slight. His body was becoming sluggish. He helped Diluc on occasion, when he felt he could with small fields of geo, and the extra expenditure of energy was wearing him down. His vision was darkening far more often than he wished. His fever was coming back, causing teeth-chattering shivers to run across his frame. His leg ached with each step further.

They were both withering under the weight of Dragonspine. The mountain was taking its time to toy with them. No swift victory to be won this time but a slow death which dragged on an on until one didn't even realize they were dying until they were kneeled over on the floor breathing their last couple breaths.

Desperately, they must continue. Even if their breaths were reaching their last, they must continue. But every body had its limits.

As Diluc dragged them further, suddenly he collapsed onto the snowy floor. Albedo fell with him with a sharp grunt as the pressure hit his leg. Violent dry coughs left Diluc's mouth. He was curled forward, hand over his mouth as he continued to hack. Tears prickled at the edges of his vision and his body shook. Albedo had no idea what was going on.

As the small fit passed, slowly, Diluc dropped his hand. It fell onto the floor with a heavy thump, weightless. Blood was splattered in the palm of his hand. Diluc stared down at it, tired eyes showing nothing but exhaustion. This was just another thing they were left to deal with.

Albedo stared at the blood, not knowing what to say. They were both so tired, and this felt like the last straw. In the corner of his eye, he noticed something along Diluc's skin.

"Diluc," Albedo spoke to him, forgoing formalities this time. He was so tired."Lift the sleeve of your arm."

He pointedly eyed the arm he was talking about, the one connected to the hand splattered with blood lying limply in front of them. Diluc's gaze shifted slowly, then he did as Albedo asked. His movements were agonizing. Neither he nor Albedo wanted to look, but they knew they needed to find the root of the problem.

Lifting his sleeve up, Albedo stared and Diluc only let out a deep, long sigh. His arm was colored a sickly, blotched array of reds, pinks, purples, and blues. It looked to be infected in some type of way. They both stared at it. The marks trailed up his arm and down to the tips of his fingers. It was probably close to reaching his shoulder and back at the sudden rate of expansion.

Albedo deduction was quick."It's probably the blood."

They never figured out where it came from. It was probably some type of mutated poison meant to kill them off slowly on contact, and Diluc had plenty of contact with the substance as they continued traveling.

Diluc only sighed. He rolled his sleeve back down. His arms dropped limply, head lolling forward."How many more enemies must I kill..."

His voice was hollow. It was sorrowful and without a spark of flame. He was tired.

They were both tired.

Albedo forced his head up, looking around to see if he noticed anything. Ahead of them, he saw a vast opening. The whistle of the wind echoed closer and the frigid air grew more vibrance as it whipped the air together in a small flurry. It was familiar to him. Perhaps a place he camped in the past.

Albedo remembered Diluc's words of the past. It was better if they were alive then if they died on the trek back after finding his bag. Right now, they needed rest.

"Diluc, it looks like there's an opening up ahead I'm familiar with. Let's rest up there. It should be safe."

Diluc nodded, head lolling along with the action. He forced himself to his feet, eyes no longer looking at his hands. He picked up Albedo in a movement he had done many times before. A sudden cough had them staggering again, but Diluc held together this time. His blood filled that which was flowing through the cavern, and that was the last of his small spell.

They trudged upwards. Their destination was only a fews paces forward and a sense of accomplishment ran through Albedo as they reached it. They both breathed deeply for a few seconds, eyes staring out ahead of them at the icy wilderness. The small opening they found led to a clear view of the outside of the mountain. Only snow and sky could be seen, deep enough to suck one in.

In the middle of the great expanse between them and the edge of the mountain was a single tree. Though it was completely bare of all leaves, it stood proudly in the whipping wind. And on that tree, wrapped tightly around one of its branches, following the flow of the wind, was Albedo's bag.

It glimmered before them. A beacon of hope.

Then, the Ruin Grater turned on.

Chapter Text

Hope had no place in Dragonspine.

Albedo remembered a time when he had thought such. Dragonspine was a land without hope. It was a place where peoples hopes died with them. If one expected more, or hoped for more, then the mountain would surely crush those hopes in the most fearsome of ways. So, Diluc and Albedo never held high hopes that they would find Albedo's bag. The never expected that they would find the map and safely find their way home. At least, at the beginning they didn't.

In moments of great despair, one couldn't help but hope. The state of their bodies, hazy and edging on death, gave an opening for hope to seep its way into their veins. That's all they could hold onto as they moved forward. It was the reason they were doing all this. Just for one, measly bag that may or may not be there.

And in a glorious show of hope, Albedo's bag was there. It dangled on a tree branch like a mocking taunt in the face of the despair that followed the hope that filled the pair.

In Dragonspine, there was no mercy. People traversing the mountain were ensured an icy coffin buried beneath the snow. And so, as soon as anything near happiness filled the two of them, it was slammed down by the crushing weight of hopelessness.

The Ruin Grater turned on slowly, just like its mechanical brothers. It was a heart pounding sensation, watching as its body parts twitched and moved, flickering to life. The machine was massive. Just sitting down, its body was just as tall as Albedo. As it stood on two legs now, it loomed over their worn forms like the very mountain of Dragonspine.

Albedo had never felt so small in his life.

He looked to Diluc who stared up at the Ruin Grater, bags heavy under his eyes. His shoulders were hunched, claymore already resting limply in one hand. It dragged against the ground, following the trail of blood that dripped heavily from his clothes. There were speckles of blood around his mouth from when he coughed up blood because of the exact substance coated so thickly over his body.

He just stared up at the machine, not moving an inch unless he had to. Perhaps conserving energy or perhaps not even able to lift his claymore. Albedo followed his gaze back to the Ruin Grater.

One last fight, he wanted to say. Yet who knew what awaited them once they grabbed Albedo's map? How many more waves of hilichurls and slimes and varieties of Ruin Guards would they have to fight before they were finally free of this icy hell?

So not one last fight, but one more fight for survival.

"Albedo..." Diluc called to him, voice soft. Neither of them looked at one another, but his words still held weight. The Ruin Grater took a heavy step forward."Try to stay clear of the bag so it doesn't fall, support me as best you can, and don't even think of sacrificing yourself for me."

"Worry not, Master Diluc." Albedo manifested his own sword for the first time, standing side by side with Diluc."We're in this together. Beginning to end."

The Ruin Grater took another heavy step forward and finally made its move. Both its arms stretched out wide. If one had seen or fought a Ruin Guard before, they would be familiar with this move. Both Diluc and Albedo had gotten up close to many before in their travels and knew exactly what to do.

Diluc dodged to the right and Albedo to the left. With Albedo's leg being so torn up, his dodge ended up becoming more of an attempt to jump out of the way and throw himself onto the ground so he wasn't in the way of those hands clapping together. If swept up in the middle, it was a quick, crushing death between two palms.

Albedo's leg cried out to him at the movement. Blood pumped in his ears, creating a sort of white noise around him. Diluc slid graceful to the other side of the Ruin Grater, using his claymore as a sort of crutch for his battered body. Albedo saw him cough idly into his hand and grimace but he made no other move of stopping.

So, Albedo acted quickly. He laid out a Solar Isotoma, disregarding how negatively his body reacted to the surge of geo he used. He created a large field, as large as he could so that Diluc could have plenty of room and support.

The small, almost pitiful bit of geo that damaged the Ruin Grater caused it to twitch and jerk for a second. It looked as if it was going to turn towards Albedo's direction, but Diluc moved to attack before it had the chance.

His blade ignited with pyro, singeing the snow yet only lightly scorching the machinery of the Ruin Grater. It seemed to be mostly made of wood, Albedo noted to himself. That would work well for Diluc's vision. If he could generate enough flame to burn it, then they may stand a chance. But with the snow and wind whipping around lividly, it was hard to say that would be possible.

The Ruin Grater now focused its attention on Diluc instead of Albedo. The man attacked again without waiting. It was desperation, Albedo realized. They were both so desperate, doing their best to finish this fight, to live to see Mondstadt once again.

Albedo wished he could move and not be stuck dragging his foot. He wasn't much of a fighter and had only learned to wield a blade out of necessity. Never before had he wished to fight so badly in his life. Even his support at the moment was measly at best. He needed a bigger geo construct. Something that could truly aid Diluc as he attempted to fight off the Ruin Grater.

Albedo used his sword as a cane to help lift himself back up in case he needed to move quickly. The least he could do was not burden Diluc by making himself a target. He knew it was no fault of his own he couldn't do more to help. Diluc knew that as well. They were desperate enough not to point blame. Still, Albedo wished he could do more.

Diluc hit the Ruin Grater with another blazing pyro attack. His breath was thick and each swing of his claymore took a large amount of energy out of him. Albedo could tell Diluc was attempting to keep his movements fluid, never stopping his body to keep his momentum going. One falter may screw him.

The Ruin Grater twitched and shuddered oddly. It's arms stopped swinging at Diluc and instead they rested closer to its sides and legs bent in preparation for a different attack. Diluc and Albedo didn't know what it was doing and weren't sure what to expect. While some of its actions were similar to Ruin Guards they had run across, it didn't look similar. So, they shouldn't expect it to act exactly the same.

Still, neither of the pair were prepared for the sudden beam of light that burst forth from its cornea, a place that was supposed to be its weak spot. It was a hot beam that sizzled the snow around Diluc. There was no prep or build up as it shot itself straight towards him without fault. Diluc didn't have time to dodge, not if Albedo couldn't even call out to him before that beam amassed itself in his direction.

Thankfully, despite the heavy weight surrounding Diluc's body, his instincts were still sharp enough to swiftly slide his massive claymore in front of him as a shield. The beam smacked into his body, wasting no time shoving Diluc back until his back slammed against the wall of stone behind him. They were lucky that the mountain covered the sides of this opening in the cavern, or else they would be completely exposed.

Still, the impact was intense and it wasn't letting up. The Ruin Grater continued to grind at Diluc to the point where Albedo couldn't even see the man amidst the gold and yellow sparks. He hobbled feebly towards the pair, needing desperately to help Diluc.

"Diluc..! Diluc!" he called out, hasty steps causing him to fall face first into the snow. His body ached fearsomely, leg crying out that it couldn't go on. But Albedo could persist, even if it meant he had to crawl on his hands and knees.

The Ruin Grater finally ran out of energy and stopped its assault on Diluc. The remnants were something that would make anyone cringe. There was a large indent in the rock surrounding Diluc, pebbles crumbling around him and snow dusting his body in ash. Diluc's entire body quivered as he held his position like he feared moving. Blood ran down the sides of his mouth and dripped from his forehead. His eyes were blown wide in a mix of emotions that made him look crazed.

Short breaths came out of him in quivers. His body had went into shock and no amount of Albedo's calls after him were catching his attention.

He needed to do something before the Ruin Grater continued its assault and finished Diluc off for good. Albedo pathetically crawled after the massive machine, digging his sword into the ground and using it to propel his body forward. Everything hurt. His vision was growing dimmer and blackening with pain. He had to keep moving.

Albedo noticed at the feet of the Ruin Grater an orb of orange glowing light at each of its legs. They looked fragile, like only glass was keeping them from breaking. And by the glowing light there, Albedo assumed they were a source of power for the Ruin Grater. Which meant a weak point.

Albedo pulled out his blade in front of him. The Ruin Grater didn't even notice his hunched form in the snow, coated in the white substance that was falling heavily over their figures. It was focused on righting itself to move in Diluc's direction. Albedo wouldn't let it.

With one burst of energy, he pulled his sword up and swung it into the thick of the Ruin Grater's leg. The glass shattered in a sharp cutting way. Albedo's blade dug into the leg until it reached the source of that orange light and shut it down. A burst of geo accompanied his attack, adding extra support enough to completely break the leg.

The Ruin Grater's leg shut down. There was an eery sound, like a ghosts cry, that echoed in the air as its leg collapsed onto the ground and it fell onto one knee. It looked like Albedo had hit one of its weak points, but there were two on the machine for a reason. Just one wouldn't be enough. He knew how fast these creatures could power themselves back up. Now wasn't the time to be relieved. He needed to keep going.

Albedo found that he could just barely pull himself back up. He didn't realize until just then that there were tears streaming down his face. There was a plethora of things which could've triggered them. He didn't think about it long before yanking his sword out of the Ruin Grater's leg to use as a crutch once again to get him to the other glowing orb to finally finish the machine off, or at least power it off long enough to rouse Diluc once again.

The sound of his own panting breath echoed in the wind. His steps stumbled and he fell to the floor once again. It all felt so hopeless, this constant struggle. He couldn't go it alone. He had realized that, lying in the frosty wilderness and being caked in a coffin snow. He couldn't do it alone. He needed a companion, at least one to pull him back on his feet. To always have his back when in a tough situation.

He needed Diluc. His companion.

Albedo reached his arm out feebly, sword dragging in the snow but not reaching his destination. He was so close, just inches away, but he couldn't muster the strength. The Ruin Grater shook next to him, parts of its body whirring slowly back to life. If Albedo didn't pierce that glowing orb quickly, it would all be over.

A bloody, yet soothingly warm hand clasp itself around Albedo's. A distinct pattern of black and red gloves. Diluc's heavy breathing filled Albedo's ears as he pulled Albedo and the blade both forward with a tight grip, digging the sword into the Ruin Grater with a single, rough jab.

It was enough. They had made it in time by the sound of the machine powering off completely. They had done it.

"Let's go," Diluc spoke, voice rough and dry. He coughed harshly, blood splattering in the snow."We have to go. Right now. We have to go."

They couldn't risk being around the Ruin Grater any longer. Though powered off, it could wake up again just as quickly. That's how persistent and deadly these creatures were, especially on Dragonspine.

Albedo forced himself to get up. His limbs were shaking as heavily as Diluc's. His vision blacked for a second and a wave of nausea ran through him. He forced his body to calm down, taking a few seconds to steady himself. His body was only becoming more battered and growing slow, yet his drive to continue was enhancing increasingly.

Diluc was at his side, panting breath mingling in his own. He wiped at his bloody mouth, coughing slightly. He used his claymore as a crutch to help him up, then dismissed it to wrap Albedo's arm across his shoulders once again so they could make their way over to his bag which was still dangling tantalizingly on the tree in front of them.

Both their steps dragged now, pace as fast as they could make it. Diluc's strong shoulders which once held a great weight were now sagged forward and heaving. The bag on his back looked like it weighed a ton at the drastic change in his movements. The poison was spreading. Albedo worried his wound was now effected by it. Surely that large beam from the Ruin Grater made its mark as well, perhaps breaking something Diluc couldn't be bothered to check now.

Dragonspine was chipping away at their bodies and souls. It was toying with them, holding pleasure and pain in its cold hands. It was a tight, unrelenting grasp. They had to break through and surpass their limits.

Albedo and Diluc dragged their feet in the snow, creating a trail of blood behind them. A single, long streak cutting through the white frost. It painted the snowy terrain with color, mocking the prideful mountain that covered everything in a layer of white snow like ash.

The mountains winds raged. Snow fell heavily down to the earth on their figures and a piercing cold grew sharper. It caused the pair to shiver violently. Snot now ran down Albedo's nose and his gloved fingertips began to hurt with how freezing it was becoming. The air was growing more frigid. Dragonspine was mad.

Diluc and Albedo finally reached his bag. They paused, hearts pounding rapidly in tune with one another. This is what they had been waiting for. A single, worn brown bag with nothing special or of value inside. They weren't searching for untold riches or the secret to immortality. All they were hoping was to find a way home.

Albedo reached out for the bag. Diluc didn't stop him, standing stoic at his side as Albedo let go of him to hobble over to the familiar possession. It was once Albedo wrapped his hand around the worn leather that Diluc moved forward. He was eerily close to the edge, but it was only right for Diluc to be by his side lest he repeat the same misstep he made the first time in this position. It was a long fall he was intimately familiar with.

Diluc, his companion, was a steady pillar by his side as Albedo unhooked the bag from the tree. He had no idea how it stayed in place. With Dragonspine alluding day and night, he hadn't a clue how much time passed since he fell, but it certainly wasn't a quick trip back to his bag. It wasn't the most scientific of explanations, but Albedo may just chose to call it a miracle.

His bag looked to be in one piece. Now, it was only a matter of making sure his map was inside and hadn't somehow flown away with the wind. Albedo took special care in opening up his bag to check. He made sure to huddle himself over it as best he could to block the wind. Diluc stood across him to also act as a makeshift barricade.

Neither said anything about him checking for the map now when they were in a hurry to get away from the Ruin Grater. They both wanted to know now whether the last of their hope would be snapped into pieces or not. Whatever was inside this bag could either be their salvation or their death.

Albedo's eyes found his sketchbook with a razor-sharp accuracy. It was there. The map he had created was in his bag.

In one sharp movement, Albedo yanked the thing out of his bag. As soon as he did, it was as if he had fallen straight into a pit before the most expensive jewel on the planet. The sketchbook was sopping wet, fluid dripping onto the snow in thick droplets. Looking inside his bag, Albedo realized the source of the liquid. His warming potions had broken from being jostled around so harshly in his bag and had soaked his sketchbook completely.

The pair stared at the sketchbook. Diluc was the first to speak up.

"Open it up. It may still be salvageable."

Albedo did as he asked, dropping his bag onto the ground with a hard thump. The wind was oddly quiet.

He flipped through page after page in search of the one he was creating the map on. Drawings of hilichurls and scenery he had seen along the way filled the pages. They filtered past him, now soaked and dripping ink, practically indescribable. Albedo continued to flip through the notebook.

Soon, he found it. The remnants of his once perfectly traced out map was now a soaked blotch of black ink on a white page. It was muddled, only a few lines traceable enough to make out. But those lines weren't enough.

The map was unusable.

Albedo wasn't one to ask questions like "what do we do now?" he was typically the one to answer, but in this moment he wanted to plead those words into existence. It felt as if he had lost his purpose. Like the reason for his being was now muddled and destroyed.

Instead, he spoke to Diluc with purpose."We have to go back. We'll double back through the cave and then I'll lead us in the direction I think I came. Dragonspine is built like a giant circle, if we keep going in one direction certainly we'll reach the edge at some point. All we have to do is hope it's not the sea, but Mondstadt."

Albedo looked to Diluc for his opinion on the plan. The other was staring down at the bag Albedo had dropped onto the floor. His eyes were droopy, usual red sparks dull. Even his brilliant red mane felt as if it had dried up in the snow. Once a beacon of hope, something Albedo had mistakenly thought was the sun, was now just burning embers. Like all the fires in Dragonspine, he was dying out.

"Diluc," Albedo called out to him, stepping closer. The man swayed on his feet, yet didn't respond."Diluc," he called again, yet the man made no effort to even look his way.

Albedo didn't know what was wrong with his companion. Was Dragonspine finally getting to him? Was he losing his focus as blood loss took over? The pain and cold in the mountains grasp was finally making its move.

Albedo moved closer to Diluc, and in his worried haste forgot what leg he was using. His eyes shot wide as his injured leg didn't last a single second before collapsing. He cried out as he suddenly slipped and fell. Too close. He was too close to the edge. He was going to fall again.

Diluc snapped back to life at his cry, body moving towards his as if instinctively. He raced to grab Albedo and in that moment, the eerily silent winds made themselves known once again. They cried out and whipped through the air with a fury. Snow picked up in the air, obscuring their vision.

Albedo reached blindly for Diluc, trying to find those sparks of red in the snow. Dragonspine had waited for them to slip up, a single moment of weakness after a build up of pain and struggle so that it could finally bury them in the snow where they belonged. It now creaked, cried, and chattered with glee as the pair scrambled after one another. They were never not desperate. Never not fighting against an invisible enemy even while fighting visible ones.

Albedo felt himself slipping off the side of the mountain. Diluc's hand connected with his, finally, but it wasn't enough. It seemed that even with a companion by his side, some mountains were not meant to be climbed. Diluc pulled himself to meet Albedo and wrapped his body around his.

Like that, they fell into the snowy abyss.

Last time, Albedo had lost consciousness quickly due to the harsh impact and shock of the fall. This time, it felt agonizingly long. Time dragged on slowly wrapped in Diluc's bloody embrace. Albedo couldn't help but think of how odd it was for the body wrapped around his to still be so warm. It felt good. Like a warm furnace in a cozy home back in Mondstadt.

He wished he could hear Diluc's breath, but the only sound filling his ears was the whipping of the wind around them. One of Diluc's arms wrapped around him hit something solid, causing the two of them to jostle and shift before continuing to slide down the mountain. Thick layers of snow were their only cushion at this time, but the substance turned into nothing but useless powder when given the option of aiding them. It billowed and covered their bodies in preparation for what was to come.

An icy grave. A coffin of snow was made just for them at the bottom of their fall. They were going back to where they started. The mountain had only allowed them to leave because it knew where they would end up. If Albedo could hear any better, he was sure he would hear the wind cackling around them.

Slowly, their bodies came to a stop in the snow. They both slid until the powdery substance was backed up enough that their bodies couldn't move any further. Albedo didn't know how long the fall was. He was sure he had blacked out at some point.

Looking to and fro, he noticed Diluc's body a few paces away, face planted in the snow and arms strewn wide. One of them didn't look to be angled right. Albedo wished he had the energy to inspect it, but he couldn't move his body. It was as if thick icy chains held his limbs down. So, he just looked up at the sky and watched the snow fall.

Small snowflakes fell onto his face, tickling his cherry red nose and catching themselves on the tips of his hair and eyebrows. It began to grow thicker and heavier, preparing itself to bury him alive. The speckles of white were dreadful ash, promising death.

Albedo wondered if Diluc would survive. He had a pyro vision and warmer body then his. As such a famous figure in Mondstadt, surely people were looking for him. Albedo went out on journeys enough like this for the Knights not to be worried about where he was. His lack of messages may bring concern but he doubted they would send a search party for at least a few more days. What would Diluc say to that? Probably something like "Inefficient as usual." It made Albedo want to chuckle.

There was movement out of the corner of his eye. It was sluggish at best, like the rising of a dead man. It looked like Diluc was awake. Albedo didn't even turn his head to look, just watching the snow fall. What did his companion see, he wondered. What did those warm eyes of his perceive in this snowy wilderness? On the edges of death, what were the last thoughts running through his mind?

A darkness enclosed itself on Albedo's figure. His view was taken away by the figure of a man. Not the sun this time. Diluc wasn't a being high, mighty, and unreachable enough to be called such a thing. He bled just as any other human. He agonized and grew tired. He smiled, joked, got angry, and grew desperate. He was beautifully human.

Diluc's figure laid over him, face directly over Albedo's. He saw now the encroaching poison discoloring his skin. It moved along the right side of his face, just centimeters away from his eye. Those two deep red orbs stared at Albedo with an emotion he couldn't decipher. There was a growing depth inside them, however, and a warmth unsuited for the icy mountain of Dragonspine.

If Diluc could manage a smile, Albedo felt he would be wearing one in this moment.

"Dawn will one day come...to shine its light upon us..." Diluc's voice was raspy and tired, yet he kept going even as his body shook and lungs quivered."And in that moment...warmth will fill our bodies once again...so until that day comes..."

He heaved one last breath before falling over Albedo's figure, a cover from the storm to protect him from the snow which wished to bury them both. Like a warm blanket or the strongest, most impenetrable shield. Diluc fell still above him.

"Live, Albedo."

Chapter Text

Albedo had a dream of snow white hills off in the distance. He had a dream of warm, flickering flames at the base of a fireplace. He dreamt of a small cup of tea in his hand, sweetened the same way he always had it, yet tasting like the loveliest substance he's ever partaken in digesting.

There was a slight chill in the air which the burning fire warmed with its silent embers. The mountains chill could not reach this place. It was isolated, yet open. It was homey and snug in the way that everything that met its touch heated. No one spoke to Albedo here. Not a sole passed through the windows outside except wildlife which Albedo would take the time to sketch and ponder before both he and the animal moved on.

In this place, the only sound was that of brewing potions and chittering birds. There was nothing harsh or insistent, only a smooth background noise which cancelled the rough wind in a sinfully pleasant melody.

Albedo basked in this place. He closed his eyes and sat in front of the fireplace with his cup of tea in hand. His body relaxed and mind pondered the essence of life. He thought about the progress of his experiments, of all the failures and successes, with a smile on his face. Every outcome held meaning, so he cherished everyone equally.

In this place, far away from the world of humans, Albedo had a companion. It was a man with a soft face. Even in its typical stoic nature, it held a quality that made his body sing in delight. His hair was red like the rising dawn and soft and curled like tufts of expensive fur. His eyes, that same color of dawn, showed a hidden warmth and gentleness his exterior didn't.

Albedo knew this man intimately well. He was not just his companion, but his most cherished possession in this house of his. He was a priceless piece, as unique and fragile as all humans were. Albedo filled pages of his sketchbook with drawings of him.

He was an existence that Albedo felt safe next to. The only living, breathing thing he could call home. Even without this place, without the warmth of the fireplace, alchemy equipment, a cup of tea in hand, Albedo would live well as long as this man was by his side. He was a precious, irreplaceable piece in his life.

His name was the only thing that alluded him. It sat on the tip of his tongue yet refused to leave his mouth. The man was always by his side, close enough to touch, but Albedo could never reach him. He knew if he just reached out, all the chill in his body would finally be gone. He was the last missing piece, yet his name refused to be known.

Albedo tried to remember. He strained against the walls of his mind in hopes of figuring it out. Beside him, the fireplace grew. How odd it was to glow so bright, yet warmth to still remain the same.

It grew and grew, large orb soon erupting and expanding through his house. Albedo tried to remember the name of the man next to him. He wasn't even looking at Albedo. He stared at the glowing orb like it was something important, so Albedo looked as well. It was quite large. And it only seemed to grow bigger. How curio—

Albedo's eyes blinked opened. They hurt. Frost bit at the tips of his eyelashes. For a second he didn't realize it, but he was alive.

He looked up and strained his eyes against the glowing figure above him. He had to close them for a brief couple seconds and blink again, forcing his eyelids to move even if they cried against his wishes.

An orange glow radiated from the floating being. There was a slight warmth coming off it, though not enough to soothe the current chill running throughout Albedo's body. The small being made something akin to a gurgling sound and twirled in a small circle. Albedo realized then what it was.

A seelie.

He would've chuckled if his throat wasn't so dry and iced over. Of course, even on Dragonspine, there would be seelie's there to guide one to their resting spot. He wondered if this seelie had gotten lost or just happened to be floating along when it saw him and sought a companion for its travels.

Though according to Albedo's extensive research on the subject, seelie's were often creatures that would guide you towards some kind of treasure. Albedo was never able to fully understand the reasoning behind it, but it seemed to simply be apart of their nature to aid travelers in such a way. So when traveling with a seelie, often enough, something of meaning awaited at the end of the journey.

Albedo wondered what kind of treasure this seelie would lead him towards.

It made another high pitched sound, circling him and waiting for him to get up and follow. Albedo realized he was given no other choice than to do such. He didn't have any options anyways. He barely felt alive and wondered why, exactly, he hadn't died yet. It wasn't a particularly morbid thought, or one of someone seeking death, but a purely logical inquiry. By all means, he should've passed away long ago by now.

Yet here he was, alive.

Looking down, he forced his hand up and fingers to reach for the side of Diluc's neck. His pulse thumped there, barely holding on. Albedo couldn't even feel his chest shifting in breath against his, lungs taking in air so shallowly it felt like he had passed away. But he was alive.

They were alive.

He had to keep them that way.

The poison had spread concerningly throughout Diluc's body. There was only a small patch on his face surrounding his left eye that was left untouched. It didn't look good. As Albedo sat up, he found himself coughing and heaving up blood beside their bodies. He grimaced as his violent fit finished, staring at the mass of blood coloring the pure white snow.

It seemed he hadn't gotten away from the poison either. No mind, he could continue.

As soon as Albedo sat up, he fell back to the ground. His arms could barely support his own weight. He tried once again, this time a more successful feat. Slowly, he slid Diluc's weight out from on top of him. His body groaned and shivered in protest at his natural warmth leaving his body, but Albedo paid it no mind.

He had to continue.

Idly, with movements slow and monotonous, he slid Diluc's backpack off his shoulders. Afterwards, he made sure to roll the man over onto his back, keeping his face propped to the side in case he needed to cough out more blood. He wouldn't try waking Diluc up. With that slow of a pulse, he knew it would be impossible to do and he didn't have the energy to exhaust on "maybes".

Albedo opened the lapels on Diluc's bag, frost-ridden fingers smarting in pain even inside his gloves. His entire body ached and protested at even the smallest of force Albedo used to move his body.

From Diluc's bag, Albedo pulled out the line of rope that had been used before along with the only blanket Diluc had left in the knapsack. He stared at the two objects, giving his entire body a moment to sigh before he resigned himself to moving once again.

He had to lift Diluc's body again to fit the blanket under him. It was a shoddy job, but it would work in the moment. Next he wrapped the rope around it, pulling the thick string through Diluc's arms and over his shoulders, making sure the blanket was wrapped up in it as well until he had a makeshift sled of sorts to better drag his companion along with him.

The seelie circled around him, making a small gurgling noise before setting off. Thankfully, Albedo didn't have to do any real maneuvering as it began floating off in the direction Diluc's body was already facing. He made sure the rope connecting to Diluc was tied securely around his waist before trudging after it.

Diluc was heavy. All the muscle he had amassed, plus thick layers of snow which built up as Albedo dragged him through the powder, made for a slow, crawling pace. Albedo's hurt leg limped lamely, screaming at him with every bit of strain he pressed near it. Putting any weight on it would make him collapse, so Albedo was careful to keep it satisfied enough to not completely break down on him.

Ahead of him, he followed the strange glowing light like a dead man walking. Fresh wounds groaned, the poison now pumping through his blood threatening to zap all his energy away. His was running a high fever, body going through variations of chills like it couldn't decide how badly it wanted to break down his carefully built immune system.

Albedo wondered back to his fictional home. He thought of a warm fireplace, of a cup of tea in hand and potions brewing in the background. Diluc sat in a chair next to him by the fireplace, one hand propping his face up and elbow resting against the arm of the chair. His eyes stared lowly at the flickering flames and a small smile graced the corner of his lips. He was a picturesque, serene sight. Albedo sketched his figure, reveling in the sight of his beauty. It wasn't often he got to see Diluc smile. He wanted to see more of it, however faint. He wanted them to live.

Not just Albedo, not just Diluc, but the both of them together. If they didn't survive till the end of this, then Albedo saw no reason why they endured together. This trip wasn't just some fond memory or a subject of research. It was a showing of the struggles of a human. If they could not live to see another day, to meet outside of this dreadful place and truly learn everything about one another, then what was the point of the struggle at all? Was the mountains only reward suffering? Was Dragonspine truly so cruel so as not to let them see the light of the sun once again?

Albedo didn't realize how slow he had become until he noticed the seelie was beginning to stop and turn around to wait for him to catch up. His breath was now loud in his ears, panting and hitching with each step. A dreadful snowstorm whipped all around him in a fearsome melody. It offered him so sympathy and Albedo didn't beg.

Even as his breath labored and vision blackened, even as nausea bubbled in his stomach and blood coughed out of his mouth, he persisted. Stopping would mean death. Ash built around him as snowflakes fell, obscuring his vision. His leg cried and wailed like a newborn baby. Still, he persisted.

The seelie stopped once again to wait up for him, chittering after him insistently. It seemed to be in a hurry, or perhaps his slow pace was making it grow impatient. The orange glow of its body was a welcome sight on his eyes amidst the snowy wilderness. It was just soft enough not to burn or cause a throbbing headache. Albedo felt like chasing after it just to feel those tiny bits of warmth at the edges of his frost-barren face.

Amongst the violent wind, mountain baring its right of dominance over them, the small little seelie's incessant noises echoed in Albedo's ears clearly. It seemed that wherever they were going, they were close enough for the seelie to become impatient enough to make it known.

Albedo wanted to call out it and ask it where it was leading them. Was this small being of light about to lead them to life, or was it just another trap of Dragonspine's ready to greet them with death?

Suddenly, Albedo's bad leg knocked against something on the ground which sent him tumbling forward with a hiss. He blacked out for a few seconds as pain surged through his body violently. It hurt. It hurt so damn much and he couldn't do a thing to stop it. All he could do was claw at his leg and cry out, sounds dying in the wind. Dragonspine wouldn't even allow him the luxury of voicing his pain.

Albedo curled and clawed at his throbbing leg, teeth chattering and clenching in a sharp motion. He forced his gasping breaths to even out, yet the rampant shivers running through his body wouldn't calm no matter how hard he tried to make them. He couldn't stop them, entire body quivering as he uncurled himself and attempted to move again.

He rose, then fell. He tried again, putting one foot on the ground before collapsing all over again.

He couldn't stand.

"Move," Albedo found himself mumbling, voice cracking and raspy."Move. Move. Please, move."

He pulled at the rope connecting him to Diluc, dragging the man as he dragged his body through the snow, chasing after the seelie which floated above him. As he yanked at Diluc, the other man got caught on the root in the ground.

"C'mon," Albedo cried out, pulling and pulling."C'mon, move! Please move...!"

He yanked and yanked, until Diluc's body finally broke past the root and slid beside Albedo. He didn't have time to breathe in relief. Dragonspine was already beginning to coat his body in snow. It was building his grave and if he didn't move that's where he would rest eternally. This wasn't the place he would die. Not him nor Diluc. They would live, together. Together.

Albedo dragged himself after the seelie. The heavy snow deluded their destination to him. They were close, closer than he had imaged to the mystery destination the small creature was taking them to. The indent in the snow Albedo and Diluc left behind was quickly covered in the harsh storm. The wind whipped loudly until the sound practically died out in Albedo's ears as they reached their promised destination. The seelie's last resting point.

Albedo stared up at the treasure the glowing being had led them to. In front of him stood a crooked tree. Gone were its leaves, as well as the majority of its branches. It looked practically grey and white, weathered like the hair on the head of a well aged human. This living organism was well into its life, old enough to have stood proudly before even the archon war, if the tree so wished.

An odd pattern of red markings ran through its roots and the trunk of the tree. They circled up to the small couple branches sticking out near the top, practically glowing in the powder white wilderness. For Dragonspine to naturally produce a color so warm was eery in its own right. Albedo thought it reminded him more of blood than that of a lovely red gem that it certainly seemed to be.

The seelie circled the trunk of the tree inside the large wood and stone walls that surrounded it. It then stopped there, seating itself in front of a large patch of ice at the very base. Albedo didn't wait for its next move, dragging himself and Diluc over to where the seelie was. What choice did he have at this point but to follow the whims of such a lonesome creature?

Perhaps before, when his brain wasn't so muddled with only thoughts of survival, he would've questioned the creatures actions. He may have studied the tree beforehand, giving it an intricate and thorough look over before making any decisions. At this moment, however, all he could do was follow like a lost lamb.

The air felt like it changed and shifted around the tree. It was as if this massive organism was the being which commanded the turbulent winds. It didn't grow warmer, but it felt as if the cold died down if only a little inside the walls protecting the outer trunk of the tree.

There, at its base, was were Albedo planted himself and Diluc. The seelie above made a small gurgling noise akin to delight. It twirled once, then purposefully hovered back and forth in front of the piece of ice below it.

Albedo reached a tentative hand out, knocking his knuckles briefly against the solid substance. As he had suspected, it was that tough ice again, the one they had tried to break before at the beginning of their journey. No geo nor pyro would work on it. Not even the massive weight of Diluc's claymore could work, if Albedo pushing at the very earth underneath it wasn't enough for it to budge.

The seelie chittered.

Albedo had been thinking about this ice for a large portion of their trip. How could he not, when it was such an interesting subject of study? They had encountered it along their journey to the point where Albedo had a good idea of what it looked like when compared to other patches of ice. That why he had realized it, a unique and reoccurring phenomenon that could be no mere coincidence.

Even now he saw it, a little ways off in the distance, that small red stone that he had never before seen anywhere else. It glittered in the snow, desperate to be seen. Only next to these patches of hard ice was this red rock seen. There had to be some type of connection between the two. Even the dullest of minds could deduce as much.

Albedo didn't even need to untie himself from Diluc to reach out to it. The stone was hard and cold, as expected. Albedo manifested his sword in his hand, dragging himself the short distance upwards. His legs laid at his sides, body barely upright as he chipped at the stone. It was a sad effort, barely any force to his actions. He just needed to persist.

Three measly chips in and a small chunk of the red stone broke off. It was much more malleable than it seemed, which Albedo was thankful for. Everything on Dragonspine was always hard, cold, and strong. It needed to be to survive such a harsh environment. To find something even the slightest bit breakable was practically impossible. Dragonspine was meant to break, not to be broken.

Albedo fell back to the floor once he had the chunk in his hand. His sword disappeared quickly. He dragged his body back to the base of the tree, clutching the stone in hand like it was a slip of paper to be easily blown away by the wind. It was their lifeline. If this didn't work, Albedo was all out of ideas. In a sense, this red stone embodied the last of their hope. So, he clutched it tightly in his fist and brought it down towards the cold, stone-like ice.

His eyes widened as the last of their hope didn't so much as chip the ice, but rather, dissipated completely. One tink was all it took to completely fizzle out into nothingness. Albedo openly cried out. He didn't even realize he could make such a sound.

A desperation ran through him and anguish cut deep through every vein in his body. He was crying now like he never had before in his life. His body broke down in fitful shudders as their hope disappeared before his very eyes.

He cried and screamed and yelled, hands reaching out and gloved nails digging into the hard ice. They scratched and clawed at the impenetrable substance, raking and digging into it but never scratching it and inch. His nails began to bleed and chip, seeping hot trails into the dense ice. He slammed his fists into the ice and swore he saw red fizzing all throughout his body, as if death was making itself known and his blood was picking up in the wind.

He didn't know what happened next, too busy crying out and pounding and scraping against the impenetrable wall of ice to realize that suddenly it was melting. Albedo didn't crack it or scratch it, but suddenly it was fizzling away in front of his eyes. Albedo's body, which had draped itself over the ice, fell to the floor with a thud as he came face to face with the thing the ice had locked away inside it.

Warmth flooded his cheeks as a heated red light glowed before his eyes. At the base of the tree, hollowed inside its trunk, was a brilliant red gem. It glowed warmly like a campfire, alighting Albedo's face in a way that stung.

The man got over his shock quickly, snapping to grab Diluc and drag him over to the warmth. Anything to live. He had to keep him warm and alive. He couldn't leave him behind. It had to be enough to hold them over. It had to be.

The crimson glow grew and if Albedo didn't hear the voice so clearly, he would've thought he was hallucinating.

"You, who have come to partake in the warmth of the Frost Bearing Tree, declare your standing and state your desire."

The voice whispered as if apart of the wind. It was distinctly female with a tone of one of higher standing. Like royalty.

Albedo didn't analyze the situation longer than a few moments. It was as if the voice was coaxing him into speaking while even his thoughts weren't properly in place.

"My name is Albedo Kreideprinz. I'm an alchemist." He didn't speak any official titles, but declared the barest form of himself. This was, at the base, who he was. That seemed to be what the voice of the tree wanted of him."I wish...for my companion and myself to live and go back to our home in Mondstadt."

"That is all you desire..." The voice spoke the words of a question in a pondering way. The feminine wisp then spoke directly to Albedo once again."You have a companion with you. Is it that man beside you?"

Albedo looked to Diluc, still passed out and lying on his side."Yes."

"Tell me then, oh weary one who climbs my mountain, what is a companion?"

Albedo couldn't deduce whether the voice genuinely didn't know what one was, or was waiting to see what he would answer to such a question."A companion is someone who stays by your side and aids you. They never betray you nor abandon you. And in turn, you do the same."

"I see." The words were simple and blunt. A silence followed them.

Albedo waited with bated breath. He wasn't sure the exact origin of this voice, whether it was the mountain itself speaking to him, or simply the tree, or perhaps something else, but whatever it was, he knew this voice decided their fate.

"No desire nor wish comes without cost of its own. As an acting catalyst to the crimson wish you have bestowed upon me, I shall saddle a desire of my own upon your shoulders. If you should agree to the wish I will speak into being to you now, then I shall agree to provide aid and make your own wish reality."

Albedo nodded.

The voice continued."Have you lived long as I, you may have forgotten as I have what it means to live in prosperity. I have come to realize, watching you journey through my mountain with your companion, what I longed for since the last of my kind died out." There was a sadness and nostalgia in the voice speaking to Albedo."The desire known as loneliness is a terrible thing. It has caused irreparable damage to this mountain and made it impossible to ebb the distant cold and hollowness in my chest. I have become lonely and have no cure for it, for this mountain is unlivable and impossible to explore. All who come now come to die."

"However, you and your companion offer a tool to grant my wish, should you accept." The gem at the root of the tree glowed."A vision of pyro shall melt the cold and ease the snowstorms of the mountain to provide a manageable temperature to maneuver. A vision of geo shall carve into the earth to create paths to explore safely and terrain suitable to hide away from the cold. Should you accept, you will offer the power of your duel visions to recreate Dragonspine and restore the past of Vindagnyr. This feat will, however, drain a thorough portion of your energy and life. You may die in the procedure before I am able to fulfill your wish to have you live to see your way back home."

Albedo's breath hitched at the words, yet as he thought about it, what choice did they have?

"What do you say, Albedo Kreideprinz?"

It was either this, or attempt to maneuver the cold and die before they could see the light of the sun again. They had survived every trial Dragonspine had met them with. They could do this, too. They had no choice but to live through it.

This was the last and final hope Albedo would allow himself.

The finale to their journey.

"We'll do as you ask," Albedo said."So long as you fulfill my wish, I shall fulfill your own."

"Well met." The feminine voice was tinged with delight now. The edgings of warmth in the usual cold."And your companion? What does he say to this deal?"

Albedo's eyes widened. As a catalyst to such a large scale feat, did the voice need the consent of all parties involved? But Diluc was deeply passed out. He hadn't woken since Albedo began moving, edging on death this entire time. How was Albedo supposed to wake him now, if their past journey hadn't done so already?

"Diluc..!" Albedo called, thick desperation in his voice unlike him."Diluc, wake up." He reached out to the man, shaking at his shoulder."Wake up, Diluc. Wake up." He shook him harder."Wake up..!"

"I..." A grumbled voice came from the body next to him. It was faint, like the last dying breath of man. But it was Diluc's. He didn't move, lips barely twitching as he spoke."I...agree..."

Diluc's eyes slowly peaked open, just enough to stare up at Albedo who looked back at him. All they could do was stare at one another, wondering how they were still alive, when they looked so dead.

Diluc then coughed roughly, blood splattering onto the floor and body curling inwards as he laid on his side facing Albedo.

"Well met," the voice said again."Companion of Kreideprinz, declare your standing and state your desire."

Diluc could barely get the words past his throat, dryness and violent coughs causing his figure to shiver."My name...is Diluc...Ragnvindr...I'm..." He paused to cough once again."I'm a businessman and...someone who pursues justice. My wish..." He stared at Albedo, eyes meeting his with a warmth that the other thought had died in Dragonspine."...is the same as my companions."

"Then, Diluc Ragnvindr, Albedo Kreideprinz, place your bare hands at the crimson agate at the base of the Frost Bearing Tree, so that you may fulfill my crimson wish, and I may fulfill yours."

Albedo looked at the glowing red gem in the base of the tree, reaching his hand out towards it after fingering his glove off his hand. He had to stretch his body to reach it, dragging himself through the snow. His fingernails were bloody and chipped, tips of his fingers growing a blueish purple. Diluc's shaky hand followed his, shivers violent and visible as he attempted with a frustrating intensity to get his glove off his fingers.

Once his glove was off, he reached his hand out. His body shuddered violently, gasping breath mingling with Albedo's own. Their cold fingers touched one another and Albedo realized, absurdly, that this was the first time he had touched Diluc's bare hand. His fingers were cold and growing frostbitten as Albedo's were.

"Hear my crimson wish and bear the mark of Dragonspine with pride. You have changed the future of this mountain and as thanks, Dragonspine shall spare you."

The piece of crimson agate under their hands began to grow warm.

"So live with pride, dear companions of mine."

A pain like one could never imagine shot through Albedo and Diluc. And then, everything went black.

Chapter Text

Cold. It was so cold. No, it was warm? It was hot. Diluc's body was burning up. Wait, no. This wasn't because of the heat. This was pain. A thick, heavy pain coursed through his body and made his head dizzy. It hurt so bad his body burned up in a massive sweat. He was shivering, yet his core was burning insistently as he stumbled through the icy wilderness with a stabbing pain tearing at his insides.

He was in the middle of a snowstorm. No, it was a icy, frigid cavern. The great expanse of it was frightful, as one could easily slip and fall into the abyss. Diluc walked with caution along the thin stone path. The further forward he walked, the thinner the path grew. It never seemed to end, repeating time after time.

Beady, blood red eyes stared and snarled after Diluc. He began running. The beast chased after him, forcing his frostbitten lungs to pump air through his body and propel him forward. The ground was slippery. He could fall at any moment, yet his feet stayed dug into the ground. The beasts, the boars, didn't. It slipped and dissipated behind Diluc, yet he kept running.

There was something else chasing after him. He didn't know what it was, but it was coming. Closer and closer now, Diluc forced his body to move faster. He was hot and cold. Hot and cold.

Suddenly, his feet stopped moving.

Diluc looked down in a panic, finding his feet lodged into the ground. He yanked at his legs, trying to pick his feet up from off the ground, but they were encapsulated in a thick ice. He pulled and pulled, but they didn't move. The figure was catching up.

No, it was right in front of him.

The Ruin Grater formed a large shadow over his small figure. It scared Diluc, causing even more violent shudders to run throughout his body. It loomed in on him, staring at him with an intensity. From the machine, the voice of one of his advisers, Elzer, spoke to him.

"Dragonspine is a dangerous place, Master Diluc," Elzer spoke to him, craning the body of the Ruin Grater down near his face. Too close. Far too close. Diluc's breath thickened."I implore you to take someone with you on your journey." The Ruin Grater tilted its head. Its single, beady eye stared at him with an obsessive concentration."You should've taken someone with you, Master Diluc. I implored you. You should've taken someone with you."

The Ruin Grater moved back. Its fists clenched at its sides, arms pulling back. Diluc knew what it was about to do. His body quivered. He couldn't take another one of those beams. He couldn't. Yet still, he readied his claymore in front of him.

Fear coursed through his body. His breathing got faster, body tightening. His eyes were blown wide, crazy sensation of emotions swarming through his body. He couldn't take it. He had to take it.

The beam slammed into him. He slid back. He kept sliding and sliding and sliding. All his progress was lost. He was back to the beginning. Right where he started.

"You really never change, Master Diluc."

Shut up, Kaeya.

"I'm disappointed in you, son."

Diluc couldn't fall. He couldn't fall.

A voice cried out to him in the distance, insistent yet unclear in the snow. Diluc sought it out. His steps grew faster as the voice grew clearer. He knew this voice. He knew those cries.

Diluc stumbled, yet continued. He was so close. He was always so close.

His grabbed onto him, grip tight. Albedo was going to fall if he let go. He was on the mountains edge. He would fall if he let go. Diluc couldn't slacken his grip.

"Don't let go," Albedo's voice echoed around him. It was a cry of pain. A hollow raspiness. The voice of a man on the edges of death."Don't let go. Don't let go."

"I wont!" Diluc cried over the insistent voice of his companion."I wont let go! I promise I wont let go!"

"Don't let go."

"I promise!"

From behind, Diluc was pelted with icicles. Arrows from hilichurl's stabbed at his body.

"Don't let go," Albedo spoke to him. His voice was hollow. Was he dying? He couldn't die. He needed to live. They would live. They had to live.

"Never..." Diluc grunted out."Never...Never..."

Kaeya walked over to him, staring at Diluc with a smile on his face. He squat down, poking at his hand connected to Albedo's. Idly, he began tugging at Diluc's fingers, attempting to dislodge them from Albedo. To force him to let go.

"Don't...!" Diluc cried at him.

Yet his father continued. He didn't look at Diluc, face obscured in a blank canvas. Diluc couldn't tell what he looked like in this moment. He tugged at his fingers, dislodging one after another.

"Stop it!" Diluc yelled at him."Stop! Don't, Father!"

Albedo was slipping. He was falling. Dragonspine was laughing at them. The mountain was laughing.

Diluc woke then, hands stretched outward and clenched in front of him. His breathing was ragged and loud in his ears. His entire body was shuddering as he clenched at nothing.

He had let go. Albedo wasn't here. He said he wouldn't let go. He couldn't let go. He needed to find him. He couldn't abandon him. He needed to be beside him, in case he fell again, so that he could hold onto him and anchor him.

Diluc shot up and made for the door. He didn't ponder where he was, he only searched after his companion. His steps stumbled and his vision wavered as a spell of dizziness passed through him. Diluc's head throbbed out of control. He rubbed at his temple, then around his right eye, and continued forward through the door.

He dragged through the hall, opening door after door and being met with nothing but disappointment and fear. He needed to find Albedo. Before it was too late.

There were voices and people talking all around him, yet he didn't hear a thing besides wisps of words that went through one ear and out the other.

"—aster Diluc!"

He looked through another door. Nothing. How many was it at this point?

"Please get back into bed, Master Diluc! You haven't made a full..."

He opened another door, and finally, finally he found him. Diluc stumbled inside, dragging his feet towards the bed Albedo rested in. His body ached. He realized now, upon his relief, the pain and exhaustion that coursed through his body. He had to keep moving forward, however. Just a few more steps.

Diluc lugged himself to rest beside Albedo. The voices around him were muffled at the sight of the man. He put a hand to his neck and was filled with a relief at his even pulse so powerful that his body collapsed right there. He fell onto the bed beside Albedo and, with the last of his energy, clasp his hand in his companions before passing out completely.

He wouldn't let go.

Never.

"—also have some bruises all over your body. They range in severity, but we've treated all the ones that need care."

"And what of my leg?"

It was Albedo's voice that Diluc focused in on as he groggily woke up. It was always such a soft, composed sound. Never wavering or second guessing itself. Always steady and even. Diluc liked it.

"Luckily, we were able to repair most of the damage there! It still needs time to recover as well as rehabilitation therapy. As long as you go through all the proper steps, you should make a full recovery. It truly is a miracle that we were able to fix something so damaged!"

"That's because you were here to heal it, Sister Barbara."

So that other voice was Barbara. Diluc should've known. The cathedral was the only place they could be if they came back to Mondstadt. With their bodies so battered, the only place anyone would feel safe to take them was the church.

It looked like they were finally back.

They made it home.

Creakily slow, Diluc stretched his body out with a small groan. The conversation between the pair stopped there at the minute sound. Diluc's body shifted and eyes slowly blinked open. It was bright, bright enough to give him a headache. He took his time to readjust, body aching and sluggish.

"Diluc?" Albedo called out to him, imploring.

Diluc turned towards that voice, blinking his eyes open to look at him. Albedo stared down at him from his upright position with a carefully composed look on his face. Diluc learned, in their travels together, that Albedo didn't try to keep his face composed and stoic like he did, but it just naturally came off that way. He had no qualms with letting smiles pass through his lips or scowls mar his features. His face was poetic like that.

Diluc wished he had the luxury of letting himself be so free. Though perhaps, at this point, it was more fear than anything that was stopping himself from truly opening up. At least, if all else failed, his words could convey his feelings.

Diluc wasn't aware he was holding Albedo's hand until the others twitched as he moved and squeezed it randomly. He let go of it, far too slowly then he would've wished to give away, as he sat up. Albedo didn't look to have a response, yet Diluc found himself wishing for something more dramatic. Idly, he clenched at the fleeting warmth.

"S-Slow down, Master Diluc!" Barbara was quickly by his side, helping him up with a hand on his back."Please take it easy. We don't want a repeat of last time. Please rest in bed."

Diluc grunted, letting her help him up until he found a comfortable spot to lay back."I'm awake now," he said to her."While I do have responsibilities awaiting me, I understand I should take a day of rest before I get to them."

"A day?!" Barbara gasped, scolding tone following."Master Diluc, please reconsider! You have multiple fractures all throughout your body. Not to mention that you almost died from poisoning, and it has yet to fully leave your system! I can name a number of more reasons why you should rest longer. When we found your bodies outside the cathedral, you were both dying! We had no clue of knowing whether you would live or not!"

"We have duties we must get back to, Sister Barbara," Albedo cut in, following Diluc's line of thinking.

"Not you too, Sir Albedo! Please rest! My job is to make sure you make a full recovery so you don't end up back here again. All our work would be meaningless if you just leave and make your condition worse." Barbara puffed her cheeks, hands on her hips in the greatest act of defiance she could muster in front of the two imposing celebrities of Mondstadt.

Diluc breathed a small sigh, closing his eyes briefly. His head was truly throbbing insistently. It wasn't just Barbara talking or the lights, but the sudden onslaught of responsibility that he had forgot about on the edge of survival. He was sure there were plenty of things he needed to catch up on, especially since he hadn't gotten around to much since he got back to Mondstadt.

"I see your point, Sister Barbara, but there is still work to be done." Just before she could protest, Diluc continued."That's why, if you would be so kind as to allow us visitors so that we may go over matters with them while still resting here as you've asked, that would be very kind of you."

Barbara's eyes widened and she nodded all too quickly at his words."Yes, of course! We would never deny you any visitors, Master Diluc!"

Diluc nodded, then turned to Albedo who had his usual look of contemplation on his face. He had become comfortably familiar with it."Is that okay with you as well, Albedo?"

Slowly, Albedo blinked back in his direction. His blue eyes focused in on Diluc. They always looked so intense. The first time they had locked with his, Diluc felt exposed, as if his soul was stripped bare.

"Yes, that will work just fine." He put a hand up to his chin."Though having my alchemy equipment with me would be preferred, I believe I will make do for a short period without it."

"Then it's settled!" Barbara clapped her hands together with a smile. The relief in her voice, shoulders which now relaxed, reminded Diluc of where he was once again. He wasn't on Dragonspine anymore. People here had the luxury to let their emotions override their thoughts and sway them. He no longer had to be a stone cold wall. He was back home in Mondstadt.

It was comical, however, how even in his home country, he couldn't let a smile pass his lips.

"You two continue resting, please," Barbara kept talking."We'll have lunch ready in a couple hours. In the meantime get plenty of rest, and be sure to drink lots of water so we can flush all that poison out of your systems!"

"Thank you for all your help, Sister Barbara," Diluc said to her politely with years worth of etiquette drilled into him. Albedo by his side rested back on his bed and stared out the window next to him.

"It's my pleasure, Master Diluc! It's wonderful to see you back in Mondstadt again!"

"It's...good to be back."

Barbara stared at him for a brief second, maybe thinking to say something else or perhaps just staring at his face, which Diluc was sure held an odd expression. Something that was characteristically him. He was sure it was a face some would take for weakness and tried his best to calmly school his expression.

She didn't say anything else, of course, and just left with only a smile in his direction.

Diluc felt tired already. Talking to Barbara was nothing like his conversations with Albedo. Despite the intensity or ill feelings between them, conversation seemed to always flow naturally. So much so that when Diluc first met Albedo and learned of his standing as a member of the Knights, he hated how naturally they spoke to one another even while he was trying to push him away. It was safe to say his plan didn't work out well.

With a long breath, Diluc mimicked Albedo and rested back further in his bed. He realized now that Barbara was gone every little ache and pain in his body. It was nothing like on Dragonspine but the pain was still cannily vivid.

Diluc closed his eyes. Through the trials of the treacherous mountain trying to kill them, they had lived. What did Diluc have to say to Albedo now? About what should he speak of? While conversation flowed so easily before, he was finding himself clenching up. This wasn't like him.

He had many words he wanted to say to Albedo. He knew he did, but when he thought about it, his mind gave him nothing in response. All he wanted to do was lean closer and push up against his warmth like they were still on Dragonspine. Come to think of it, Diluc hadn't felt cold once since he had gotten back to Mondstadt.

In fact, his heart was burning up. He needed to say something. Silence never did befit them.

"It's quiet," was all he noted.

No longer were the winds of Dragonspine filling their ears with its haunting melody. There were no cackles or cries of sharp ice jittering to pierce their flesh. It was a calm silence so sharp it was nerve wracking. Diluc felt like he had an itch which needed scratching.

"Certainly," Albedo responded. His voice was slightly raspy now, but not due to lack of water like it once was, but this time because it was filled with sleep. Diluc found himself curling around the sound, loving the way it rang through his ears.

"There's a small throbbing in my head that's blocking most of it out."

"Ah, that's probably residual from this." Diluc heard Albedo shift in the bed on his left and turned his head to him. Albedo held his right hand out to Diluc, palm facing him so he could see the engraving on it.

It was a circle the size of his palm and on the inside was a single squiggled in figure which looked to be a tree. Its shape looked familiar to Diluc, but he couldn't pin point where from something so vague.

"This is the mark of the Frostbearing Tree," Albedo explained. There wasn't much of an "ah ha!" moment for Diluc, only the slightest of satisfaction in knowing. He never got a good look at the tree in his half awake state. It was Albedo's cries that awoke him and his cries echoing in the air that put him back to rest."You have one as well, Master Diluc."

Diluc blinked, realizing that Albedo was right. That time was so hazy. All he rememberd was a voice and a light and a desire to have Albedo live. With a slow movement, he lifted his left hand up to find a mark of his own. He traced the engraving with his other hand. Pressing smally into it, he realized through the sharp pain that went straight to his head what truly ailed his headache.

"Do you think Dragonspine is still drawing on the power of our visions?" Diluc asked.

"I believe so," Albedo responded, setting his hand back down. He looked drained, Diluc realized. Just as drained as Diluc felt."Until the mountain settles and people climb it and make it permanently populated, it will probably continue to drain power from us. Recreating a mountain is no easy task. Only Rex Lapis could handle such a feat in a few seconds."

"I just hope this headache will pass. Do you have one as well, Albedo?"

"Yes. It's...unpleasant, but I believe I've adapted to it well enough." He idly rubbed at his temple."Still, I can't help this nagging feeling. It feels as if there's something I'm missing. Not a physical something, but a fact or observation I've neglected along the way. This is a much more troubling matter to me."

Albedo wasn't one to neglect anything, this Diluc could figure out just from their brief acquaintance. For him to forget...to neglect...it was somewhat funny. Even in their current state, he expected all his thoughts to be in order. Diluc was often one who created order for himself in disorder, so the humanistic chaos in Albedo's mind was a joyful thing. It reminded him, once again, that they were alive.

"I'm sure there's many things both of us have forgotten along the way. To dwell on each and every one of those things is not something to do now, but a future endeavor that should take many months of contemplation. Though perhaps I should offer you my apologies now for my behavior on Dragonspine. I let my feelings get in the way of my actions and caused harm to befall you."

"I don't believe your emotional state was a direct cause to any of my injuries." Albedo looked away from Diluc, grabbing the cup of water by his bedside."Still, it's to my understanding that when offered an apology one shouldn't leave it hanging openly, so I'll accept it and thank you in kind for all the help and protection you offered me. I would've never made it alone. I realize now how important companionship is. It's not something I very much enjoy, but when with you, Diluc, I found myself growing fond of it."

Diluc found his heart stuttering at Albedo's words. Had the man realized what he had so casually said to him? Did he understand the depth by which his words cut through? What he had said just then was, essentially, a roundabout way of saying he was fond of Diluc.

So blissful and casual. They had time for such things, didn't they? Diluc had time once again. He could breathe without relentlessly chasing Fatui or running away from them. He had time to look outside in the morning at the fields of grapevines running along his manor. He had time to lie in bed and take breakfast late. He had time to ponder the fondness of Albedo's words and ponder the state of their relationship.

More than strangers or acquaintances and holding a deeper bond than something as flimsy and malleable as friends. What else were they, besides bound to one another through a journey meant to kill them?

What now? Diluc couldn't help but think. What now...

"I overheard your conversation with Barbara," Diluc spoke."I'm glad your leg will heal. Do you think you'll be left with a limp?"

"Perhaps a small one in my later years. I'm sure I can remedy that if it becomes a nuisance to my work."

What was he saying right now? Why was he abandoning their past conversation for something so pointless? These were unneeded words completely unlike them. These were things friends asked. Acquaintances. They weren't that.

Right now, Diluc was running away. But from what?

"And how are your other injuries? No lasting effects?"

"Everything should heal properly in time. Barbara did say that I may be healed enough to leave here first. The large amounts of poison in your system make it hard to determine how fast you'll recover."

"I see."

Boring. Useless. Pointless. Did Albedo know? Did he realize Diluc's mind was flailing and running around in circles right now?

"I would've thought you would want to leave sooner, Master Diluc." Albedo stared at him now. With his eyes on him, Diluc found both pleasure and a series of nerves jolt through him.

One could see a lot just by looking at someones eyes. Diluc realized this in his travels. He had seen what fear and desperation looked like in the eyes of his enemies as he pinned them down and demanded information out of them. He saw what anger and resentment looked like as he stared at himself in the mirror while wiping blood off his face. He knew what joy and mirth looked like, once, in the staff at the winery, in Kaeya, in his father.

From Albedo, Diluc learned many things through his eyes. He learned about curiosity and contemplation. He learned of hope, of desire. He saw in his eyes a pure type of willfulness and what it meant to fight in desperation for ones life. And at some point, while looking through Albedo's eyes, Diluc saw himself. He saw his own eyes through Albedo's own and in them, he came across another emotion that would sparkle and glimmer. One that warmed ones eyes and caused them to crease and curl.

He wondered if Albedo had seen it too, that look in his eyes.

"I'm content to rest here, if my work is coming to me."

He couldn't leave so quickly. Diluc realized now what he had forgotten in a haze of swiftness and half-lucidness. He remembered walking through the great halls of the infirmary at the Cathedral. He remembered vividly his stumbling steps and the thoughts that had echoed throughout his mind.

Albedo's hand had been warm then. Alive. It didn't move like it did now, but his pulse echoed in the small of his wrist, singing a calming melody just to Diluc. He wondered if it was still warm now. If his pulse still thumped an even melody.

Albedo must've noticed how his stare changed. He lifted his hand up and twisted his wrist, mark of the Frostbearing Tree coming in and out of view."Quite the thing to get used to, isn't it?"

Diluc thought he was talking about the mark, and made to interject, but Albedo beat him to it, finishing his thought.

"Yet we're alive. We no longer have to fight." Diluc's breath caught in his throat. Albedo's hand moved down, gently resting on top of his own which lied limply at his side. It was warm, Diluc realized. He felt like his whole body was being soothed."How curious a thing, isn't it? But for now, we don't have to fight, Master Diluc. Let's rest."

Diluc's breath choked in his lungs, chest growing heavy, yet light. He breathed. He stared at Albedo. Albedo stared at him. Those eyes of his looked at Diluc and Diluc saw himself in them. He saw the depth of his own eyes and the emotion held in them. And he saw Albedo there too, following right next to him as he always did as his companion. They were in it together, always.

More than friends, but not family.

What was the name of that emotion again? The one he had discarded away?

Diluc leaned forward, as if drawn by a magnetic force to reach out to Albedo. To hold him close. To be next to him, always and forever.

He thought of dawn, then, as he placed a kiss upon Albedo's lips. He thought of the glory of the sun rising over the horizon, giving way to a new day. He dreamed of endless possibilities and a life not just his own anymore. He thought of that long pushed aside emotion he once feared and embraced it completely.

He fell in love.

Chapter Text

The world outside of the snow held an impactful magnitude of things to do. It was busy. Not specifically for oneself but in the sense that everything around you was moving, making noise, and alive. To be alive was a good thing. Life assured the essence of growth which flourished new discoveries and paved the way for advancement, achievement, and excitement.

Albedo had always considered himself an outsider in Mondstadt. He wasn't born in the country, nor did he have any true ties to it. He didn't seek to live there consistently and rather liked to travel around its neighboring countries in the name of research. Even before Mondstadt, it was the same. He may live there, but he certainly wasn't embedded into the country nor did he hold any attachment to it.

For Albedo, he never had a home.

If speaking technicalities, Albedo had always felt his room provided to him by the Knights of Favonius would be considered his home. It was where he slept and bathed and ate the majority of the time. By all definition, that was his home. But that was only thinking of the word as a baseless thing, something without weight or matter.

As Albedo furthered his travels and research, he realized that the word home had more meaning than that. There was a hidden depth in the simplicity that he had missed before which made him ponder the true definition of what he would consider his home. His alchemy lab? The Knights of Favonius? Perhaps Klee or his assistants?

None of it felt right, so Albedo decided that he didn't have a home. If he did, he certainly wouldn't find it in Mondstadt, where he felt he was an outsider even after the city of freedom had welcomed him like the outstretched hands of Barbatos on the majestic statue outside of the cathedral. For Albedo, he simply didn't belong anywhere, and that was fine.

When upon the icy mountain of Dragonspine which wished to bury him in its coffin of snow, Albedo found himself once again thinking of home. It was then, upon that lonely mountain, that Albedo found himself longing for a home. The cold of the snow shocked not only his body, but his mind as well. A low ache for home grew inside him. Though he had no home, he longed to go to that invisible place.

In the dead of night, half lucid, he found himself reaching out at nothing. His hands, which could usually create things wistfully through means of alchemy, were useless and limp at his sides. It had been a long time since he felt such a hollowness from his soul and not just a product of the current state of his body.

Albedo wasn't one to idle around. He figured things out quickly and never left loose ends. So, usually he was the one to make the first decision. He deduced things quickly and resolved them just as fast. It was a wonder, then, how Albedo's definition of home had found him first.

He felt it then, upon waking for the first time back in Mondstadt. Diluc's hand grasp his tightly, a pulsing warmth seeping into him like a blanket draped over his shoulders. Albedo was reminded of when he first woke in the cave on Dragonspine with Diluc wrapped over his body. So this is what home feels like, was what he had idly thought in that moment.

He didn't think he would ever find it, but there it was right next to him, hand grasp in his. It was there when his assistants came to his room to greet him in his weakened state. It was there when Klee and Jean came to his room and gave him a headache with their concerns. It was there still when he left the cathedral and looked upon the sight of Mondstadt, sun filtering through the clouds and blinding his eyes in its warmth.

The wind whistled past his ears in a friendly greeting. It welcomed him back with a jovial, carefree laugh befitting the land of freedom. Following it, Albedo tilted his head back and smiled.

He had found it at last. His very own home.

The Acting Grandmaster had a plethora of questions for both him and Diluc once they were able enough to take visitors. The back of Albedo's head continued to throb a low headache like he had never experienced before. Being given a headache due to exhaustion was certainly a first.

Jean explained to them that during the time they had found the two of them on the verge of death outside the steps of the cathedral, a massive, rumbling earthquake had occurred on the mountain of Dragonspine. Along with it came a brief cold spell throughout Mondstadt, despite the current spring season. They had yet to investigate anything on the matter since it seemed no one was effected by it, to which Diluc scoffed and grunted about their inefficiency. He did a lot of that throughout the civil conversation, to say the least.

Apparently, though, the snowstorm surrounding Dragonspine had lifted. People who lived next to the mountain were noticing the air was warmer and the mountain looked more welcoming. Jean commented endlessly on the strangeness of the matter. She said it was like the mountain was beckoning them to traverse it. Albedo and Diluc made no comment to that.

When it came time for Albedo to explain his side of the story, he kept it brief and only explained about forty percent of what happened. It wasn't as if he had anything to hide from the Grandmaster, but he simply saw no reason in explaining his time on Dragonspine in further detail. He climbed the mountain, he slipped, he met Diluc, and they survived. It was nothing more than that.

When explaining the various mechanics and creatures on the mountain, however, Albedo had far too much to say. He could tell Jean didn't wish for him to go fully in-depth with his discoveries at the moment, so he only said he would write a full report of his findings at a later date. Whether she wished for it or not, he would've done it anyways. It seemed Jean was being pressured by the Adventurers Guild at the moment. Cyrus was pushing to get a team of experienced adventurers on the mountain after witnessing the changes to its terrain. She knew she wouldn't be able to stop him, so she wished to at least properly prepare him for the oncoming dangers of the mountain.

Albedo wondered how much longer it would take for this exhausting headache to go away. The mountain was continuing to drain their energy, waiting patiently like a newly opened restaurant for its first customers to help it flourish. Both Diluc and Albedo knew they needed to push people towards the mountain to sate Dragonspine's loneliness or else they would be stuck like this.

Jean left quickly after that, trip purely business. Once she left, Diluc seemed to relax his whole body. Albedo didn't realize it then, in that moment, but he would later come to understand that this wasn't just a show of how uptight Diluc was around the Acting Grandmaster but also w telling of how comfortable he was around Albedo. It was reassuring to know they were on the same wavelength.

Dragonspine had truly changed the both of them.

Kaeya had come to see Albedo later, once he left the medical wing of the cathedral and buried himself back in his research lab to record and theorize about everything that he could recall happening on Dragonspine. It was typical of Kaeya to be offhanded like this.

"It's good to see you back, Albedo," he greeted from the door of his lab, taking his time coming inside while speaking to him with a purr in his voice."How was your trip to Dragonspine? I heard they found you passed out on the steps of the cathedral. It must've been rather stimulating."

"Yes, it was highly informative," Albedo responded. He stopped his writing, shifting his weight to give his hurt leg some reprieve."There is much to explore and discover. I believe I'll find myself back there once I'm fully healed."

Kaeya chuckled."Even though it almost killed you the first time?"

"I believe my next trip will grant different results. You've seen the changes to the mountain due to the earthquake, I'm sure. Members of the Adventurers Guild are already setting out to explore. I don't want to wait and lose any of its natural beauty to a humans destructive nature."

"Ah, yes, Cyrus is currently leading an expedition, isn't he?" Kaeya mused, walking around Albedo's lab as he usually did, tinkering with various things left lying around. He tended to do this when he was being roundabout. Clearly he had something to say or ask, but Kaeya was never one to be upfront about anything. It was his nature.

"Let's hope it goes better than you're little...trip." Kaeya flicked one of his empty test tubes."Would that be the correct thing to call it? If I remember, you did pick up a companion along your travels, did you not? Or did it just happen that the esteemed Master Diluc Ragnvindr and Chief Alchemist ended up on the steps of the cathedral together?"

"It's as you say. I did end up meeting Diluc on Dragonspine and we decided to travel down the mountain together," Albedo responded.

Kaeya sported an odd expression on his face now. Albedo made note of it, but didn't know where it came from."Diluc, huh...?" he mumbled to himself."How interesting for the two of you to end up traveling together. I wonder what business he had in Dragonspine after being gone from Mondstadt for so long."

Albedo didn't see that as a question for him to answer, so he didn't say anything to it. Kaeya's clear, yet subtle, interest in Diluc and his affairs was intriguing. If Albedo remembered correctly, Diluc did mention something at one time about he and Kaeya knowing one another in some way or form. Kaeya was the current Cavalry Captain and Diluc the former, so there must be some relation there, whether bad or simply complicated.

Kaeya, realizing Albedo had nothing to say, continued."Well, it seems the two of you had an interesting adventure. I do hope he didn't give you too much of a hard time. Though I'm sure he held up just fine on that mountain. He's resilient like that."

"His pyro vision was useful during our travels. I'm glad to have met him. I didn't realize I would need another companion with me, but he showed me that one is necessary when traversing Dragonspine. He saved my life more times than I can count."

Kaeya laughed again."Wow, I've never heard you talk so much about a person before, Albedo! How interesting. It seems our dear Master Diluc made quite the impression on you. He is said to be one to sway hearts, but to think our Chief Alchemist was swayed by him as well..."

Kaeya spoke in jest, but Albedo found himself agreeing to his words inside his head. It was true that Diluc had swayed his heart. He had done so in a way unimaginable to him. Diluc would probably never realize it either, but he had sparked a change inside him. Something welcome and warm, just like an embrace.

"Yes, how interesting indeed," Albedo responded. Something about his expression must've shocked Kaeya because he gave him an odd look after that. It wasn't an unpleasant one, just masked and inquisitive.

"It seems you've formed quite the interesting relationship." Kaeya's voice was more purposefully neutral now."If that's the case, do wish him well for me the next time you see him. It seems he's already moving around again despite being so close to death. You two are truly workaholics. Never a dull moment."

"There's plenty to be done after being gone for so long," was all Albedo responded.

He didn't know what implications Kaeya was throwing around and didn't intend to privy himself to them. Oddly, when it came to Diluc, Albedo wanted to closet himself. Like a precious jewel, he wished to hide their relations away behind a thick glass casing. One may peer upon it and ponder, but they may never touch.

"I'm sure." Kaeya walked away from his work station, waving a hand at Albedo."I'll leave you to it then."

Klee came to see him next. It wasn't as if she hadn't many, many times before—weeks having passed since his trip to Dragonspine—but it was a simple fact that those meetings had nothing particularly special to note. Klee came barreling in, full of questions and rowdy with impatience, and left just as quick. It was quite funny to see when she visited him at the cathedral how she treated Diluc with complete disregard, seeing he was a stranger and not bothering to get to know anything further about him.

As Albedo got back into his work she would stop by occasionally like she used to whenever he was in Mondstadt, talking on about her endless adventures while Albedo vaguely listened with one ear and focused on his research with the other.

It was one such time today where Klee came in huffing and puffing about how Jean scolded her for a little fishing adventure she went on that Albedo was sure involved more than a few explosions and plenty of dead fish to go around. His focus, however, wasn't on her story but on his current task as he packed away a small portion of things into one of his overnight bags

Klee, having calmed her childish ranting, finally bore notice to what he was doing and quickly jumped topics with the lack of suave only a kid could have."Brother Albedo, what are you doing?! Are you going somewhere?!"

There was the silent voice of "you're leaving already?" behind her words.

Albedo looked down at her and gave her a small smile."I wont be gone for long. I'm going to spend a couple nights at Dawn Winery is all. You remember where that is, don't you, Klee?"

"Dawn...Winery..." Klee's brows knit together, face scrunching in thought in a way that made her look vaguely angry. She then had her "ah-ha!" moment and her face lit up brightly once again."That's in Mondstadt! Oh, I know where that is! That means you're going to see that man again, doesn't it."

By now, one would think she would know him by name, but it seemed Klee wished to be stubborn about forgetting it. Perhaps it was a small bit of rebellion, but in the first place, Albedo had no idea why she didn't like him. Maybe because he left the city to see him so much. Albedo wasn't sure.

"Yes, I will be going there to visit Diluc," Albedo responded simply, hoping one day she would take a moment to remember his name.

Klee stared up at him with an intensity. Her gaze was large and undiscerning. Albedo would've found it disturbing if he didn't know her any better.

Whatever thoughts ran throughout her head quickly made up their mind with a single blink. She nodded her head, putting her hands on her hips like she was mimicking Jean."Fine, Klee will allow it!" she humphed out."Brother Albedo always looks happy before he leaves to see that man, so Klee will let him go!"

She spoke with authority unbefitting a child. Definitely mimicking Jean, Albedo noted.

Still, something she said was odd.

"I look happy...?" Albedo asked, touching his face briefly in confusion. He didn't feel any difference in his expression. He wasn't one to hide his emotions, but it just happened naturally. His face was said to hold only a couple distinguishable expressions.

"Yes!" Klee jumped to speak."Brother Albedo's eyes are smiling! Klee can tell!"

So it was his eyes."I see," Albedo responded."How curious."

Because it was. Recently, plenty of his conversations seemed to fall back to Diluc. Albedo wondered how many people had noticed his smiling eyes. Perhaps that was the meaning behind Kaeya, Lisa, and even Jean's strange behavior recently.

He blinked his eyes, wondering if that spark was still there, and continued packing, now making more conversation with Klee. She, for once, didn't seem disturbed by him leaving the city of Mondstadt.

How intriguing indeed.

Since Diluc Ragnvindr's return, the Dawn Winery flourished. It wasn't that the winery was in a tough spot, sales were as well as usual, but it was a simple fact that the atmosphere had grown dreary with the absence of its beloved young master. The orchards were dull in color, not a smell to cherish nor remember. The staff of the winery did everything down to a tee, but that was it. Nothing more and nothing less, like monotonous machines left unattended. The winery was akin to a worn factory, mass producing wine for all of Teyvet.

Upon Diluc Ragnvindr's inevitable and final return, the winery stopped being a factory and became the warm home of Mondstadt it always was once again. Everyone noticed. If one had a bottle of Dawn Wineries finest from before and after his return, they would be able to tell the difference. In some unforeseeable way, people would feel the happiness behind each bottle served with their Master's name behind it.

He was a man welcomed home in a subtle, yet highly impactful way. His name, return home, and his feat of surviving Dragonspine with the Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius spread throughout Mondstadt. People gulped down Dawn Winery wine like water in celebration and planned expeditions on the mountain in honor, like a type of trial to see if one was fit to drink the wine their beloved uncrowned king survived the claws of death to create once again.

Neither Diluc nor Albedo cared the means behind peoples journeys up Dragonspine, they only wished they continued to climb it further and further. Leave no crevice unexplored and no creature unslayed. To tear up the mountains past scenery and build anew was the goal. The roads forged through Albedo's vision and snow melted through Diluc's needed to become embedded permanently into the mountains geography and not only a byproduct of their combined visions.

This desire of theirs became potent with time, as they found themselves growing impossibly cold in even the hottest of climates when not by one another's side. It seemed the mark of the Frostbearing Tree connected them to more than just the mountain, but also to one another. If they kept away from one another for long spans of time, their dull headaches would grow and bodies would break out in shivers that only each others touch could remedy.

Had the staff of the winery noticed Albedo's continued presence? Perhaps, but they didn't comment upon the fact. Though they seemed cheerful regardless of the occasion, Albedo noticed. They also greeted him like they did their master. He suspected they already fitted a place in their mind for his relationship with Diluc.

He and Diluc certainly had an interesting relationship. There was no label for it, but there were routines that went along with it which would situate them as an anomaly of companions.

One such routine was as they were now, both laid back in Diluc's large bed fit for the master of the house. The colors of the sheets were a warm brown, hits of red noticeable throughout. His entire room had a lavish antique look to it with nothing but the absolute essentials in sight along with anything Albedo brought with him along the way.

The two of them rested in his bed together, plethora of pillows behind them to prop them up as they lounged besides one another, pressed close to each others body to capture any warmth they could find as the mark of the Frostbearing Tree wrapped its icy spell over them. They held one another's hand, pressing their marks against each other in a way that soothed any headaches which wished to make an appearance.

This hadn't been the first time they had done this, but as time moved forward and weeks passed, they found themselves fluctuating between needing to be in one another's presence often or not at all. But, gradually, it was lessening.

Dragonspine was growing less lonely, and so were they.

Albedo tapped a finger against Diluc's hand twice. He then rubbed it along one of Diluc's fingers, moving it idly in a methodical motion. Diluc made a sound in the back of his throat at the contact, twitching only slightly as he was snapped out of his musings.

"I believe, very soon, we wont have to worry about the side effects of the Frostbearing Tree's mark," Albedo spoke."The spans of time have grown larger. Soon it will be months between."

"I've heard that more adventurers are exploring Dragonspine," Diluc commented, agreement in his tone."They've even set up a camp outside the mountain for travelers. As less people are winding up dead, more are growing bolder in their explorations."

"Yes..." Albedo thought to choose his next words carefully, but decided instead to just barrel through."I believe I, too, will soon climb the mountain once again. While I'm there, I'll pay a visit to the tree to inquire about our side effects."

Diluc's body stiffened upon his words, rightly so."You're gonna go back? After what happened, you intend to go back to Dragonspine? Did you already forget what happened to us there?"

Diluc's hand grew tight in his, pinching at his skin with a fierce range of emotions. Albedo could tell in the tint of his voice he was concerned.

"I remember very well, which is why I'll prepare properly this time. I wont go alone either. I'll have a team with me," Albedo began explaining."I intend to establish a small research lab there so that I may safely study the mountain. Acting Grandmaster Jean has already approved of my plan and asked to use it has a hybrid rest stop for any passing travelers in need of assistance."

"So you intend to go back to study the mountain more," Diluc said frankly, like he knew he should've expected such an answer from Albedo.

"Yes, there is still much to be researched and many loose ends in my memory from our time on the mountain. I don't intend to go alone, so worry not."

Diluc let out a long breath, shifting in the bed. His hand squeezed Albedo's and strands of his crimson red hair tickled at his skin."Well, I know there's no way I can stop you. I'm sure you have everything figured out already, but if you ever need anything, please tell me. I'm willing to take time off my work to help you. Don't think you have to do anything alone."

A small, genuine smile graced Albedo's face."Yes, I know." He squeezed Diluc's hand back."You taught me that best, Diluc. If I'm in need of your help, I'll ask for it. Just as if you ever need mine, please tell me. I know you tend to take heavy burdens on alone, but know I'm here as well."

"I know." Diluc's words grew thick on his tongue and he rubbed his lips together."I..." His heart stuttered next to Albedo's, palm growing sweaty. With a thick gulp, it seemed his nerves got the better of him.

Albedo couldn't help but smile. For someone so bold, he could often lose himself in the most important moments. Those of deep, fond emotion.

"That time, when we had fallen off the mountains edge after fighting that Ruin Grater, you said that dawn would come once again." Albedo shifted in his position, sitting up."That it would shine its light upon us, as well as its warmth..." He turned to Diluc, who was already looking at him with an unreadable expression which soon warmed looking at Albedo's own.

He was sure no one had ever seen the current look on his face. He could feel himself smiling now, with not just his eyes but with his entire body."How do you feel right now, Diluc?"

The man opened his mouth, one word leaving his lips in a breathless rasp.

"Warm."

Albedo almost laughed with happiness."Me too. I'm so warm I can't be anything but alive right now."

From the soil, to the earth, and into life. A cycle of death and rebirth. They had experienced it in its rawest form, the torturous love known as life. Side by side, hand in hand, with each others eyes never leaving one another.

They had experienced life in its every aspect and would continue to do so.

So, as Albedo made camp upon the mountain of Dragonspine once again, he walked the short path to a clearing in the mountain. In front of him, the icy winds and fog cleared a path for him so that he may look down upon the city of Mondstadt, to the beloved Dawn Winery which he had grown to cherish as part of his home.

And upon the warm sight, at the thought of the man he loved who was currently down there, hard at work from the crack of dawn, Albedo greeted the day with a laugh, sound echoing in the wind.

A melody of home for the lonely, tenderhearted mountain.