099 » welcome to the dirty night

[ironwind]

[ Even the Prince of the Abyss Order doesn't maintain an iron grip over his forces.

It's not that he doesn't want to. It's just a measure of the sheer size of the organization. In any group unified under a single banner, there are bound to be differences of opinion, and not all in the Order like the idea of kneeling to a prince who is also an outlander.

What would he know of our struggles? they whisper, though it has been a hundred years since he joined their ranks and he leads them with a dedication that suggests he could fight for a hundred more. What would he know of our plight? He, who would lead sinners without sin?

Aether doesn't see it that way, of course. He's sinned in all manner of ways.

And this, what he's doing now — it's just another sin for which he must eventually atone.

There's been a rebellion. A small faction of Abyss Mages have broken off from the rest of the Order and declared themselves the true brotherhood. They have insinuated that Aether is an impostor, a false prophet of sorts, one who will only lead them into further chaos. They chafe at his elaborate methods; they would see their goals realized with greater bloodshed. This, of course, only appeals to the brutal nature of the mitachurls, the simplistic hatred of the samachurls. And most of the hilichurls don't know much better.

In a tactical decision, Aether chooses not to mobilize his forces and risk putting brother against brother. Instead, he has chosen to put down the rebellion himself. Alone.

That is how Kaeya will find him: standing calmly in the middle of an abandoned ruin in Mondstadt, breathing just the faintest bit heavily, watching the corpses of slain hilichurls turn to ash and fade away on the winds. ]

Comments

[spiralabyss]

[ Things are much simpler for Kaeya, of course.

This is largely because he tries to keep things simple for himself. The life of a spy, or a double agent, or a sleeper agent, or nobody's agent but his own — whatever he is at this point — well, it's always easier when you don't have to keep up too many lies. People who invent whole entire separate identities for themselves break under the pressure after too many years. As such, Kaeya has always just been Kaeya. He doesn't need to be anyone else.

Today, Mondstadt's Cavalry Captain (who leads no cavalry) has authorized himself to move on his own. Vile knows where he's going, though no one else does; his current mission is one that only their "department" (the few people who work in the shadows) needs to know about. Abyss Mages and hilichurls have been spotted congregating around an old temple. It's not like the Knights of Favonius to strike first — they're supposed to have rules and regulations about this sort of thing, you know, all those things that Kaeya secretly hates — so he's decided to nip the problem in the bud before Jean catches wind of it. It's only to help her out, of course. Wouldn't want the Abyss Order to turn this into a new stronghold, after all — plus, it's always easier for someone like Kaeya to move alone. That way, he isn't responsible for anyone else.

So he's surprised when he gets in through the front door and finds that the temple is already being cleared out by a young traveler — one who isn't the one that he knows.

Oh, Kaeya already knows who he is, or at least part of who he is. He knows just by looking at the boy. What was it those missing posters said about him? Young male, blond hair, exotic clothes...

Mmm. Lumine really should have explained that this is what she meant by exotic.

Kaeya might have paid a lot more attention then.

In any case: a question, an answer, and an immediate mystery. Who is this boy? Well, he has to be Lumine's missing brother, there's almost no doubt about that. Now the mystery is, why is he here, when he must surely know that his precious little sister is looking for him?

Curiouser and curiouser, Kaeya lets himself approach, letting his sword dissipate so that he can prove he's no threat — not that it means much. He's a threat everywhere he goes. ]

Well, well, well. What have we here?

[ His drawl is slow and soft and drawn-out. ]

Good little boys and girls shouldn't be in places like this.

[ironwind]

[ Damn it. There was someone here? How long has he been watching? Aether doesn't allow any surprise to show on his face — though he immediately realizes that that decision was a mistake. Any ordinary young man, any ordinary adventurer, would surely just be startled and wary of this man's sauntering walk, of his too-knowing eyes. ]

Is that so? What does that say about you, then?

[ The answer to that supplies itself: clearly, this man thinks that he's bad. Which is helpful, in its own way. At the very least, it means that Aether doesn't have to pretend to be pure.

The problem with that is that it doesn't leave him many options for a cover story. What to do, what to do? Aether, for his part, doesn't relinquish his blade. He stands his ground in a neutral stance, long blond braid dimly illuminated by the flickering torches along the wall. ]

Whatever you may think about yourself, you don't seem like the kind of person who should be here, either.

[spiralabyss]

[ Cheeky... and just like his sister in that regard. It's cute, though, that he seems even colder. Lumine would have at least jolted in surprise. ]

Why, I'm just a passing adventurer on a commission for the Guild.

[ Now, of course he's not. But Kaeya says this because he suspects, instinctively, that this is the story Aether is about to feed him. And while he may not be intimately involved with the affairs of the Adventurer's Guild, he does at least know the name and face of every adventurer registered in Mondstadt, and he knows damn well that Aether has never even been seen in the city of freedom.

The implicit threat is this: if he wants to feed Kaeya a story — and he's clearly fishing for time to put one together — he'll have to think of something else. ]

Katheryne asked me to take care of the hilichurl problem in here, but I see you're already doing my job. And rather excellently, at that.

[ He didn't actually see Aether battling the hilichurls, but he can see, clearly, that there isn't so much as a scratch on the traveler's body. Not an easy feat to accomplish, even for a master adventurer. Plainly, he's good at what he does. ]

[ironwind]

Flattery will get you nowhere.

[ He's not really sure what compels him to say this. He can tell that Kaeya isn't really trying to flatter him — it just seems to be a facet of his personality to be unctuous and sinuous, snakelike in a charming way. If Aether were a more foolish king, he might retain an advisor like this: someone who flatters and wheedles and seduces.

Of course, he isn't that stupid, so he does the smart thing: he dislikes Kaeya immediately.

At any rate, he needs to settle into a role, and fast. This seems to be the personality he's chosen: cold and curt and stoic, perhaps as a complement to whatever shallow comedy Kaeya is going to provide. He can already tell that the man isn't going to just leave him alone. ]

...I'm a mercenary. [ So cliche, but it's convenient... and stoic. ] My client... Well, let's call him an eccentric scholar. He's asked me to take care of the monsters in here so that he can study the ruins.

I've no idea what he plans to research, but it's none of my business as long as I'm getting paid.

[spiralabyss]

[ What a lie, and smoothly done! Kaeya's all but certain that there aren't any scholars in Mondstadt who have enough coin to pay a mercenary of Aether's caliber — any Mora in a scholar's hand is soon used for magical experiments — but they do have a fair number of wealthy and useless noblemen who might pay for something like that. In any case, it's a believable enough story that Kaeya has no particular inclination to try and poke holes in it.

For now.

He retains his suspicions, however. Stepping a little closer, Kaeya snuffs the flame of the hilichurls' campfire with a snap of his fingers that makes his Vision glow and a breath of frost blanket the fire, putting it out.

Ah yes, that's right... If Aether is anything like his sister, he can probably use elements without a Vision, no? He'll have a bit of a tough time explaining that one once they get started. And they are going to get started.

He's all but certain that Aether himself knows that this question is coming. ]

Well, seeing as we're here for the same purpose... Why don't we work together? Safety in numbers, no?

[ Like a spider weaving a web, he knows that his prey is already ensnared: Aether has no reason to refuse this offer, unless of course he's going to pull some ridiculous "I work alone" act. ]

My name is Kaeya. Pleasure to meet you.

[ironwind]

[ At this, Aether hesitates. For two reasons, really. The first problem is this: give his real name, or an alias? Has Lumine mentioned his name to her contacts in Mondstadt, and if so, does it even matter? This whole farce hides his identity as the Prince of the Abyss Order, but most people can tell that Aether and Lumine are related just by looking at them. Kaeya likely already knows that Aether is Lumine's brother — the question now is why he hasn't brought it up.

Aether has a sneaking suspicion that the man is testing him, somehow, and he doesn't like it.

The second problem is that — while he never had real occasion to see Kaeya's face — Kaeya has just identified himself, inadvertently or intentionally. Aether knows him by name, at least: Kaeya Alberich, the Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius, and a perennial thorn in the Abyss Order's side. Then there's the matter of Khaenri'ah — but Kaeya's loyalties are probably no longer with his homeland, at least not in the way that matters. It's not even worth bringing up. ]

...Call me Aether.

[ Eyeing Kaeya warily, glancing over him from head to toe, Aether soon presses his lips into a neutral line and then sighs, whirling on his heel to walk deeper into the domain. It won't do him any good to end Kaeya's life here, either. His strategy has always been to move in more subtle ways. ]

Just don't get in my way.

[spiralabyss]

Don't I seem like the kind of man who can handle himself? I'm hurt, Aether.

[ Naturally, he isn't hurt at all. The brusque, stoic act is starting to ring false, but it's cute for now at the very least. If Aether keeps it up for too long, maybe this game will start to get boring — but not now. Not while there are still so many mysteries left unsolved.

In any case, Aether hasn't refused him, and Kaeya is exactly the kind of person who will take advantage of that fact. He's well aware that the traveler still has his sword out, but he isn't afraid to sidle up to Aether and peer curiously down at him all the same.

Long blond hair and honey-gold eyes... At first, he'd thought that Lumine was being misleading when she said that they looked alike, but now, looking at Aether more closely, the familial resemblance is more obvious. Naturally, Lumine has a sweeter, more feminine face, with thicker lashes and rounder eyes; Aether has a narrower, more catlike mien, and their hair colors are different shades of blond. But they have the same warm eyes, the same flecks in their irises.

Then there's that daring top and that narrow waistline... Enchanting. When Kaeya pictured Lumine's brother, he really thought the boy would look more angelic — like her. The same white clothes and delicate flowers, maybe. The kind of immaculate white that can't be stained. A purity so suspiciously aggressive it could be evil. ]

Say... Would you happen to know a girl named Lumine?

[ He's all but certain that Aether is going to deny knowing her. But it's just so tempting to ask! How is Aether going to react? ]

[ironwind]

[ Why is Kaeya looking at him like that? Because of Lumine, probably, but it's unsettling. After hundreds of years working with the Abyss Order, Aether has become accustomed to worship. He doesn't like having someone look down at him like this.

Particularly when... well, there's no getting around it: Kaeya is an attractive man, and Aether is — Aether is better than this, predominantly, but he's also never given himself space to be himself. How long has he spent playing the role of Abyss Prince? Eons, it seems, and it involves being many things he truly isn't: cruel and callous and untouchable. Surrounded by creatures and not people, though where creatures and people are differentiated is a difficult thing to answer, some days. Abyss Mages aren't handsome, though, and while Aether's had his fair share of human associates throughout the years, none of them were quite like Kaeya, with his single ice blue eye and dusky good looks and — whatever that flimsy excuse for a shirt is supposed to be.

Not that Aether's one to talk, but really, could Kaeya be any more transparent about where he wants people to stare?

In any case, Aether doesn't have time for this. He's a prince, not... he's a prince, full stop, and he doesn't have time to think about how one mortal man may or may not be looking at him.

They're both lying to each other and they both know it, so why should he tell the truth for even a moment? ]

No, I don't believe I do.

[ He was expecting the question, and yet it hurts a little to have to deny it all the same. ]

Is this a friend of yours?

[spiralabyss]

Oh, she's only the one who helped the Knights of Favonius with the Stormterror situation. The Hero of Mondstadt, they're calling her now.

[ Kaeya actually has no way of knowing that Aether's sister and the Anemo Archon scuttled the plan he'd undoubtedly been working on for at least a full year, but he brings it up so slyly and with such poisonous confidence that one would be forgiven for thinking it was a targeted attack. Smiling, he continues to follow Aether down the dark corridors of the abandoned ruin, wholly at ease despite that they could be under attack at any moment. ]

I ask because you two look a little similar.

[ Now, contrary to certain popular beliefs, Kaeya is not actually a flirt, not in the loose, most general sense of the word. He's not above the occasional flirtatious compliment, however — especially when he's pushing someone's buttons, testing their boundaries on purpose. ]

You're certainly just as pretty.

[ironwind]

...Again, flattery will get you nowhere.

[ What... is he supposed to make of this? Aether is starting to wonder whether all these long years have worn down the sharpness of his mind. He can't honestly remember the last time anyone remarked on his appearance in any sort of way; he can't imagine what Kaeya is trying to accomplish with this. He remembers being a little vain once, maybe. Nowadays, though, he simply doesn't think about how he looks, and he ties his hair back in a braid out of habit more than anything else. What kind of game is Kaeya playing?

As for Lumine and the weaponization of Dvalin... Well, he can ignore that easily enough, actually. It doesn't mean anything to him; he knew that it was over the minute his sister set her sights on his plan. She was always like that. An unstoppable force. Never a princess but a queen or a general or a conquerer or a king... ]

Sorry, but I wouldn't know much about what's happened here in Mondstadt. I'm actually from Fontaine.

[ He doesn't particularly want to flesh out unnecessary details about the character he's playing, but if Kaeya is going to keep pushing for information... ]

[spiralabyss]

Fontaine, hmm?

[ Quite some distance he’s traveled, then. He lies pretty well, though; Kaeya has to start considering the outlandish possibility that perhaps Lumine’s brother met with a tragic accident and now has amnesia, or else perhaps he’s been bewitched to believe that he is a different person entirely. The stuff of fairy tales for children.

Of course, Kaeya is more than well aware that life isn’t a fairy tale. And, oh, how convenient — their path is being blocked by one of those flaming turrets that he can put out at a moment’s whim.

Can being the operative word, of course. Smirking, Kaeya folds his arms and does absolutely nothing, just waiting to see what Aether does. Will the prideful “mercenary” beg for a Vision-wielder’s help? Or find some other way around?

Ah, and... another little test. ]

Do they still serve the best drinks at Le Grand Truite?

[ironwind]

[ Damn it. If Kaeya weren't here, Aether could take care of this flame barrier easily enough, but since the Cavalry Captain is dogging him, he has to pretend that he can't manipulate the elements.

Moreover, the fact that this relic has been switched on means that the commanders of this outpost have likely activated all of this ruin's defenses and are presently preparing for his arrival. It's not as though he didn't expect otherwise, but... hm. It's quite the quandary. He'll be handicapped as long as Kaeya is around.

Particularly given that the man is trying to ensnare him with these asinine questions... ]

...There's no bar in Fontaine called Le Grand Truite. Are you thinking of L'Anguille Royale?

[ Fortunately, Aether has actually spent real time in Fontaine: he can tell that the good captain was just setting a trap for him to see if he'd blithely agree. Sighing, he takes care of the flame barrier in his own way: while he would usually just fly over it, he opts instead to somersault over the turret with a gymnast's lithe grace, landing a little heavily but none the worse for wear.

Sighing, he straightens and brushes dust off his knees, looking at Kaeya with a defiance that vaguely suggests he might really be saying beat that. ]

I think you've had a few too many to be wandering around in a place like this, Kaeya.

[ Oh, he regrets calling Kaeya by name immediately. It makes them seem too much like friends. ]

[spiralabyss]

Oh, that's right, isn't it? Seems I'm getting on in years.

[ And yet he says this with such aggressive insincerity, and with a face that can't be older than twenty-five...

In any case, it really was just a bluff — Kaeya hasn't been to Fontaine either, which means that Aether's correction could have been in Hilichurlian for all that it mattered to the Cavalry Captain. Still, he replied without missing a beat. On instinct alone, Kaeya still suspects that the traveler is lying to him, but as far as hard evidence goes, he doesn't have a thing to show for all his troubles.

The more useful piece of information he's secured might be that Aether is the kind of person who can't help correcting others when he knows they're wrong, though.

Hmm. Well. Calmly, Kaeya uses his Frostgnaw technique to disable the blazing turret, deciding to act as if what Aether has done was no more remarkable than sauntering through the dusty air in the ruins, as Kaeya himself does now. ]

You don't look old enough to drink, yourself.

[ironwind]

[ The comment rankles, but Aether tries to swallow it down. Why is he letting himself get riled up by this... this tarnished excuse for a knight? ]

You of all people ought to know that looks can be deceivi —

[ Now, it's not really as though he didn't watch where he was going.

But the floor beneath Aether's feet suddenly gives way, and while he doesn't manage anything so undignified as a yelp, his eyes blow wide and his heels slide into the darkness below — ]

[spiralabyss]

[ Tarnished excuse for a knight though Kaeya may be, even he's not about to let a hapless boy — or seasoned mercenary as the case may be — fall to his death. Deftly, he grasps Aether's wrist and hauls him back, encircling one arm around the traveler's lithe waist even though he doesn't really need to.

He really is as light as he looks. It's strangely satisfying to be able to know that, to feel how fragile he is. ]

Be more careful, Aether.

[ Will Kaeya ever pass up the chance to be a dick? Absolutely not. He'll even squeeze Aether's waist and hold him close for good measure, voice lowering to a whisper that ought to tickle the "prince's" ear. ]

Maybe you're the one who shouldn't be wandering around in a place like this.

[ironwind]

I — I would have been fine!

[ The indignity — the gall of this man — Aether is seething beneath the surface, and barely concealing it, too; he hasn't been touched so disrespectfully in at least the past fifty years, and once again he has to consider the pros and cons of just stabbing Kaeya through the gut and leaving him to bleed out here in this ruin.

It would be so easy. And it would be the last time he ever had to hear from Mondstadt's Cavalry Captain.

...Lumine wouldn't like it, though. That's the only thing staying his hand as he breaks free of Kaeya's embrace. He's not nearly as fragile as he looks and feels.

Though at the moment all he can feel is the vivid blush on his nose and cheeks... ]

Let go of me.

[ Stumbling back, Aether pushes himself away from Kaeya and then surveys the hole at his feet. It's a small one, to be fair, but now that he gets a closer look at the floor ahead of them... Well, it's all cracked and broken. The tiles don't look very sturdy.

Just a minor problem. Such a terribly insignificant problem. If not for Kaeya, Aether would simply glide over this obstacle with wings of light. But since this outrageous idiot is out here ruining everything, he's... they'll have to...

Ugh, why does it feel like they're traveling together? Why does he feel responsible for this man? ]

...We'll have to find some other way across. This way. I thought I saw a different path a few paces back.

[spiralabyss]

[ Hmm... interesting. Given how cagey and opaque Aether's been about his circumstances, this is a pleasantly transparent reaction. Lumine was much better at just shrugging off Kaeya's teasing without much outward reaction — but then, Lumine also had the advantage of having grown used to Paimon's teasing. Aether seems to have spent most of his time alone, pushing people away from him.

The Cavalry Captain still can't get a sense of what it is Aether's really been up to without his precious sister, but it seems like he might be susceptible to Kaeya's shallow charms. Could be useful. Could be worth nothing more than getting an attractive young thing a little hot and bothered.

...Could be fun. ]

You think so? I don't see any reason we shouldn't cross.

[ With a casually analytic air, Kaeya casts his one icy eye over the cracked and crumbling hallway ahead of them, breaking into a slightly self-satisfied smirk as he offers Aether his hand. ]

Should be fine as long as we each haul each other up when needed. Call it... teamwork.

[ This is a bold claim coming from a man who is himself exceedingly poor at teamwork. ]

[ironwind]

...Are you seriously suggesting that we walk through this hall while holding hands?

[ Disgusting... the worst... a total scumbag. Is Kaeya like this around Lumine? A pity Aether can't just ask his sister, or there might be a sword through Kaeya's throat right about now.

Huffing faintly under his breath, Aether puts his hands on his hips for the first time in what feels like ages. When was the last time he was ever so angry with someone and unable to do something about it? Even the impending rebellion doesn't have him this worked up.

He feels... odd. Strangely human. Boyish again in a way he hasn't been. He doesn't like the feeling. ]

What's to stop us both from falling through the floor?

[spiralabyss]

Oh? Didn't you just say that you would have been fine?

[ Kaeya, of course, is thoroughly unruffled. He'd look even more satisfied if Aether actually called him a disgusting scumbag. (And really, he's not so bad, is he? Holding hands is perfectly innocent!) He quirks his long fingers a little, almost in a beckoning motion, but then he lets his hand drop somewhat, almost as if giving up. His taunt is silent, but it's plain as the smile on his face: I mean, if you don't want to, I won't make you... ]

If those big Mitachurls can get across, we shouldn't have a problem. The underlying structure is solid enough that it won't fully cave.

[ Well, truth be told, Kaeya isn't really the touchy-feely type — he's only teasing, so this has more or less accomplished its purpose. Aether is loosening up, getting flustered and frustrated, and that's all that Kaeya really needs to see. Snakelike smile unwavering, he lets his outstretched hand fall. ]

[ironwind]

[ Aether really has to wonder if he's losing his touch. He's never felt so — so checkmated. So played! It's absolutely infuriating, and yet — he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. He'll be a coward if he refuses, but he'll playing right into this "adventurer's" hands if he agrees. For the love of all that is unholy in the Abyss, he should have just refused Kaeya's company from the start.

But here he is, an outlander with powers beyond mortal ken, being jerked around by one sly jerk with an eyepatch, and it's maddening. This isn't a problem he can solve with brute force alone. This isn't a problem he can solve at all.

Faced with two humiliating evils, Aether ultimately opts to choose the one that will burn less when the bandage is torn off. ]

Fine, we'll — [ he can't even believe he's saying this ] — we'll do this together. Come on.

[ Saying that, he takes Kaeya's hand in his own, hurriedly pulling him along so that they can get this over with as quickly as possible. Hmm, suppose Kaeya slips and Aether just lets him die like that... ]

[spiralabyss]

[ It's not as though Kaeya takes special pleasure in the warmth of Aether's small fingers wrapped around his palm, or really anything of that sort. In truth, he doesn't especially like being touched (though it's different, of course, when he's the one doing the touching). But it's not a bad feeling to get the "mercenary" to surrender, and it's actually rather satisfying to have him walking by Kaeya's side, fingers tangled in his own, like an obedient pup tethered by a leash. To escape the feeling of being held, Kaeya brushes his thumb over Aether's knuckles a few times, wondering if he can feel the gesture through his thin gloves. ]

There, this isn't so bad, is it? The tiles here aren't even loose. [ To illustrate his point, he nudges one with his foot; it doesn't budge. ] Just don't step in that crack right there, and —

[ Ah. Oops. He does slip a bit in the middle of his sentence — which isn't like him, but even he has his off days, and he was distracted watching where Aether was stepping. The ground beneath his left foot gives way and falls to the infinite blackness below; fortunately, he's able to put his weight on Aether's arm and stabilize his right foot before he falls.

Once he's standing on solid ground again, the Cavalry Captain only chuckles, as if totally unbothered — thoroughly enjoying the thrill of danger. ]

Easy does it. What would I have done without you?

[ironwind]

[ Now, Aether does really consider it. He does really think about it. He does truly imagine pushing Kaeya down into that pitch-black darkness to silence that smart mouth if nothing else. But he was a kind person once — he is a kind person at heart, never mind how he's been twisted — and the moment is simply too brief. On reflex, he braces to support Kaeya's weight, and is surprised to find that Kaeya, too, feels a little fragile, a little lighter than expected.

...Then again, looking at his slender waist, perhaps it isn't so unexpected after all?

Regardless, Kaeya doesn't have long to gloat, and it's just as well, really. Aether lets go of Kaeya's hand as soon as they're past the cracked and crumbling section of the floor, although it isn't because he wants to (though he does), but rather — ]

Duck.

[ The Hilichurls have set up a makeshift ambush of sorts — three archers are standing atop explosive Slime barrels, sniping at their visitors while a smaller contingent of melee brawlers are rushing at Kaeya and Aether, clubs at the ready.

That being said, they pose little threat, even if Aether won't be using his powers. Calmly, he keeps his center of gravity low as he rushes to greet the brawlers headlong, leaving the archers to Kaeya. That much, at least, he's willing to trust the man with. ]

[spiralabyss]

[ What kind of man does Aether take him for?

...Well, not a good one, clearly. He'd be right not to trust Kaeya, too. Kaeya Alberich is not the sort of person you can trust to be your friend or an ally on the battlefield. As the enemy of an enemy, though, he's invaluable — as evidenced by the way he fires off three icicles toward the explosive barrels that... Honestly, why are they standing on those?

Video game logic. Well, hilichurls aren't known for their intelligence. Maybe they thought that it would serve as a barrier, but that sure backfired on them, and to Kaeya's benefit. The hilichurl archers aren't finished off from the explosion, though; Kaeya will flank Aether as they both move in to end the battle through close combat.

One slash of his longsword, another swipe — Frostgnaw for good measure, and the job is done. ]

Cool off!

[ Aether surely doesn't need his help, but Kaeya's watching with his visible eye to see how it is this mysterious mercenary fights. The Cavalry Captain's more than willing to bet that he doesn't fence like a fighter from Fontaine. ]

[ironwind]

[ Aether doesn't, though he knows that he should. Combat habits aren't the sort of thing you can just change at the drop of a hat, though; even if the Abyss Prince were a master actor, which he isn't, he couldn't just step into the role of a swordsman from Fontaine at the drop of a hat, trading old habits for new body language like shedding skin.

As things stand, the way he moves and slashes — it's not quite like Lumine's style at all, being that she tends to be a bit more refined, and Aether fights more like a wild beast. But there's a little move they both do that leaves them both holding their swords at a reverse grip — yes, whatever foreign style they use, there's no doubt that Aether and Lumine have learned from the same master, or else developed their habits together. Someone as observant as Kaeya will notice that immediately.

Though he's keenly aware that he's being watched, Aether cuts the hilichurls down like they're no more dangerous than dandelions bobbing in the wind, twirling his blade a little reflexively before allowing it to disappear. He doesn't need his powers for something like this. The threat has been eliminated, at least for the time being. ]

...At least you can hold your own.

[ No thanks or gratitude given, but it's not really personal. Aether isn't actually the type to hold grudges or be stingy with praise — he's just leaning into the stoic mercenary act. ]

Stay close. Looks like the next section isn't going to be very well-lit.

[spiralabyss]

[ Very interesting. It's like Lumine's gliding style — where has Kaeya seen it before...?

He isn't going to think too long or too hard about it, though. Clearly, Aether is lying about being from Fontaine, but Kaeya knows full well that prompting him about it won't help at this point in time. He only chuckles and sidles closer to the lithe traveler — though he keeps his hands to himself. ]

Don't mind if I do. See, with this eyepatch on, I have poor depth perception.

[ ...He sounds so incredibly sarcastic about it that it's probably not even true. ]

I'm honored to meet your standards, though. Where did you learn to fight so well without a Vision, Aether?

[ Don't think he hasn't noticed, Aether. ]

[ironwind]

Here and there, I suppose.

[ The answer is noncommittal, evasive, but it has to be because Aether genuinely didn't have a response prepared for this question. He should have anticipated it — he did anticipate it — but he couldn't think of anything that wouldn't just wind up pushing him into a thorny path of lies. Best to keep things simple. He's a mercenary; he's honed his skills over the years. Kaeya doesn't need to know how many years have passed since he began traveling through Teyvat.

He doesn't mind Kaeya's height looming over him, much to his own surprise. It's a little comforting; it feels protective, but he won't admit that out loud. Long, long ago, he might have felt so lonely that such a presence would have been welcomed into his life. Now, though — now he doesn't need such things. He tells himself he doesn't need such things. ]

Visions are only as good as the people who use them.

[ He only means for it to be a gentle statement, but the touch of melancholy that creeps into his voice is real. The bitter edge in the back of his throat — that's real, too. ]

I would never make the mistake of assuming that being chosen by the gods will lead me to greatness.

[spiralabyss]

[ Visions are only as good as the people who use them. Hmm. What a very interesting thing to say. Chosen by the gods — that's an interesting thing to say, too. Kaeya's certainly never thought of himself as chosen or blessed by anything. His Vision only serves him as a reminder of his mistakes.

Though that doesn't mean that he's shy about using it wherever warranted. When they come across a stone pillar that will require Cryo resonance to activate a mechanism in the walls, the Cavalry Captain briefly considers holding it over Aether's head in an attempt to negotiate with him, but... Well, as easy as it's been to deal with a handful of hilichurls, they are still in enemy territory. Best to simply get the job done.

Another burst of ice takes care of that, and Kaeya watches in satisfaction as some ancient gears turn, sliding a stone slab open to reveal a new passageway they can walk through. ]

Oh? Sounds like you might have a little vendetta against the gods, Aether. Planning to overturn Celestia, are we?

[ironwind]

( hey we decided not to finish this thread actually

if you're here for some reason, check out our shameless smut instead. thanks! )