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Reading this is unadvised,
really, it's stupid
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„Any last words?” said Diluc approaching Abyss Mage who was the only one left of three Mages nightly ambush in the forest near Springvale most certainly planned for the redhead to step in. Despite their type advantage of hydro this fight was no more than a play for the Uncrowned King of Mondstadt.
„You won't be this confident next time!” panted creature finishing with muffled laugh.
Diluc stepped closer, his claymore ablaze. Anger and disgust flicking in his burning eyes. One step more to deliver lethal swipe. With that step floor around his boot shone with all too familiar yet foreign to him words of the Abyss, ones often appearing above Mages. First reaction was to jump off yet he found it impossible. Laying Mage rose and began incantation accompanied by dancing as if they normally do though this one felt more complicated. Diluc tried to reach the enemy to no avail. Abyssal energy grew stronger by each passing second and more symbols were appearing creating complex chains around him. World turned hazy as he felt heavy. Unable to fight further Diluc passed out. He couldn't see nor hear yet he felt the all too familiar surge of power. At first it was calming, warm. Then it began to burn as if he stepped right into his soaring Dawn.
After Archons know how long the heat subdued, still there but no longer unbearable. The next sensation he felt was moisture and roughness. 'Coast' he thought, 'was this spell an explosion so I landed that far?'. Diluc tried to regain his senses. To say the least he felt weird, like trapped in way too big fur coat. Every movement felt stocky. Sudden poke at leg made him roll back. Wobbly he managed to sit up and open eyes. To his surprise there was a crouching hilichurl with a stick. Creature was white haired and surprisingly big, maybe even taller than him. This was getting weirder. Shouldn't it attack him? Well, one less obstacle for today, if it's not hostile.
Diluc scanned his surrounding to make sure there was no imminent danger. It was a bright day already. 'I must've passed out after impact'. Noting that he's indeed on the beach he recognized a teleport in the middle of the lake. 'Still in Springvale, good' he thought. Standing up with an utmost difficulty, like swimming in pudding, he started walking towards the village.
„Ugh I don't know what they did but fighting Dvalin was less exhausting” was his voice an octave higher?
„Gusha! Biat!” shouted hilichurl running and stopping before Diluc. It was clearly afraid and tried to halt the man.
„I don't have time for this” he said and passed the stressed creature with short and heavy steps.
„Niniiii…” and it dashed into woods.
„Eh, finally some peace”
When nearing buildings his stroll was cut short with a scream of frightened woman. She dropped the laundry basket and ran back to the village as quickly as possible. Despite lack of strength Diluc turned around ready to summon his weapon and fight whatever startled lady. To his surprise there appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary. 'Maybe she saw a bug or something'.
Not much time passed and he heard coming footsteps. Fast one at that. 'Probably her man to check on the situation'.
The sight of midnight blue hair was certainly something Diluc did not expect to greet at the moment. The next thing almost got him to laugh as he heard harsh
„Freeze!” accompanied by searing cold.
Not having much strength left to dodge Diluc landed on his back. In mere seconds meeting a sharp edge near his throat. 'Could this day get any worse?'
„What do you think you're doing here” demanded Kaeya.
„The question is what are YOU doing with this sword on me?!”
„I asked first, no? Are there more Mages? Better answer, I had rough day”
„Rough you say? There were only three, all taken care of already”
„What?” surprise washed in the man's visible eye.
„Yeah, since Knights of Favonius are so inefficient someone else has to take care of Mondstadt in their stead”
„What are you- What game is Abyss Order playing now? Where is he?” grip on sword tightened audibly.
„I don't have time nor energy for chitchat. Could you kindly get off me Captain Kaeya” grumbled Diluc.
„You'll find energy for that” he grabbed redhead by his collar and pushed against a tree with a cold, nearly angry expression. He noticed that his legs were not touching grass. 'Is Kaeya really that much taller?'.
„I'll ask one last time. What Abyss Order did to Diluc Ragnvindr?”
„You must have spent too much time in my tavern”
Grip on his neck tightened.
„Stop playing games and answer!”
„Nye! Nye!” shouted hilichurl from before.
„What? Holi?”
„You know it?”
„Shut up”
„Celi mita! Celi shato yo. Yo beru Celi”
“Why would I help it?” he glanced at Diluc with disgust.
„Celi yo lawa”
„It's not- Wait, what?” now looking at the supposed enemy with utmost shock he asked „...Diluc?”
„What now?”
„You- How did- What happened?!” he dropped him backing a little.
„Ouch!”
„Ah sorry.. are you hurt?” Kaeya crouched down to help him.
„No, I don't think so” the redhead rubbed his head.
„Good. What do you remember?”
Diluc looked at his brother quizzically but answered honestly.
„They ambushed me yesterday at night in the forest. Last one casted some sort of spell and I woke up like ten minutes ago. Or rather was forced to by a certain hilichurl. Why do you seem to know it?”
„Okay first things first. You've last been seen leaving Mondstadt on Tuesday and we have Monday. Springvale reported sightings of fight and escaping hydro Abyss Mage but not a trace of you. So the spell you mentioned must've teleported you somewhere cuz' I doubt anyone could miss a red fluffy furrball”
„I know my hair's kinda messy but-”
„Have you seen yourself?”
„That's a bit of an exaggeration Captain”
„No, Luc, seriously. Have you seen yourself since you woke up?”
„No? Why? And actually why are you so tall all of the sudden?”
„Umm.. Hey Holi!” just like that he covered the awkwardness of the situation. 'Why do you have to be this blunt?' Kaeya mused. „She's one of my informants. Found her trapped and scared in the Eclipse tribe's camp. Seemed like they were going to sacrifice her or something. I was tasked to clean the area so after fending off others I freed her but she kept following me. Therefore Holi's now working for me. I asked her to look for you” Kaeya pulled out of his bag a Fruity Skewer and offered it to Holi.
„Thanks a lot”
„Odomu. Valo!” she took food and happily ran off.
„Sooo” Kaeya straightened and clasped his hands trying to appear as casually as he could yet even Diluc managed to see uneasiness under that mask. „On good terms I know what they did to you”
„Just spit it out already”
„You're an Abyss Mage now. Pyro one at that”
„…”
„…”
„That's not funny”
„I'm not joking”
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