A crueler man wouldn't even give this level of civility. [Said absent mindedly tapping his fingers against his sword's sheathe as someone who once was said crueler man. As someone who also knew Kaeya could easily break his bonds. But even the strongest ice mage couldn't cast with a sword through his neck.
For a man assumedly of the Thirteenth, his given name was at least standard of the Source for his race.]
Kae'ya. [Repeated to commit to memory with a notable emphasis put on the latter half of the name.] When and if your innocence is proven, I'll offer my apologies.
[Said looking into the distance as he watched his bird approach from the air. As it did Takame tapped at something hidden under his horn and behind his hair that made a high pitched hum.]
He is apprehended, but injured. Please prepare a room.
[In the time it took him to reach out, his bird landed carefully next to the two. He whispered to it, falling back into his first language by habit, but with weary Kweh! it kneeled to the ground. Takame tugged at the bonds, gentle compared to earlier, signaling for Kaeya to follow him on.] You are welcome to. However I would suggest saving your energy.
[He had seen birds like these at a distance. Seeing them up close is different. He can’t resist making a soft crooning sound he uses on horses. He once used it when he and Diluc learned to train hunting hawks with Master Crepus.
He takes slow steps towards the bird with his tail curling at the tip.] Your suggestion is noted. But, this is my investigation.
[The shade of the captain he is edges his voice. He smiles right after.] Tell me about the calamity and primals. I understand the primals are condensed elemental energy but I never stuck around places long enough to learn more.
Hm. [Something deep within Takame wanted to fold to the authority in Kaeya's voice. There was an agitated twitch in his tail as he willed himself not to, this man is no commander of his, and taking such commands wasn't his life anymore.
With a small shake of his head, he spoke quietly to his Chocobo again. His tone was soft and accommodating, but subtly urgent. Despite that the inflection at the end of his foreign words sounded more like a request than a command.
Another Kweh!!, more assertive. When Kaeya was comfortably secure on his bird, Takame made his way on as well and gestured for it to move towards Moraby Drydocks. His chocobo was more suited to a Roegadyn man due to the lack of Au Ra in the region at the time, but it worked in his favor as it allowed more than one to mount.]
... When Dalamud fell Bahamut emerged and his rage fell upon Eorzea. But long before that did the beast tribes gather crystals to summon false images of their gods whose mere presence drains the land of its aether.
Correct. [On all accounts. But the way Kaeya pieced this together... was he not aware? For someone from another of Hydaelyn's shards to make it to the Source there had to have been some knowledge shared of The Calamity at least.
Takame tucked his hair tail into his collar to prevent it from preventing Kaeya from speaking as they flew against the wind. He'd rather not make the man waste anymore energy than needed swatting his hair away.]
The words of legends and worship form the primals' appearance, as such their accuracy cannot be taken as entirely reliable. Though they are all fashioned in some way after their respective tribes. [Takame intentionally gave fairly common knowledge, better to fish out what Kaeya already knew than share confidential information.]
[His ears betray him by popping up. But he is deep in the hunt now and nothing will sway him from it. The true face of a primal is-] And that is why they are not a god but an artistic, often idealized version. Their summoner’s beliefs and faith are what shape the direction the energy takes.
The god itself is unknown. Possibly a figure from legend that became a god in the eyes of their people over the years.
[He hadn’t even needed to catch himself to avoid giving things away. This doesn’t sound like an Archon at all.]
And the people that make them don’t realize the might of the places they impacted. None of you did.
They care not for the consequences. Only for salvation and retribution in the here and now. [Such is man's lot. To take and to break and to look out for only themselves under a guise. But just what did Kaeya want to learn? How much did he know about this order? Questions for later, for when he didn't seem on the verge of collapse.
Takame had several he wanted to know simply for him, not for the alliance. The thought of asking them brought another nervous twitch of his tail as the glow of Moraby Drydocks' Aetheryte shined brighter the nearer they got. A shift of his reins and a whispered command had the Chocobo begin to make his descent onto the dock.]
Are you so surprised? The desperate lose any sense. They’re clinging to a feeble hope that everything will turn out alright.
[The bird is descending. He can see the light of the crystal and his strength is fading. He did too much today. The damage that damn Ruin Guardian did didn’t help. Nor did almost drowning in Hydro energy.
He sways a little and when the bird lands his conscious winks out and in his ears all he can hear is his father.
Yes. The desperate will do anything so their hopes won’t be snuffed out. He slips off the bird and falls with a thud to the ground. Face and hair damp with a slight sheen of sweat. He had fought to stay conscious for too long.]
[No. He wasn't surprised. But such words from a man who he still didn't trust did nothing to clear suspicion or Takame's nerves.]
... ?! [He turned when he felt Kaeya slip, tail lifting in surprise as he descended. His bird tended to squat upon landing which alleviated the fall, but it was still a hard one that Takame wasn't fast enough to stop.
He should have seen this coming, that was his sole thought as he kneeled beside Kaeya and checked his slow pulse. Alive, still injured. Exhausted. Takame was careful as he lifted the Miqo'te's unconscious body in both of his arms and gave his bird the command to stay for now. Entering the docks he saw his Hyuran Alliance contact and requested to be led to the prepared room with a healer at the ready where he left Kaeya in their care.
Some time later on he'll return to the room. Until then he would stable and treat his Chocobo and nervously pace about the plaza. Once approval was given, however, Takame would enter the room, sitting at a table set adjacent to the bed.]
[Kaeya lays on his back with his dark blue hair loose. His eyepatch is still on his face. Bandages wrap around his now bare chest and torso. He’s been stripped down to his pants.
For the first hour he doesn’t even stir. Thirty minutes into the second hour he stirs and his lone eye opens slowly. His ears twitch. Then his eye widens as he shoots up in bed.
Pain slaps his senses and he drops back against the bed with a hissed curse in his native tongue. He freezes when his eye catches Takame sitting near by.] ...hello again.
[On the few chances he had, Takame did watch over Kaeya. His injuries were very real, but he didn't want to run the risk of him waking sooner than expected and making his retreat.
It wasn't a surprise to see his wounds run so far along his body, and it wasn't the first time Takame had seen a man stripped to borderline decency this month. This week. He shifted his body halfway to sit sideways in his chair and face Kaeya, elbows pressed against his knees and chin resting against his hands balled into fists.]
The Alliance will have their own questions, but there is much I would ask you myself. [Much he would confirm. A pause and another twitch of his tail, he ought to start simple.] From where do you and this Abyss Order hail and how have you come here?
[Ah, that question. He lays back against the pillow and traps his tail under his leg. He still doesn’t have enough control of it to fully hide his moods.]
The Abyss Order’s original home is a complicated answer. Let’s leave it at they come from the Abyss. Something that lies between. Where time is slower and all things are...different.
[He closes his eye. They had healed him but not enough to put him at his usual fighting shape. Of course.] I’m from the continent of Teyvat. Domain of The Seven. Specifically from the city Nation of Mondstadt.
As for how I came here. I was chasing them through a ruin...and was pulled into a rift they made. I woke up here with more limbs, [His ears twitch.] Than I usually have.
I know a few of my coworkers who would say wolf ears would be a better fit. [He flashes a smile that’s all teeth.]
What you describe is commonly referred to as the void, but you say you aren't with them. [His tail flicked at the description of the Abyss, but the rest... it was impossible for the Thirteenth to pull enough of itself together to form a continent let alone a nation with an organization of Knights.
Takame's eyes were drawn to the ear movements. New limbs, he called them...]
You imply you aren't a Miqo'te. [How was that even possible... he'd heard the one off rumor of the mystical Fantasia potion, but. Such matters went far over his head. Logging the wolf quip in his mind but not commenting on it, Takame continued.]
Aetherial rifts have appeared throughout the realm. If what you say is true, might I assume they are this Abyss Order's doing?
That is correct. They’re quite adept at that. Whether the Abyss and the void are the same...I don’t know. One could lead into the other for all I know. [Kaeya shoves the pillow up behind him and pulls himself up. His body doesn’t like the motion but he prefers being upright. They hadn’t removed his vision from his belt.
If he needs to run, he has options. He taps the tip of one of his ears and lets it shift.]
They seek to pull down the gods and devour everything in the Abyss. That’s been their aim from the beginning and I wonder if they seek sources of power from this world. It wouldn’t be the first time they used what was left behind.
So they are harbingers of chaos. [Sounded like common behavior for the desperate. To bring everything else down around them for a purpose they deemed greater with no further regard. Takame's eyes fell shut, contemplative. Each shard is not so different in that regard, be they full of cutthroats or heretical mages.
He mustn't allow such thoughts to come to light. His thumb tapped against the scales on his chin, half to relieve the nervous energy that began to boil over in him.]
What sort of ruin did the rift that brought you here appear in? [If it was of Allagan design, it would explain much and give him a source of further information. His eyes opened slowly, giving Kaeya a long and meticulous scan from head to toe and back again while awaiting the answer.]
[He doesn't even hesitate. He's on the job right now and brevity is for other times.] Most ruins in Mondstadt are made of advanced magical arts long lost to the rest of us.
From the very gateways to the cut of the stone.
[He gestures with his hand and lays it back on his thigh.] Unless you mean where I arrived here. There was a lot of advanced machinery.
[Then his eye goes dark and his face flat and serious.] And there were corpses. It looks like the ancients of your land quite enjoyed their experiments.
[There's an edge to his voice. He clearly doesn't like the thought of biological experiments. At all. And anyone doing them would have an enemy.]
I see. [Both the before and after point to Allagan design, especially Kaeya's arrival to this shard. Part of him relaxed upon hearing Kaeya's tone. For as emotionally inept as he was, Takame had a talent for sensing genuine anger.
With good reason as well.]
The Allagans had little regard for human life. [His tone was grim, as if those who still don't remain. In a place like Garlemald who Allag shared an Emperor with. His lips purse at the thought and a breath comes out heavier and quicker. His theory proved correct, at least. But to learn how he would need to consult an expert. For later. For the alliance to request of him.
There's a long pause, the only sound being the tapping of his tail against the table leg as he sat upright in his chair.]
There is... one more thing I would ask. [There was hesitation in the way his voice softened.] The aether that swirls around you... save for traces of the umbral, it is almost entirely ice-aspected. 'Tis almost as if you've been touched by a primal of ice, though one has not existed for some time. [The edge of his tail curled in on itself under the table.] Why is that?
[It takes everything not to stiffen. His fellow Mondstadters couldn't ever find that out. To be this exposed. He flicks his left ear as he lays back against the pillow.
His expression is still serious but shades of exhaustion leak through. It seems safer to allow it to be seen.]
That is the nature of my magic. It is entirely Cryo. It comes at a cost, as all things do. Those who use magic back home even the gods themselves are singularly aspected.
[Entirely... "Cryo", he says. Earlier he described the crystals' energy as "Hyrdo"... Takame tilted his head before a splitting pain suddenly shot through it. Like the light in the room itself drove a spear right through it...
He brought a hand to his head, as if to dull the pain and his vision blurred...]
[So many threads and he can't quite tell where they're going. He would prefer to help clear out trouble but Jean is relying on him to untangle all these strings wrapped around their beloved Mondstadt.
He looks up and there is Aether with his companion. A smile steals across his face as he joins them by Sarah's stall. They hadn't noticed him. What a shame.]
Why so cold? I've always thought that we enjoy quite the intimate friendship. [He drags the word 'intimate' out as Aether turns to him with wide golden eyes. Pretty eyes if one were to ask him. 'Oh, I didn't see you there.'
Aether's skill in battle isn't something he can deny. There's no way he was missed. He laughs,] Hahaha... It seems your great battle sharpened not only your combat skills but your wit as well. A knight after my own heart.
[He places his hand over his own heart. Aether snorts and shakes his head. 'Ah, the handsome mister Kaeya.' His grin is a little more real. The traveler is someone he likes. They're fun to be around and don't have any of the baggage he has with other people he dare not name to himself. He can't resist a little flirting. It would be a crime not to.] Ah, you do feel something for me. And people say my charm is fake. To bask in the presence of Mondstadt's new big hero is quite the morale boost. And that's coming from a knight.
[Maybe laying it on thick. People bend a little more if he does that. He knows he's pretty and so does everyone else. Paimon put her hands on her hips. 'Sweet-talking sugar-coated Captain Kaeya...' It's a nice change. He laughs again.] Haha, nonsense! I speak from the heart.
[Aether ignores their banter to persist, 'What are you doing here?' Some of his mirth fades as the problems bubble back up. Not that they ever actually left.] Just looking for a quiet spot to collect my thoughts.
['While all the other knights are working hard to clean up after the battle...' Paimon says with a bit of an accusatory tone. He hears it every day from Amber. It doesn't bother him and he continues,] Thinking can be an arduous task, you know. Believe me, I'd much rather be taking out the trash.
[It would be so much easier. Cleaning out the trash is good exercise and when he gets to have a little fun is when he can drink himself stupid. Not today. A shame. Paimon loses a little of suspicious look on her face. A little bit. If he really wanted her to stop he'd just offer food or money. She's very easy to manage. 'So, whatcha thinkin' about, then?' He doesn't bother with dragging it out.] The Abyss order.
[He brings his hand up to his face as he says.] A dragon wreaks havoc in Mondstadt, and the Acting Grand Master leaves the city to combat the threat. Strategically, that's the perfect moment for the Abyss Order to make their move. If you were with the Abyss Order, would you squander this golden opportunity by sending in nothing more than a few hilichurls?
[His hand drops to his chest as he leans forward and Ather blinks, a thoughtful look on his face. 'You're right, it doesn't add up. There must be more to this story.' He nods and most of his amusement drops. No need it for it right now. This is work.]
To get to the bottom of it, I decided to wait. So I waited, and watched for their next move.
[And what a move it was. It was almost too obvious. It worries him. The fact they're united is a cause for concern and will be the subject of many sleepless nights.] Then came the day when you made all hell break loose in Stormterror's Lair, just as hilichurls' cries sounded from the city gates...The same day, I saw shadowy figures lurking in the city itself.
[He isn't the shadow at Jean's back for nothing. She doesn't have to know the lengths he goes to to see justice done. Justice is never an absolute principle. No matter what some people think about it. Paimon and Aether jerk back in shock and horror, the former exclaiming 'Inside the city?!'
He spreads his hands apart to gesture to the city as a whole. This is why he doesn't tell Jean the particulars. That and she would worry too unnecessarily and try to take it all on herself. Better to let the captain with his wealth of contacts and a vicious protective former captain deal with things for her.] Well, all the other knights were outside, fighting the enemy. As you can imagine, that left the inside of the city completely unguarded.
[Diluc wouldn't have left if he didn't know he'd lurk in the shadows and wait to strike down those who seek harm on Mondstadt.] Except for me, of course. And so I approached the Abyss Order infiltrators for a bit of... hmm, let's call it fraternizing.
[A little flirting. A little charm. Seeming shadier than usual. That kind of thing is so easy. People talk when they think you want something.] Through various means, I managed to gather some rather interesting intel. The situation is this: The Abyss Order... they are united under a single leader.
[Paimon jerks back again and her high pitched voice grates a little on his nerves. Just a little. 'The Abyss Order has a leader?' He hadn't been surprised personally. They're too organized. Sinners and fools too deep in the Abyss used to just cause chaos without pause. Now...it's direct as a sword.] Yes. And it was this very leader who devised the plot to turn Dvalin into a weapon of war.
[And he's hardly surprised when Paimon narrows her eyes again. 'What exactly did you have to do to find this out!?' Aether just watches him steadily, seeing to see through him a bit. Or maybe not. Hard to tell at times what Aether is thinking. He chuckles a bit/] Heh... Let's just say I'm blessed with certain linguistic powers.
[He's so good at words. It's the only reason he's survived this long. Well, except for the one time those words cost him the best friend he used to be thick and thin with.] There's more... The Abyss Order has a name for this leader... They call her "The Princess)."
[A title she has no right to. Maybe. There's angry grumbling coming their way and he looks up. Ah, there she is right on time.] Now, I'm sorry to cut this intelligence briefing short, but I do believe I spy Amber heading this way...
I think she's still angry with me for my absence from the defense effort during the attack... I'd better slip away before she notices me. [He lifts a hand and waves it as he slips away...]
[As Kaeya slipped away, so too did the vision. So too did the pain as Takame rubbed his temple and forehead. His breath came out short and he shook his head, tail lashing behind him like an agitated cat.
He's quiet for a while, trying to process everything he saw. The Miqo'te before him without ears or tail... in a city he didn't know speaking with a young man with Blonde hair and his... pixie familiar? He spoke with contempt, a serious tone matching the one used just a moment ago.
A tinge of regret towards the end quickly dismissed, something Takame knew far too well.]
Hells... [Practically growled. He should be used to this, the overwhelming sensation of another man's perspective who doubtless felt more than him. He tried to swallow it down, it's for another time. He spoke aloud just to remind himself he was conscious, to parse what he learned to himself. While he was mumbling, the sharp ears of a Miqo'te could easily pick up what he was saying.]
[Kaeya sits up and despite the pain moves closer to Takame.] Are you alright?
[He asks and reaches out towards him only to stop. His eye widens at the words. He's a very sharp man. It's why he's alive, after all.
They'd been talking about the Abyss Order. And those words...he'd used them before. The shock stays on his face and a flash of something else deep in his eye.
Worry. Deep-seated and so intrinsic, it's been with him since he was left alone by his father.] Explain.
Ngh... I'm fine. [Takame shook his head again, trying to brush off the remainder of the splitting headache. Looking up at Kaeya and seeing the look of shock was expected. This happened often and every time it did he needed to aloud to reconnect with the world. Every time it exposed his gift and prompted him to explain himself.
There's grit at the edge of his voice, though where it came from he didn't know.]
The Echo. [He took a deep breath, both to steady himself and keep his demeanor and tone even. As always.] It's a... a gift that I possess, one I have no control over, that allows me glimpses into people's memories.
[The word "gift" was quieter than the rest, like he struggled to call it that. Or feared what would happen if he did not call it that, as if there would be consequences. Deep down he wouldn't call it a gift anymore. Would that it were only because of that look of fear.]
[Kaeya's face goes blank. His eye narrows subtly, as he openly stares directly at Takame's eyes. He hasn't seen any evil from this man but evil can hide. Except the eyes never lie.
His fingers twitch so he sets them in his lap, imposing his control back over himself like shutting a door. He's off-balance. Internally, he reels. This is something that could rip the doors off his secrets. They don't matter here but, he has hidden behind the layers of lies for so long that he feels compelled to protect himself.]
I see. Is it really a gift or, a curse to the one that holds it? I suppose it's only you that can answer that.
[For all the horrors he can see this also is an opportunity. He lays down on his back and turns his head to watch Takame with his lone eye.]
And forgive me but I can't help but be curious just what you saw. Take your time. ...and if you can recount it in detail, I'd be most grateful to you.
[Kaeya will find no sign of deceit or ill intent in Takame's eyes. Only weariness, sorrow, apprehension. The faintest hint of light drowned in darkness from a proverbial match that begged to kindle a great flame.
Takame didn't know this man, he had thought to attack this man earlier. But seeing fear in someone eyes towards him reminded him how often it preceded a horrified escape from him, leaving him by himself. Even by people he was friendly with.
The guise of calm returned, but he didn't have an answer for whether the Echo was a blessing or curse. For Kaeya or himself. He knew he would have to come up with one eventually or else he could not evolve. But the thought still frightened him. Enough that despite his collected expression his heel tapped against the floor and caused his leg to shake as he recounted what he saw.]
Yes. [A pause.] You spoke with a young blonde man and his companion... a small girl? She resembled a pixie and had white hair. You informed them the Abyss Order had made their way into a city... Mondstadt, I assume, as your Knights were dispatched to rid the region of a dragon. [Another pause, looking to gauge Kaeya's reaction to what he was saying. He continued on.]
And that the Abyss Order sought, under the orders of one merely known as the Princess, to turn a... "Dvalin" [The name pronounced slowly, foreign on his tongue.] into a weapon of war. That is what I saw. [Though his pronunciations were rough, the way he spoke came off more as one giving a report to a superior than recalling a story.]
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For a man assumedly of the Thirteenth, his given name was at least standard of the Source for his race.]
Kae'ya. [Repeated to commit to memory with a notable emphasis put on the latter half of the name.] When and if your innocence is proven, I'll offer my apologies.
[Said looking into the distance as he watched his bird approach from the air. As it did Takame tapped at something hidden under his horn and behind his hair that made a high pitched hum.]
He is apprehended, but injured. Please prepare a room.
[In the time it took him to reach out, his bird landed carefully next to the two. He whispered to it, falling back into his first language by habit, but with weary Kweh! it kneeled to the ground. Takame tugged at the bonds, gentle compared to earlier, signaling for Kaeya to follow him on.] You are welcome to. However I would suggest saving your energy.
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He takes slow steps towards the bird with his tail curling at the tip.] Your suggestion is noted. But, this is my investigation.
[The shade of the captain he is edges his voice. He smiles right after.] Tell me about the calamity and primals. I understand the primals are condensed elemental energy but I never stuck around places long enough to learn more.
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With a small shake of his head, he spoke quietly to his Chocobo again. His tone was soft and accommodating, but subtly urgent. Despite that the inflection at the end of his foreign words sounded more like a request than a command.
Another Kweh!!, more assertive. When Kaeya was comfortably secure on his bird, Takame made his way on as well and gestured for it to move towards Moraby Drydocks. His chocobo was more suited to a Roegadyn man due to the lack of Au Ra in the region at the time, but it worked in his favor as it allowed more than one to mount.]
... When Dalamud fell Bahamut emerged and his rage fell upon Eorzea. But long before that did the beast tribes gather crystals to summon false images of their gods whose mere presence drains the land of its aether.
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Hm. So these crystals contain elemental energy and great piles of them collected together make the primals. And they’re not natural...
[They can’t be. He folds his ears back as the wind roars past them and rights them.] Bahamut was a primal. ...and Dalamund some kind of seal? No.
[He shakes his head.] Prison?
False images...tell me do we even know the true faces of their gods or yours?
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Takame tucked his hair tail into his collar to prevent it from preventing Kaeya from speaking as they flew against the wind. He'd rather not make the man waste anymore energy than needed swatting his hair away.]
The words of legends and worship form the primals' appearance, as such their accuracy cannot be taken as entirely reliable. Though they are all fashioned in some way after their respective tribes. [Takame intentionally gave fairly common knowledge, better to fish out what Kaeya already knew than share confidential information.]
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The god itself is unknown. Possibly a figure from legend that became a god in the eyes of their people over the years.
[He hadn’t even needed to catch himself to avoid giving things away. This doesn’t sound like an Archon at all.]
And the people that make them don’t realize the might of the places they impacted. None of you did.
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Takame had several he wanted to know simply for him, not for the alliance. The thought of asking them brought another nervous twitch of his tail as the glow of Moraby Drydocks' Aetheryte shined brighter the nearer they got. A shift of his reins and a whispered command had the Chocobo begin to make his descent onto the dock.]
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[The bird is descending. He can see the light of the crystal and his strength is fading. He did too much today. The damage that damn Ruin Guardian did didn’t help. Nor did almost drowning in Hydro energy.
He sways a little and when the bird lands his conscious winks out and in his ears all he can hear is his father.
Yes. The desperate will do anything so their hopes won’t be snuffed out. He slips off the bird and falls with a thud to the ground. Face and hair damp with a slight sheen of sweat. He had fought to stay conscious for too long.]
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... ?! [He turned when he felt Kaeya slip, tail lifting in surprise as he descended. His bird tended to squat upon landing which alleviated the fall, but it was still a hard one that Takame wasn't fast enough to stop.
He should have seen this coming, that was his sole thought as he kneeled beside Kaeya and checked his slow pulse. Alive, still injured. Exhausted. Takame was careful as he lifted the Miqo'te's unconscious body in both of his arms and gave his bird the command to stay for now. Entering the docks he saw his Hyuran Alliance contact and requested to be led to the prepared room with a healer at the ready where he left Kaeya in their care.
Some time later on he'll return to the room. Until then he would stable and treat his Chocobo and nervously pace about the plaza. Once approval was given, however, Takame would enter the room, sitting at a table set adjacent to the bed.]
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For the first hour he doesn’t even stir. Thirty minutes into the second hour he stirs and his lone eye opens slowly. His ears twitch. Then his eye widens as he shoots up in bed.
Pain slaps his senses and he drops back against the bed with a hissed curse in his native tongue. He freezes when his eye catches Takame sitting near by.] ...hello again.
Shall we continue our questions?
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It wasn't a surprise to see his wounds run so far along his body, and it wasn't the first time Takame had seen a man stripped to borderline decency this month. This week. He shifted his body halfway to sit sideways in his chair and face Kaeya, elbows pressed against his knees and chin resting against his hands balled into fists.]
The Alliance will have their own questions, but there is much I would ask you myself. [Much he would confirm. A pause and another twitch of his tail, he ought to start simple.] From where do you and this Abyss Order hail and how have you come here?
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The Abyss Order’s original home is a complicated answer. Let’s leave it at they come from the Abyss. Something that lies between. Where time is slower and all things are...different.
[He closes his eye. They had healed him but not enough to put him at his usual fighting shape. Of course.] I’m from the continent of Teyvat. Domain of The Seven. Specifically from the city Nation of Mondstadt.
As for how I came here. I was chasing them through a ruin...and was pulled into a rift they made. I woke up here with more limbs, [His ears twitch.] Than I usually have.
I know a few of my coworkers who would say wolf ears would be a better fit. [He flashes a smile that’s all teeth.]
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Takame's eyes were drawn to the ear movements. New limbs, he called them...]
You imply you aren't a Miqo'te. [How was that even possible... he'd heard the one off rumor of the mystical Fantasia potion, but. Such matters went far over his head. Logging the wolf quip in his mind but not commenting on it, Takame continued.]
Aetherial rifts have appeared throughout the realm. If what you say is true, might I assume they are this Abyss Order's doing?
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If he needs to run, he has options. He taps the tip of one of his ears and lets it shift.]
They seek to pull down the gods and devour everything in the Abyss. That’s been their aim from the beginning and I wonder if they seek sources of power from this world. It wouldn’t be the first time they used what was left behind.
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He mustn't allow such thoughts to come to light. His thumb tapped against the scales on his chin, half to relieve the nervous energy that began to boil over in him.]
What sort of ruin did the rift that brought you here appear in? [If it was of Allagan design, it would explain much and give him a source of further information. His eyes opened slowly, giving Kaeya a long and meticulous scan from head to toe and back again while awaiting the answer.]
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From the very gateways to the cut of the stone.
[He gestures with his hand and lays it back on his thigh.] Unless you mean where I arrived here. There was a lot of advanced machinery.
[Then his eye goes dark and his face flat and serious.] And there were corpses. It looks like the ancients of your land quite enjoyed their experiments.
[There's an edge to his voice. He clearly doesn't like the thought of biological experiments. At all. And anyone doing them would have an enemy.]
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With good reason as well.]
The Allagans had little regard for human life. [His tone was grim, as if those who still don't remain. In a place like Garlemald who Allag shared an Emperor with. His lips purse at the thought and a breath comes out heavier and quicker. His theory proved correct, at least. But to learn how he would need to consult an expert. For later. For the alliance to request of him.
There's a long pause, the only sound being the tapping of his tail against the table leg as he sat upright in his chair.]
There is... one more thing I would ask. [There was hesitation in the way his voice softened.] The aether that swirls around you... save for traces of the umbral, it is almost entirely ice-aspected. 'Tis almost as if you've been touched by a primal of ice, though one has not existed for some time. [The edge of his tail curled in on itself under the table.] Why is that?
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His expression is still serious but shades of exhaustion leak through. It seems safer to allow it to be seen.]
That is the nature of my magic. It is entirely Cryo. It comes at a cost, as all things do. Those who use magic back home even the gods themselves are singularly aspected.
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He brought a hand to his head, as if to dull the pain and his vision blurred...]
Echo GET
He looks up and there is Aether with his companion. A smile steals across his face as he joins them by Sarah's stall. They hadn't noticed him. What a shame.]
Why so cold? I've always thought that we enjoy quite the intimate friendship. [He drags the word 'intimate' out as Aether turns to him with wide golden eyes. Pretty eyes if one were to ask him. 'Oh, I didn't see you there.'
Aether's skill in battle isn't something he can deny. There's no way he was missed. He laughs,] Hahaha... It seems your great battle sharpened not only your combat skills but your wit as well. A knight after my own heart.
[He places his hand over his own heart. Aether snorts and shakes his head. 'Ah, the handsome mister Kaeya.' His grin is a little more real. The traveler is someone he likes. They're fun to be around and don't have any of the baggage he has with other people he dare not name to himself. He can't resist a little flirting. It would be a crime not to.] Ah, you do feel something for me. And people say my charm is fake. To bask in the presence of Mondstadt's new big hero is quite the morale boost. And that's coming from a knight.
[Maybe laying it on thick. People bend a little more if he does that. He knows he's pretty and so does everyone else. Paimon put her hands on her hips. 'Sweet-talking sugar-coated Captain Kaeya...' It's a nice change. He laughs again.] Haha, nonsense! I speak from the heart.
[Aether ignores their banter to persist, 'What are you doing here?' Some of his mirth fades as the problems bubble back up. Not that they ever actually left.] Just looking for a quiet spot to collect my thoughts.
['While all the other knights are working hard to clean up after the battle...' Paimon says with a bit of an accusatory tone. He hears it every day from Amber. It doesn't bother him and he continues,] Thinking can be an arduous task, you know. Believe me, I'd much rather be taking out the trash.
[It would be so much easier. Cleaning out the trash is good exercise and when he gets to have a little fun is when he can drink himself stupid. Not today. A shame. Paimon loses a little of suspicious look on her face. A little bit. If he really wanted her to stop he'd just offer food or money. She's very easy to manage. 'So, whatcha thinkin' about, then?' He doesn't bother with dragging it out.] The Abyss order.
[He brings his hand up to his face as he says.] A dragon wreaks havoc in Mondstadt, and the Acting Grand Master leaves the city to combat the threat. Strategically, that's the perfect moment for the Abyss Order to make their move. If you were with the Abyss Order, would you squander this golden opportunity by sending in nothing more than a few hilichurls?
[His hand drops to his chest as he leans forward and Ather blinks, a thoughtful look on his face. 'You're right, it doesn't add up. There must be more to this story.' He nods and most of his amusement drops. No need it for it right now. This is work.]
To get to the bottom of it, I decided to wait. So I waited, and watched for their next move.
[And what a move it was. It was almost too obvious. It worries him. The fact they're united is a cause for concern and will be the subject of many sleepless nights.] Then came the day when you made all hell break loose in Stormterror's Lair, just as hilichurls' cries sounded from the city gates...The same day, I saw shadowy figures lurking in the city itself.
[He isn't the shadow at Jean's back for nothing. She doesn't have to know the lengths he goes to to see justice done. Justice is never an absolute principle. No matter what some people think about it. Paimon and Aether jerk back in shock and horror, the former exclaiming 'Inside the city?!'
He spreads his hands apart to gesture to the city as a whole. This is why he doesn't tell Jean the particulars. That and she would worry too unnecessarily and try to take it all on herself. Better to let the captain with his wealth of contacts and a vicious protective former captain deal with things for her.] Well, all the other knights were outside, fighting the enemy. As you can imagine, that left the inside of the city completely unguarded.
[Diluc wouldn't have left if he didn't know he'd lurk in the shadows and wait to strike down those who seek harm on Mondstadt.] Except for me, of course. And so I approached the Abyss Order infiltrators for a bit of... hmm, let's call it fraternizing.
[A little flirting. A little charm. Seeming shadier than usual. That kind of thing is so easy. People talk when they think you want something.] Through various means, I managed to gather some rather interesting intel. The situation is this: The Abyss Order... they are united under a single leader.
[Paimon jerks back again and her high pitched voice grates a little on his nerves. Just a little. 'The Abyss Order has a leader?' He hadn't been surprised personally. They're too organized. Sinners and fools too deep in the Abyss used to just cause chaos without pause. Now...it's direct as a sword.] Yes. And it was this very leader who devised the plot to turn Dvalin into a weapon of war.
[And he's hardly surprised when Paimon narrows her eyes again. 'What exactly did you have to do to find this out!?' Aether just watches him steadily, seeing to see through him a bit. Or maybe not. Hard to tell at times what Aether is thinking. He chuckles a bit/] Heh... Let's just say I'm blessed with certain linguistic powers.
[He's so good at words. It's the only reason he's survived this long. Well, except for the one time those words cost him the best friend he used to be thick and thin with.] There's more... The Abyss Order has a name for this leader... They call her "The Princess)."
[A title she has no right to. Maybe. There's angry grumbling coming their way and he looks up. Ah, there she is right on time.] Now, I'm sorry to cut this intelligence briefing short, but I do believe I spy Amber heading this way...
I think she's still angry with me for my absence from the defense effort during the attack... I'd better slip away before she notices me. [He lifts a hand and waves it as he slips away...]
Item Refresh: 6 hours 50 minutes
He's quiet for a while, trying to process everything he saw. The Miqo'te before him without ears or tail... in a city he didn't know speaking with a young man with Blonde hair and his... pixie familiar? He spoke with contempt, a serious tone matching the one used just a moment ago.
A tinge of regret towards the end quickly dismissed, something Takame knew far too well.]
Hells... [Practically growled. He should be used to this, the overwhelming sensation of another man's perspective who doubtless felt more than him. He tried to swallow it down, it's for another time. He spoke aloud just to remind himself he was conscious, to parse what he learned to himself. While he was mumbling, the sharp ears of a Miqo'te could easily pick up what he was saying.]
They are... united... under a Princess...?
Beep beep beep
[He asks and reaches out towards him only to stop. His eye widens at the words. He's a very sharp man. It's why he's alive, after all.
They'd been talking about the Abyss Order. And those words...he'd used them before. The shock stays on his face and a flash of something else deep in his eye.
Worry. Deep-seated and so intrinsic, it's been with him since he was left alone by his father.] Explain.
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There's grit at the edge of his voice, though where it came from he didn't know.]
The Echo. [He took a deep breath, both to steady himself and keep his demeanor and tone even. As always.] It's a... a gift that I possess, one I have no control over, that allows me glimpses into people's memories.
[The word "gift" was quieter than the rest, like he struggled to call it that. Or feared what would happen if he did not call it that, as if there would be consequences. Deep down he wouldn't call it a gift anymore. Would that it were only because of that look of fear.]
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His fingers twitch so he sets them in his lap, imposing his control back over himself like shutting a door. He's off-balance. Internally, he reels. This is something that could rip the doors off his secrets. They don't matter here but, he has hidden behind the layers of lies for so long that he feels compelled to protect himself.]
I see. Is it really a gift or, a curse to the one that holds it? I suppose it's only you that can answer that.
[For all the horrors he can see this also is an opportunity. He lays down on his back and turns his head to watch Takame with his lone eye.]
And forgive me but I can't help but be curious just what you saw. Take your time. ...and if you can recount it in detail, I'd be most grateful to you.
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Takame didn't know this man, he had thought to attack this man earlier. But seeing fear in someone eyes towards him reminded him how often it preceded a horrified escape from him, leaving him by himself. Even by people he was friendly with.
The guise of calm returned, but he didn't have an answer for whether the Echo was a blessing or curse. For Kaeya or himself. He knew he would have to come up with one eventually or else he could not evolve. But the thought still frightened him. Enough that despite his collected expression his heel tapped against the floor and caused his leg to shake as he recounted what he saw.]
Yes. [A pause.] You spoke with a young blonde man and his companion... a small girl? She resembled a pixie and had white hair. You informed them the Abyss Order had made their way into a city... Mondstadt, I assume, as your Knights were dispatched to rid the region of a dragon. [Another pause, looking to gauge Kaeya's reaction to what he was saying. He continued on.]
And that the Abyss Order sought, under the orders of one merely known as the Princess, to turn a... "Dvalin" [The name pronounced slowly, foreign on his tongue.] into a weapon of war. That is what I saw. [Though his pronunciations were rough, the way he spoke came off more as one giving a report to a superior than recalling a story.]
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