The Owls of Dragonspine

Chapter 1 - The Letter

"Hm? For me?" Diluc asks as he walks near the doors of the main room of Dawn Winery, where his maid, Adelinde stands, a letter in hand. The envelope of the letter seems old, and rough, like it's been through years of turmoil.

"A notice came along with it." Adelinde adds, handing Diluc the letter, along with a yellow slip of paper. "It explains how due to many issues occurring with their overseas export, some damage may have been taken to the products, and if anything has been damaged that they take full responsibility." As Adelinde speaks, Diluc's eyes skim over the words, to make sure Adelinde doesn't slip up in her summary. Diluc walks over to his dining table, Adelinde trailing close behind.

"Now... let's see if this letter is as beat-up as it's envelope..." Diluc says to himself while cutting open the envelope and calmly pulling out the letter. The quality of the paper was decent, but worse than Diluc had hoped for. "How bad of conditions could they have had at sea? Especially so much as to nearly ruin the cargo..." Diluc wonders allowed. He sits down silently and begins to read the letter in his head. The letter reads:

"Greetings, old friend!

It's been quite awhile, you know. So long with no contact to you has made me quite lonely. But current circumstances have brought me closer to your home! Despite not knowing your current whereabouts, I'd like to bet you're back home now by the time this letter is arriving at your door. If this letter is arriving at your door! I'm just hoping the postal service will know it's to you, based on your name alone!"

Diluc pauses and looks at the envelope again, and low and behold, there really is no assigned address. It just has his name. The only address on it is the return. Diluc picks the letter back up and keeps reading.

"Now, enough filler. My entire point is, for the next year or two I'll be based in Liyue for my profession, and it would be nice to meet up again! If you have any desire to send me another letter, send it to the address at the bottom of the letter, a good friend of mine will get it to me from there.

Highest hopes for our reunion,
Ajax"

Diluc freezes in his tracks. Ajax. A name he hasn't remembered in years. But in his mind was an air of disbelief. It couldn't be the Ajax he had met three years ago. Or... could it? In his panic, he picks up the envelope again, turning it over and reading the return address in shock. But there it was, right in front of him. The same address as his old friend. Still based in Snezhnaya.

"Are you alright, Young Master?" Asks Adelinde, taking note of Diluc's quick movements and short breath as he put down the letter moments ago. Diluc realizes his sudden change in behaviour and acts cool and collected as per usual.

"...I'm fine." He says with a breath out. "I need to go to my office." Diluc states as he grabs the papers and heads to the door across from Elzer's desk. He shuts the door behind him and sits at his desk. it's really the Ajax Diluc had met so long ago. But why him? Why now? And why was he in Liyue of all places? Diluc had never known what he had done for a job so he was left to ponder this answer. He shut his eyes to recollect his thoughts. It's like it happened yesterday.

It was Snezhnaya, 3 years ago. Diluc was walking in the cold, snowie escape. Even wearing so many layers, he could already feel the hypothermia and frostbite setting in. He hadn't seen an open fire for a few hours, but that was enough to nearly kill the 18 year old. Barely moving through the cold, he saw something in the distance. Buildings, and open fires to boot. Sniffling to himself, continuing forward, hope entered his heart. If he could just get to a fire, he'd be okay. But the cold air around him was getting to him. It was a familiar feeling to the fight he had with Kaeya before Diluc had run away. Such cold air, filling his lungs and his heart, he began to collapse. The town was so close, but not close enough. Diluc, half in the snow, was able to feel his heart rate slowing. His eyes became foggy, and even in this cold, he felt tears on his face. It was funny, how they almost felt warm in comparison to the snow. As his eyes shut for what he thought for the last time, he said one thing to himself. "Kae...ya... help... me......." But no Kaeya was there to save him. Just as he opened his eyes one more time, he saw a person standing over him.