Against The Cold ~ Alberose

Chapter 3

Eventually, after three days of testing, Albedo had come to a conclusion. He and Sucrose were pouring over notes and books, and they, with the help of Timaeus, and made a hypothesis.

"If the starsilver comes into contact with pieces of the dragon," Sucrose mumbled, half to herself. "It causes a chemical reaction, releasing energy in the form of an explosion."

Albedo gave her a warm grin, pride glowing in his eyes. "Right. Timaeus, your thoughts?"

Timaeus, bent over his notes, was whispering to himself. When Albedo called for him, he jumped practically out of his skin. "Archons, don't scare me like that," he muttered, rubbing his neck.

Albedo raised an eyebrow at him. "Your thoughts?"

"Uh . . . well, we know starsilver to be extremely cold, right?" Timaeus stumbled over his words, and Sucrose got the suspicion that he was making this up on the spot. Albedo nodded slowly. Clearing his throat, Timaeus continued. "Maybe the different temperatures of the dragon material and the starsilver contribute to the reaction?"

Albedo contemplated his response for a moment before offering a small nod. "A good theory," he said. Timaeus' expression shifted into a smug grin, but Albedo continued. "However, it is an elementary one. Try to think beyond the standard. Sucrose? What've you to say?"

Shyly, Sucrose turned to Albedo. "W-Well, we've seen how different parts of a dragon interact with other materials, and there's nothing similar to this. Why is starsilver so different? It m-may be the temperature, but could it also be its origins? It's chemical makeup? Maybe it'd come into contact with another material to make it overreactive."

Satisfied, Albedo gazed into her amber eyes. "Well done, exactly what I was thinking."

Timaeus drew in a sharp breath and shot Sucrose a piercing glare. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked down at her boots. Timaeus stomped over to the shelf on which their starsilver was stored, but to his dismay, found nothing. "Well, if we plan to run more tests, we'll need to get more of the mineral." He motioned to the empty shelf.

Albedo frowned. "Alright then. Timaeus and I will go to Wyrmrest Valley and collect some."

Sucrose shook her head. "The Adventurer's Guild said all the starsilver there was all mined up."

Albedo ran a hand through his hair. "We'll give it a shot, anyway. I don't know of another good place to find some."

Sucrose sighed. "Alright, just please be careful!" Sucrose gazed into his eyes, trying to convey a message to him that neither of them quite understood just yet.

Timaeus scoffed. "We'll be fine, Sucrose. Don't miss me too much."

Albedo reached out and squeezed her wrist. "It's going to be fine," he said, a small smile laid upon his lips. He let go and Sucrose felt as though her heart was going to leap out of her chest. Fighting the urge to run away, Sucrose only offered a small nod. "Right then," Albedo said suddenly. "Come on, Timaeus!"

☆: *᯽* :☆

Timaeus shivered. Snow blew everywhere, stinging his face, biting into his skin like a fox to an apple. He pulled his bow closer and struggled to keep up with Albedo.

Soon they arrived in Wyrmrest Valley. The bones of the fallen dragon Durin loomed overhead, looking like teeth against the fiery sun. Shuddering, although not from the cold, Timaeus and Albedo walked over to a marked starsilver location was.

Albedo gasped softly in surprise, seeing starsilver right where he and Timaeus had mined some a month ago. "It's replenished!"

Timaeus shook his head. "Impossible! It'd take millions of years to form another fragment!"

Albedo bent down and touched the starsilver with gentle fingers. "Yes . . . this is quite odd . . . ."

Timaeus looked around, studying the snowy landscape and looking for clues until he saw a small footprint in the snow. This wasn't an animal footprint, no -- it was human. Raising his eyebrows in surprise, Timaeus called Albedo over, and together the two followed the trail until they saw a large, gaping cavern with large stalactites clinging to the ceiling and heavy boulders surrounding the entrance.

Exchanging curious looks, the two alchemists cautiously entered the cave. Immediately they were hit with a burst of striking red right, nearly blinding the two and causing Albedo to stumble backward and trip over a root. Timaeus cried out and hid behind one of the boulders. Albedo bit his lip and shrank down beside Timaeus.

Timaeus heard someone further into the cave swear loudly. He and Albedo glanced at each other once more and silently the two progressed deeper into the cave. Almost instantly the cave widened into a huge cavern with black walls and at its center was a beating red orb, pulsing with vibrant energy. 

Albedo pressed a finger to his lips and waved Timaeus over to hide behind another boulder.

"My lord." A scratchy voice sounded from below. "We've run every test we can think of."

Another person scoffed. "Then you cannot think at all!"

Timaeus looked over at Albedo, a curious expression on his face. Albedo turned to his apprentice, eyes wide, and mouthed the words, Abyss mage.

Timaeus' jaw set furiously. He recalled the months of war and pain the Abyss Order had indulged upon Mondstadt, when they tried to take control of the Dragon of the East, Dvalin, and inflict days and days of terror upon the city.

Albedo, seeing the fiery rage in Timaeus' eyes, grabbed his shoulder and shook his head. "Whatever is going on here," Albedo murmured in a volume so low that Timaeus could hardly hear him. "We have to find out and report back to the Knights of Favonious."

Timaeus shuddered but gave a nod of resignation.

"Agent Kverchov, please, all we need is more time!" A third voice rang through the cavern, high pitched and full of silky malice.

"The Tsarista will not be happy with this, Melinda," the second voice, presumably that of the man Agent Kverchov, said.

A strong silence followed, filled only by the gentle thrumming of the beating red orb in the center of the cavern.

Eventually, Agent Kverchov spoke again. "You have two weeks. Two weeks to figure out some way to harness the life force of this fallen being. Or else . . . well . . . you know how it is, yes?"

Someone let out a sharp breath of relief. "Of course, my lord! Two weeks is more than enough. Thank you!"

Timaeus once more looked at Albedo, who had his head poked just slightly over the top of the rock. Albedo mouthed Fatui. Once more, Timaeus felt himself flooding with rage. The Abyss Order was one thing, but the Fatui -- the organization that took everything from him -- was another.

Timaeus' eyes burned with a need for revenge, and, against Albedo's silent protests, drew his bow off his back and notched an arrow.

"Timaeus, no!" Albedo whisper-screamed, tugging on Timaeus' arm.

Jaw locked with a wave of ferocious anger, Timaeus paid Albedo no mind. Exhaling slowly, he released the arrow.

And then all hell broke loose.

The Fatui agent, only hit by the arrow in his shoulder, set off a violent chain of swears as he attempted to remove it from his arm. Eventually, he did, blood dripping down his coat and onto the snowy turf. He whirled around and saw Timaeus standing there, bow in hand, knuckles white with anticipation.

"Ah," the agent snarled, slowly walking up the short slope. "So we have an eavesdropper, eh?"

"My lord." A woman in a purple outfit stalked up beside the agent. "Just give us your word, and we will finish him!"

Agent Kverchov laughed menacingly. "No, no, I'm going to enjoy this." He slid his mask down over his face,  the red and silver gleaming against the crimson glow of the orb. Laughing, he drew his knives and leaped at Timaeus.