Against The Cold ~ Alberose

Chapter 14

Dammit.

Kaeya spun around and sank his sword deep into an Abyss mage's side. Blood ran down the side of his face from a large gash on his forehead, but no way in hell was he stopping now.

To his left, he saw Jean maneuvering her way through the battlefield, slaying enemy after enemy with a fearsome grace.

Despite her expert movements, Kaeya knew that Jean was still riddled with grief over Barbara's death.

The young deaconess's urge to help the Knights of Favonius led her out onto the battlefield. Unbeknownst to anyone, Barbara had taken some pyro potions and launched them aimlessly at the Fatui.

From there . . . well, Kaeya didn't want to remember that much.

Gritting his teeth, he lept back as a rifthound lunged at him. Eyes wide, Kaeya stumbled to his feet. One slash of the rifthound's foul claws and Kaeya's life would be drained from him before he could swear -- which was saying a lot.

"C-Captain Kaeya! Watch out!" Kaeya turned and saw Albedo's young assistant, Sucrose, chucking a bottle of some odd blue substance at the rifthound.

Kaeya scrambled to his feet and jumped to the side, turning in time to see the rifthound be smashed on the nose with the bottle. Water began to flow from the splintered bottle. It formed a cylindrical shape and whirled the rifthound several yards away, where it landed with a loud whimper.

"Hah!" Kaeya cried out in amazement. "Would you look at that!" The cavalry captain turned to Sucrose and gave her a clap on the back. "Well done! Albedo would be proud."

Sucrose flushed and shrugged, digging into her pack. She removed her hand and gave Kaeya two more of those strange blue bottles.

Kaeya's eyes must have twinkled mischievously because Sucrose fixed him with a hard glare.

"Emergencies only," she said stiffly, grabbing her notebook.

"Fine," Kaeya grumbled. He shoved the bottles into his pocket and tightened his grip on his sword.

"Sucrose! Behind y-" Kaeya heard Albedo scream, his voice tearing across the battlefield like a newly sharpened blade.

Sucrose let out a sharp screech and leaped to the side, just barely avoiding an electro Abyss mage's crackling purple currents.

"Aye, aye, aye!" the mage chanted, dancing around inside its spherical shield as though it were in a parade.

Kaeya hit the mage with a blast of icy blue shards, smirking out of satisfaction when he saw the shield beginning to splinter. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sucrose scrambling over to Albedo and gripping onto his arm tightly.

Caught in a moment of distraction, Kaeya felt a sharp pain in his arm. The Abyss mage's beam of pure electricity had caught him right on his forearm. His body felt like it was being dragged through hell and back again as shockwaves propelled him backward.

Suddenly he felt someone heave him to his feet and prop him upright. Diluc. His teeth still chattering from the electro energy coursing through him, Kaeya cheerily said, "Thanks, dear brother of mine!"

Diluc scowled and shot Kaeya a glare. Before Kaeya could retort, Diluc had turned away and lunged at Fatui skirmishers, driving them back with his blood-stained claymore.

Within seconds the area around Diluc was clear of enemies. Grass soaked with blood surrounded the Dawn Winery owner and his arms hung at his sides.

He's alright on his own, Kaeya told himself, but something at the edge of his vision made him stop.

An Abyss lector.