Kaebedo || Where The Cold Doesn't Touch

Reunion - 46

Diluc paced around the Dawn Winery, his steps clacking against the wooden floor, anyone could hear the anxiousness in his steps. His hair is considerably longer, little stubbles of red inhabit his chin. The big doors open wide to a certain Traveler and their companion.

"We have searched everywhere, still no sign."

Their voice filled with as little emotion as they can muster, almost as if this is all they ever come to report to him every single day.

"Thank you, we will keep searching," Diluc states.

They nod and motion for Paimon to follow them to leave, she hesitates for a moment but ultimately follows behind. Diluc is left alone in his winery once more. The silence is so loud, the only thing he can hear are his racing thoughts, his worries, his doubts. He gets up, walking over to his desk with a considerable amount of paperwork on it. A noting difference is the small plant and picture frame on the table.

The picture frame; Diluc, Kaeya and their father. He sighs, holding the frame while holding tears back. He hasn't cried in years and he wasn't going to start now. So he sets it down without another glance, moving to work on things that need to be settled.

Nothing is interesting, nothing important are imprinted on the papers he's trying to transcribe onto. He pounds his fists on the table, he's wasting time. Every moment he spends not searching for his brother is a time wasted away. His hair falls in front of his face and it's enough for him to get fresh air.

Walking out of the Winery he squints, a bird flying high above suddenly glides down. A note tied to it's beak is what he spots. So he extends his arm to let the bird perch, taking the note and sending the creature back to its sender. He reads it.

Sir Diluc,

We have found activity near Cape Oath, travelers have come to me to report sightings of a large being flying in the sky. The reports started a day ago, I hope this message gets to you in kind.

-Acting Grandmaster

His eyes widened, he could scarcely believe it. Nothing could stop him as he started to run, his sights were set on the cliff top. But if he knew better, they probably would've been headed to Dragonspine. It's a wonderful thing that his Winery is close to the snowy mountaintop.

His legs ache as they go through excruciating physical exercise. Diluc isn't one to run miles and miles but his adrenaline alone allows him to keep running, never stopping until he gets to the mountain. He heads up to the one place where he could even guess they would be at. The little workplace that Albedo always went to when he wanted to be left alone.

The snow crunches under Diluc's boots as he finally arrives. It's considerably quiet, most things have been covered by the snow and grime. But something moves slightly and it gets his hopes up.

"Hello?" He calls out, not stepping foot into the opening just yet.

No response. So he carefully walks in, the place feels abandoned but there was always a certain air to it that Diluc could never describe. He can't help but hold his breath, hoping and praying to Barbatos that this wasn't some random animal, that it was finally who he's been searching for.

"Diluc?"

He can't breathe, everything falls away as his eyes fall upon Kaeya. He's sitting on the ground, completely unscathed and as if he never aged a day.

"Kaeya, you- you had all of us so worried! What happened while you were away?! Did you kill Durin?" Diluc fumbled his words, tears pricking his eyes as he spoke.

Kaeya was completely stunned, his brother was a mess and it was a sight that brought back a lot of old and uncomfortable memories. "What do you mean? I was only gone for about 10 minutes."