Diary of a crystalfly

Chapter 10. Remember me?

"Before me now there is only one real fact – Death. The truth I have been seeking – this truth is Death. Yet Death is also a seeker. Forever seeking me. So – we have met at last. And I am prepared. I am at peace. Because I will conquer death with death."— Bruce Lee

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The golden light that trickled down was his cue to exist.

Cold. The icy air took every chance to prick at his skin. His ears were hurting from the screaming winds and the heavy smell of chalk clogged his lungs.

"I did it," a person whispered, "I did it!!"

Abruptly, he was yanked up, tightly wrapped by foreign arms around him. And against cold, warmth diffused through his skin, against dust, he smelt the scent of Cecilia.

Ah, how wonderful it is to be alive.

He thought, chasing everything good that this stranger offered him, even though the world has proven itself cruel at his birth.

.

Albedo packed his final box of books and equipment, his chest souring at the memory of his master. He was forgetting her. How could he have forgotten her? Sealing the box, he scanned through the grey walls of his lab once again. Even against his absolute determination to leave, something grabbed at him and begged him to stay. But he mustn't. Mondstadt was distracting him from his initial purpose. Warm cooked food, princess stories and a precious smile - They made him feel...

Something gripped him and he aggressively shook his thoughts away. It wasn't important.

Thankfully, when he exited the lab, there was no red girl waiting for him outside. Albedo stared at the crumbs of crayon dust by the door, tightening his grip on the box.

Mm, thankfully, she was not there.

He paced off quickly, before whatever gurgling emotions in him could change his mind.

The white peak of Dragonspine glared over the city walls, and this time, he boldly stared back, determined to finish what his master had tasked him to do. The sooner he gets it done, the sooner he can move on.

...move on, from here.

Dragonspine was infamously considered treacherous in its terrain and weather, the cold intimidating even the most seasoned of adventurers. But not Albedo. For a long time, it had been his home together with his master, and so, he could navigate the slopes with his eyes closed if he wished.

The broken bridge was his landmark and also a dire warning for intruders to keep away. With a huff, he glided across the gap, landing lightly on the other side. Mechanically, his mind recalled: to the right. And ahead, shadows of an empty cave greeted him. Though a little dusty, it was free of flora, evidently well-used by its previous occupants - which were him and his master.

The smell of chalk and steel still lingered within the walls, dousing him in nostalgia and along with it, sinking loneliness. Albedo drifted in, preparing to set up his new workplace. He materialised the tables he needed - chairs, maybe just one would do, and unpacked all the equipment he "borrowed" from the lab in Mondstadt. Looking down, a black patch by the ground caught his eye.

He truly wanted to focus on the task at hand, but coming back to the campsite after so long, he could not help the flood of memories that gushed in against his will.

That mark on the floor - it was a chemical spillage credited to his inattentiveness. Back then, and perhaps even now, he worked against the terrible habit of being indifferent towards anything mundane. And often, this would land him in trouble with his master - especially during experiments, where he'd sometimes miss out a spoonful of salt, or even forget to monitor the heat just so that he could quickly get to the most exciting ingredient - be it a dragon's bone, cor lapis shavings or Durin's blood essence.