Journey | Albedo's Descent Book 3

Chapter 41: Dodoco Saves The Day

Kaeya opened his eyes in a flash, darting out from behind Lisa and unsheathing his sword.
Just as another large chunk of ground crashed down beside Kaeya, a blinding light erupted from near that thing. The winds whipped and golden light was streaming out, accompanied by the shrieking of that monster. It held its hands over its eyes, screaming and fighting something that wasn't there.
As Kaeya approached, sprinting, he saw just what was glowing.
It was Dodoco.
Kaeya would have smiled if he weren't about to do the impossible.
That being froze, as if knowing what was about to happen. It's arms fell and it's eyes widened as it saw Kaeya so close. It jolted as if being impaled, but Kaeya hadn't even gotten within ten meters.
It didn't matter anymore.
The Cavalry Captain lunged forward with all the power his legs could muster, driving his blade deep into the chest of the beast that resided within his most precious person.
It stared down at the blade, then it's eyes met Kaeya's. Tears spilled over, but those weren't Albedo's eyes.
Kaeya pushed the blade farther, gritting his teeth, "you give him back."
It's mouth hung open in shock for a moment, it's eyes shaking. Then it's eyes rolled back as it went limp.
Kaeya couldn't move. Dodoco was still glowing warmly in Albedo's pocket, it's little ears swaying in the cold wind, it's eyes barely visible from within the pocket.
Albedo coughed weakly, blood and ooze splattering over Kaeya's weapon and clothes. The diamond on his neck began to glow brightly, as if to signify his life.
"Albedo!" Kaeya exclaimed, lowering them both to the ground. He moved to pull out his sword, but Albedo stopped him.
"My wounds are too bad," he seethed, "there's nothing that can be done."
Kaeya's eyes overflowed, "why..."
Albedo smiled up at him, his hands closed gently around the sword embedded in his abdomen. That ooze was streaming down his left cheek as his eye emptied out.
"If- if we just have Lisa-"
Albedo shook his head, then winced, "you know full well that Lisa would not be able to fix this... not without a sacrifice." He smiled, his left eye was completely normal again. It was the beautiful aqua color that Kaeya loved.
Albedo went on, "you cannot create life without giving life first... Besides, she's already used up all her reserves of magic, hasn't she?..."
She had. Just as Kaeya had moved from behind her, her shield broke and she collapsed onto her hands and knees, a deep purple color snaking up her arms.
Kaeya wept, "but why?! You said you wouldn't leave me! Albedo, you-"
Albedo pressed his hand gently against Kaeya's cheek, "I never tell you enough how beautiful I think you are..." his voice grew quiet. He loved the sparkling gold of Kaeya's right eye. He'd never seen it like that before. Was it new, or was Albedo just seeing things?...
"Don't- don't say that!" Kaeya held Albedo's hand tightly against his face, "we can still- we can-"
Albedo chuckled softly before coughing up more blood, "to think Dodoco would be my saving grace... I guess Miss Alice never really left us..."
"Stop talking," Kaeya said angrily, yet softly, "save- save your strength for later..."
Albedo took a deep, shaking breath and let out a sigh as he spoke, "Kaeya... I'm alright... You understand? I'm alright..."
"No! No, I don't understand! Albedo, you're-" he choked on his words, embracing Albedo, "please... don't go..."
Albedo leaned his head against his beloved.
"I don't know what to do without you..." Kaeya sobbed, "I'll- I'll forget to breathe if you aren't here to tell me. You- you wouldn't want that, right?"
Albedo nodded, barely conscious anymore. The golden glow of the star symbol on his throat dimmed.
"So don't go. You have to stay, okay?"
Albedo smiled, the light now flickering slowly.
"Don't go." Kaeya squeezed him.
"I'm sorry..." Albedo couldn't hold himself up anymore, becoming like a rag doll in the captain's arms, "Kaeya... remember..."
"Stop talking like that! You aren't leaving!"
Albedo whispered, "I love you..."
The light of Albedo's neck fizzled out as he released his final breath.
The wind blew by, singing through the new craters in the ground as it danced across the landscape.
Kaeya couldn't look at Albedo. He couldn't make himself let go when he had felt Albedo go cold in his arms.
Kaeya wept bitterly, clinging to the body of what felt like the only thing he had left. It felt like Albedo had taken the sun, the moon, and the stars with him, along with everything that was bright and good in all of Teyvat.
The light from Dodoco slowly dimmed until it was gone.
Lisa, Rosaria, and Diluc stood nearby, watching as Kaeya clutched to a corpse.
Lisa rubbed at her arms as she limped over. Rosaria hurried to help her, saying nothing.
Lisa fell to the ground beside Kaeya, her eyes becoming lakes that refused to spill over. It felt like she would never be able to cry. Was everything finally catching up to her? Was this numbness the feeling of failure?... She put her hands on Kaeya's back, barely able to move anymore.
Kaeya shook as he sobbed, hardly holding in his screams.
Lisa laid her head against him, whispering, "I'm sorry Kaeya..." She had so much more to say, but her body went limp as her mind slipped into a much needed slumber.
Rosaria carefully lifted her up with a somber expression. She had seen Kaeya cry many times, but never like this.
There was crunching in the snow rapidly approaching. Two sets of feet.
The nun turned, her gut twisting as she saw who approached.
Kaeya's sword clanged dully against the exposed rock, echoing across the mountain. He pulled it out, more blood and ooze pooling around his knees as he quietly pleaded with no one to make it stop.
Of course, no one isn't so kind.
The feet stoped, hearing the horrid sound of metal scraping rock and a man's cries.
The smaller pair of feet rushed forward, only to run into someone in the process.
Diluc stepped in front of her, "Klee-"
She screamed, "NO!"
Diluc picked her up.
"PUT KLEE DOWN! I HAVE TO-"
"Shh," Diluc forced her head into his embrace, "quiet down..."
She wept silently into Diluc's thick coat, holding onto his arm so tightly, he felt like he was going to have a very tender hand-shaped bruise for a long time.
Rosaria spoke quietly with Huffman, who had been accompanying Klee.
Huffman nodded, taking Lisa into his arms and rushing away. Lisa's hat fell into the snow and Rosaria picked it up. She wondered how it had stayed on the whole time...
There was a long period of everyone's eyes perspiring and their noses dripping. After some time, it was finally quiet. The wind howled, offering a sort of condolence.
Kaeya was soundless and shaking.
Diluc carefully set Klee down, crouching onto his knees, putting a hand on her head.
She clenched her fists, tears and snot streaming down her face, "Klee could have done something."
"No," Rosaria sat on her knees beside them, "there was nothing any of us could do, Klee."
"No! Klee could have helped!!" She grew angry and her hands grew red. Her ears stretched longer and her teeth grew sharper, "Lisa said that Klee has a lot of magic! MAGIC HELPS PEOPLE!! KLEE COULD HAVE-!!!"
"Stop it." Rosaria circled her arms around Klee, squeezing her tight. "Even Dodoco could barely help... There is nothing any of us could have done..."
Though Rosaria's tone sounded even and calm, she was breaking up on the inside.
Klee froze, crying loudly up at the sky. She knew Rosaria was right. Klee was only a child.
After what seemed like forever, Kaeya felt something change. Albedo was slowly turning into dust in his grasp. He gasped quietly, frantically attempting to hold Albedo together.
"No-" Kaeya's voice broke as he reached out, trying to catch the microscopic and infinitesimal pieces.
The dust floated in all directions without any destination in mind.
Then, the winds blew harshly, gathering all the particles into a cone and converging on the ground before Kaeya. It formed into an ornate vase, Dodoco sitting beside it.
Two light feet pressed against the ground softly behind the items, feathers flitting around them all.
The Anemo Archon wore a melancholy smile as he looked down at Kaeya.
Kaeya stared in disbelief at Venti, his eyes endlessly overflowing, "where were you..."
Venti dropped his eyes, but his smile remained, "there are rules preventing us from interfering in things like this."
Kaeya slowly shook his head.
"I could not have saved him," Venti said with remorse in his tone, "I do not think I could have helped at all..."
Kaeya opened his mouth, angry tears filling his eyes.
There was the loud sound of footfalls. They all halted at one spot. A large group now stood before the Frostbearing Tree.
Jean was huffing as she stood at the front. She opened her mouth to speak but Kaeya beat her to it.
His anger was gone. He didn't feel anything anymore.
He slowly stood with the vase gently in his hands, Dodoco pressed against it.
"You're too late."