When Ice Melts Fire

4

Diluc's voice had cracked, his breathing heavy as he stared down at his adoptive brother's limp body. He spoke in a pained, fearful voice, horrified at what he was looking at.

"K-Kaeya... P-please... no..."
He knelt next to him, sobbing into the blue clothes laced with that familiar, sickeningly bittersweet scent that he had known for so long. By now, most of the enemies around them had been defeated and retreated, leaving them on the battlefield for nearby witnesses to see. Barbara and Jean had noticed by now, and were rushing to the scene after seeing their cavalry captain sprawled out on the ground, his limbs sprawled out around him, Diluc crouching over his limp, unconscious body.

Barbara screamed in terror for her friend; she cared about him, as did many others.

"Kaeya!"

Diluc yelled back, tears in his eyes.

"Barbara! Help him! Help!"

"Diluc! I'm coming!"

She crouched down, grief panted all over her face as she desperately used her magic to attempt to heal him. After a while of trying, she lifted her head and looked at the latter with a hopeless gaze. Diluc's eyes widened slightly, guessing what she was going to say and praying she wouldn't.

"Diluc... It's the wound... it's too deep..."
"Barbara..."

"I... I can't save him..."

Hacking sobs rose up in Diluc's throat, threatening to choke them if he held them in. He let them out reluctantly, his sadness overcoming him, forcing his eyes shut as tears streamed down his face, a trickling drop increasing to a raging river. He clung to the lifeless body, burying his face in the midsection, his body convulsing in each sob. Diluc felt the warmth from the body slowly fading as the world suddenly became silent, the only sound being Diluc's sadness and the citizens of Mondstadt in the distance. In his grief, he didn't notice Venti walking up to them, his gaze solemn.
"...What happened...?"
Barbara answered with a melancholic tone.

"A... A mitachurl... we couldn't save him..."
"...Maybe I can..."

Barbara looked up in surprise.

"You? Save him? Really? You can? Please do!"

Barbara's gaze was desperate, and Diluc was too immersed in his grief to care or listen. Venti proposed his plan to hopefully save Kaeya.

"I can maybe put my gnosis inside him..."

"Your gnosis? No, Venti! You don't have to! It's too valuable!"

"Barbara, it's the only way. Besides... He's one of my friends too."

"... ...To save Kaeya."

Venti concentrated and relaxed his gave, putting a hand to his heart, attempting to retrieve his gnosis. After a bit, it came out of his chest, falling onto his hand like a glowing, light blue chess piece. He walked to Kaeya, pushing the gnosis into him on his chest above his heart. Barbara watched in anticipation, and Diluc looked up from his sobbing with a murmur of question. Everything was quiet, and it seemed all was hopeless. Diluc spoke quietly.

"Venti... are you sure.. that was worth it...?"

"Diluc... This was worth it. Even if it doesn't work, The fatui won't find my gnosis."

"...Kaeya... please... be alive... be alive for me..."

Diluc shook the cryo user's body in a desperate attempt to awaken him, but the action was in vain.

"Don't.. No... I can't lose you... Kaeya, I'm so sorry... please..."

Kaeya's eyelids twitched subtly, ever so slightly.