uncover | k. albedo

Chapter Forty-One

Dull-dazed emerald optics stared right back at a pair of glimmering teal one's. Delicate gloved hands made its way to her cheeks, cupping it with desperation as the owner shook her body awake. Someone was calling. Calling her, but she couldn't move a single inch, her body felt numb, so as her brain. Everything was diluted around her.

The chief alchemist growled in anger, hands immediately leaving his beloved, as he darted his gaze on the harbinger that grinned at them mockingly. Aether was busy catching his breaths from the side, still tingling with electric shocks from the recent duel that he had with the sixth.

Scaramouche was undoubtedly strong, much more stronger than what they expected, and agile. His sense of speed was in no par to theirs, as expected of someone who wields electro in their wake. The catalyst that floated from his side, seemed to challenged them, telling them that they were no match even if they fought hard.

"You came late. She waited for far too long", the Balladeer sang in a pitiful tune, disappearing from his previous location to appear at another, this time- behind the alchemist. This made Albedo hiss, twirling around to point his sword towards the giggling harbinger, shifting his gaze from the fallen Ragnvindr and back to its opponent.

"What have you done to her!", He exclaimed, demanding for an answer. Albedo have just passed the oh-so-many trials that the nymph- Rio- warned them of, with the help of the traveller. It took them long than what they anticipated and calculated. The six oceanids made it hard for them, but thanks to his geo and the traveller's combined prowess they were able to defeat the spawns of satan himself.

Who knew that an oceanid could be so troublesome. Not to mention, six of them.

The mind baffling spells that were scattered on every corner was even more annoying, plus the countless mechanisms that lead them to a place and to another, making them go in circles and whatnot. It wasn't until Albedo lost his patience that he saw the most 'easiest' way possible, and he felt so dumb that he stayed silent most of the time, with only the yappings of their fairy companion serving as their noise in the journey (even if most of the time it were just insults that were all directed to the alchemist himself).

Where is she anyway, Paimon? Ah, she finally served her purpose as an emergency food.

Kidding.

The floating mascot was attending to Cascade, trying to snap her back to reality as much as she can. But it only proved futile.

"What I have done?", Balladeer questioned, humming an inazumian song that he had heard during his young days, tapping his soles on the ground while holding his chin, as if thinking of an answer to the latest inquiry from the Chief Alchemist of Mondstadt. "Just brain washing her. She couldn't be a great 'weapon', if she'd have that excessive amount of trauma, now could she?",

"She waited a year for someone to save her, y'know", he added, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, signifying that he did not even care for one bit.

"It's not even year, yet. It's been months. Eight long months prior to the last time she visited me as a spirit", Albedo stated, although his tone was deadly calm. It wasn't the usual quality of his voice that he often used. This one, a threat was hiddenly laced in each word. A silent scream of death.

"Ah! Really? Time runs different in this place, eventually. Months in Teyvat is eventually a year here", Scaramouche replied, smirking so evidently as to aggravate the alchemist even further. It was a success though, seeing as the known kreideprinz have gripped the handle of his sword even tighter.

The sound of cackling lightning then came to their senses, followed by a faint woosh in the wind. It was all too sudden and fast that Albedo failed to realize that the woman of his life was now in the hands of the sixth, laying limp and lifelessly in his arms. On the other hand, Aether have now stood on his ground, gripping his sword while wobbling ever so slightly. Getting electrocuted was no joke, it hurt so bad. Add the fact that the place they were literally in, was surrounded with water, which made it even more worst.

Air made its way on his throat but it was cut short when he noticed the familiar fabric that dangled and swayed on the Harbingers hands. Oh, celestia. Why do electro users gain speed than the others? Now, there is a huge possibility that the sixth would runaway and leave them in a chase, to offer his girlfriend to the archon of everwinter.

"Aether!", Albedo exclaimed, walkinh back to the traveller whilst his attention was focused on the purple-headed lad, who was apparently, disgustingly, cooing at his lover who is currently rendered motionless. The fuckard must've gave her something that was infused with poison, or casted her in a spell that only a few knows. "We have to act quick. . .we need to take her back",

"I can't bear to loose her, again", he whispered helplessly. At this moment, he is basically relying on Aether for support. No other were present to help them. It was just them. The traveller, the emergency cow, the enemy, his lover, and him.

Aether felt the sincerity of Albedo's longing for the youngest Ragnvindr. And it fueled his nerves to lunge forth. It took Scaramouche by surprise, not wanting to injure the platinum-haired lass from the shocks of his electricity, nor did he want to drop her on the water in the midst of his burst. That would instantly kill her, and would likely be the reason that the Tsaritsa would demand him executed for unaccomplishing such a simple mission.

Clicking his tongue, he thought of one of the most stupidest thing that he had ever come up off, rolling his eyes at the fact that it was so ridiculous. However, he had no time left, the traveller was eventually nearing. Hence without further adieu, he tossed the lass as far as possible, away from their nearing battle, and when he heard a soft thump, did he dashed forward to the traveller, covered in purple hues of lighting that cackled in every second.

Albeit, he failed to notice a certain flower from above, and when the harbinger was halfway near Aether, did Albedo jumped down from his platform, plunging down to pin the Balladeer on the ground, which Scaramouche annoyingly growled at. He seemed to forget that the ash-blonde haired male was an alchemist, a prodigy in the works of tactics and strategies.

Burst of geo then came after, followed by blinding explosions of golden flowers that littered the golden circle. This deduced the cackling from his body, seeing as he was caught off guard by the sudden execution of abilities from the geo user. Aether on the other hand, have been using anemo this whole time, and did send a whirling tornado towards the harbinger that gasped at the sight of it.

He was basically still covered in electro- and oh boy. . .

Pained screams resonated throughout the area, witnessing as the harbinger have been sucked by the whirling wind that was now infused with electro that tattered and tore his clothes and skin. Aether and Albedo watched with hidden amusement, but overall they were glad that they were able to pull of that stunt out of pure desperation. Yet, it was successful. Too successful that Albedo teared up, hugging Aether as a form of unending gratitude for helping him and apologies for his rude manners beforehand.

Finally, it was over. . .

Finally. . .

They have peace. . .

Or is it?