Chapter Text
Jean paced back and forth as she awaited the return of Eula and her reconnaissance team. She sent them out towards a Domain near Dorman Port. A domain that Kaeya went out to investigate three days ago.
Kaeya left her office claiming he'd be investigating a newly built stronghold of the Abyss Order. As per usual, he refuses to bring any knights with him.
"I'll be fine Jean, don't worry."
Jean is used to this. Kaeya has his own methods of dealing with things but even if some are questionable she knows that he always has Mondstadt's safety in mind. He always has so she trusts him.
The day after that, there was still no news of Kaeya's return and it didn't help that Klee ran to her asking where he was.
"Big Brother Kaeya promised he'll play with me today and he never breaks his promises."
Jean tried her best to comfort the child, sticking to reality as much as possible. Klee is close to Kaeya and the entirety of Mondstadt is incredibly fond of him the longer this goes on more people would grow suspicious and she can't let the public know that the Cavalry Captain is missing without any solid proof that he is.
Jean is quick to respond to her decision and sends Eula together with Amber and her reconnaissance company to search the Domain Kaeya went to search for any clues.
—
The Domain is larger than expected but there are no traces of the Abyss Order found. The domain is completely barren and devoid of sound so you could hear a pin drop.
"There's nothing here." Amber sighed. "Isn't this supposed to be a new stronghold or something?"
"Kaeya deals with anything that revolves around the Abyss Order. I would only assume that he's the one who cleared this place of monsters." Eula said.
"I also found a doorway that leads upstairs, perhaps we can find more there," Amber added.
Heading up, the temperature dropped significantly. Amber shivered and held her bow tight, preparing herself for whatever they were about to face. Upon reaching the entrance Amber gasped and dropped her weapon.
The room was filled with ice that engulfed the floor and crawled up to the ceiling. Harsh and heavy spikes of ice protrude from above and below.
"What happened here?" Mika's voice trembled.
The cryo allogene can feel the distraught and anger emanating from the ice. He bravely started walking forward, the environment he was in evidently states that Kaeya has been here.
"Mika! Hold on!" Eula warned him but he chose to ignore her as he saw a familiar shade of blue.
The Captain's Vision has always been a unique one.
"No." Mika gasped under his breath. "It can't be."
He reached down, picking up the Vision that had been laying down on the ground. The moment his fingertips made contact with the Vision. The ice surrounding the room slowly faded, revealing another horrifying sight.
A bloody battlefield filled with Abyss Mage and Hilichurl remains.
Mika trembled as he traced the four wings on the Mondstadt Vision. There's only one person in Mondstadt who has such a vision and that is Kaeya.
"I think the Abyss Order took him," Mika said out loud for everyone to hear.
Eula cleared her throat and ordered the knights to search every nook and cranny of the room. She walked up to Mika and held his shoulder in comfort.
"Are you alright?" Eula asked.
Mika didn't respond, he simply held the Vision close to his chest.
"Captain Eula!! We found Captain Kaeya's eyepatch!!"
"What?" Mika gasped in disbelief. Kaeya never takes it off. What's under his eyepatch has always been a mystery. He followed Eula to see the tattered eyepatch.
"There's something underneath," Eula said as she flipped the eyepatch revealing what seemed to be a small talisman of sorts with an ancient script.
"What does it say?" Amber asked.
"I don't know. We'll let Lisa look at this once we're back, she might have an idea what's written in this." Eula said. "We need to hurry back and report our findings to Jean immediately."
—
Diluc impatiently tapped his fingers on the bar's counter. The tavern is lively as ever but there is this nagging feeling within him. Kaeya's not here and he didn't like it one bit. Kaeya annoys the hell out of him but it just feels odd and disturbingly incomplete if he's not around and it doesn't sound like him to skip his visit in the tavern either.
The tavern door opened, Diluc unconsciously perked up expecting to see a dark shade of blue and an eyepatch but he only growled to see three knights entering the tavern.
"Master Diluc, The Acting Grandmaster wants to meet you at her office." The knight said, a solemn look plastered on his face.
"What is this about? I have no intention of speaking with the knights." Diluc responded rather harshly.
"It's about Captain Kaeya."
"What?"
—
Diluc wasted no time and bolted to the KOF headquarters. Maybe it's his big brother instincts kicking in after a long slumber that he didn't care what it may look like. All he wanted was to know was if Kaeya was okay.
"There has been an incident in the domain that the Captain was in and Master Jean wants to speak to you in regards to certain things."
The looks on their faces didn't help ease his growing stress from the news. An incident? In a Domain?
Diluc opened the door and he saw Jean together with Lisa, Eula, Cyrus, and a rather distraught-looking Mika.
"Jean, your knights said you want to speak with me," Diluc said, pretending like he hadn't had a mini panic attack earlier.
"Yes, please take a seat Master Diluc." Jean nodded.
Diluc complied, looking at Jean suspiciously. Glancing around the office, his eyes landed on the items on Jean's table. A letter and an eyepatch, Kaeya's eyepatch.
"Jean, what's going on?"
Jean took a deep breath. "Master Diluc, I am aware that your relationship with Kaeya is rather askew at the moment but you are still his brother by legal documentation so you have every right to this information firsthand."
"Jean… what are you talking about?"
"Kaeya is missing."
Diluc's eyes widen in shock. Kaeya is missing?? What does that mean?? Did he leave or did someone take him?
"Kaeya first reported that there is a new Stronghold of the Abyss Order in a Domain somewhere near Dorman Port. I grew weary about the situation when he hasn't come back in three days so I sent Eula out to investigate and they found Kaeya's eyepatch and vision in there."
"He… he's gone and he doesn't have his vision with him!!" Diluc shouted.
"We found the domain encased in ice but the moment Mika picked up his Vision the ice melted down and we soon found his eyepatch in the process," Eula said.
"The eyepatch also has a talisman etched on it. I wasn't able to decipher it but I am aware of its script. It's Khaenri'ahn." Lisa spoke.
Diluc swallowed the lump in his throat. Kaeya is gone and possibly kidnapped by the Abyss Order. His vision glowed red as he gripped the arm of the chair tightly.
"Diluc please, calm down. We're all worried too and we're not stopping until we find him alright." Jean stepped closer to him, rubbing his hands gently in a comforting manner.
"Where is his vision?" Diluc asked.
Mika walked closer to Diluc and handed him the vision, it feels so cold to the touch even if he was wearing gloves. It's almost as if the vision itself is trying to give him frostbite.
"Cyrus also handed me this letter just before you arrived. He said Kaeya gave this to him before he left Mondstadt saying that if he wasn't able to come back within three days it should be given to me. I supposed you should have a chance to read this as well." Jean said, opening the unopened letter that was sitting on top of her table.
To Jean
Hey, I gave this letter to Cyrus as a precaution just in case anything terrible happens cause quite frankly I have a bad feeling about this but don't worry I'll be fine. But since you're reading this letter right now. My fear may have come true. I honestly don't know what happened, I can't tell you, I'm writing in the past here haha. I also know even if I told you not to look for me you still would. All I have to say is that, be careful. There's a reason why I keep so many things hidden.
Don't worry though, I'll be fine.
Kaeya
—
I'll be fine my ass. Diluc growled upon reading the letter. He doesn't have his vision with him, how is he gonna be fine?
"We don't have anything to go by other than what we have and it would be greatly appreciated if you could lend us a hand in finding him.”
"Of course, why wouldn't I.” Diluc’s voice is soft and almost a whisper.