The cold of Dragonspine had a way of settling into your bones, no matter how prepared you thought you were. As we set out from the outpost, the morning sun barely warmed the sky, and a light snow began to fall, dusting the landscape with a fresh layer of white.
I tugged my coat tighter around me, the cold biting at my exposed skin. My breath formed visible puffs of mist with every exhale, but unlike the others, I wasn't shivering uncontrollably. Regeneration had its perks, and this was one of them—my body could withstand extremes in temperature, healing itself before I even registered the discomfort. Still, the icy wind stung, and I couldn't help but notice the way the others were already huddling deeper into their cloaks.
Elric led the way, his broad shoulders hunched against the wind, his face as serious as ever. Mara followed close behind, her hand resting lightly on the bow slung across her back, her steps confident and measured despite the uneven snow underfoot. Venn, on the other hand, kept fidgeting with the straps of his armor, his breath coming in quick, nervous bursts. He was the youngest of the group, and the cold seemed to affect him more than the rest of us.
And then there was Kaeya. He moved with that same easy grace, his cloak fluttering behind him as if the cold didn't bother him at all. But I could tell by the faint tension in his jaw that even he wasn't immune to the freezing air. He glanced back at me, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
"How's the cold treating you, Tayden? You're holding up better than the rest of us."
I shrugged, managing a half-smile. "Regeneration helps. It's not pleasant, but I'll manage."
Kaeya raised an eyebrow, his tone light. "Good to know. Maybe we'll have to start sending you on solo expeditions to Dragonspine from now on."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "Let's not get carried away."
As we trudged through the snow, the group fell into a quiet rhythm. The wind howled through the trees, carrying with it the occasional creak of frozen branches. The landscape was bleak but strangely beautiful—vast expanses of snow and ice, with jagged cliffs rising in the distance. Every now and then, the sound of cracking ice echoed in the distance, a reminder of how treacherous the terrain could be.
Mara broke the silence, her voice carrying over the wind. "You've been here before, right, Captain?" She looked toward Kaeya, her expression curious.
Kaeya nodded, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Once or twice. But even after all this time, Dragonspine has its secrets. It's a dangerous place if you're not careful."
Venn shivered beside me, his voice wavering slightly. "I heard stories… about people disappearing here. Entire expeditions lost in the snow."
Elric grunted, not breaking his stride. "You'll be fine if you keep your wits about you. Stick with the group, and you won't get lost."
Despite Elric's reassuring words, I could see Venn's grip tighten on his sword. His nervous energy was infectious, and I had to admit—even I felt a certain unease in the air. Dragonspine had an otherworldly quality to it, as if the very mountain itself was alive, watching us.
---
After hours of walking, we reached a stretch of the mountain where the snow thinned slightly, giving way to patches of ice and rocky ground. That's when things started to feel… off.
Kaeya signaled for us to stop, his eyes narrowing as he crouched down, inspecting something in the snow. I moved closer, peering over his shoulder. There were footprints—large, erratic—half-covered by the fresh snow, but the path they followed was clear.
"Hilichurls," Kaeya muttered, his tone dark. "But something's not right. Look at the tracks."
I frowned, kneeling down to get a better look. The tracks were deeper than usual, as if the Hilichurls had been dragging something heavy. But it wasn't just that—their pattern was strange, chaotic, as if they were stumbling or moving in a frenzy.
Mara knelt beside us, her brow furrowed. "They're not moving in formation. Hilichurls usually stick together, right? This looks… wild."
Elric's hand went to the hilt of his sword, his sharp eyes scanning the surrounding area. "Something's driving them. It's not natural."
I felt a knot of tension twist in my gut. "The Abyss?"
Kaeya nodded, his expression grim. "That's my guess. We need to stay on guard."
Venn, standing a few feet away, looked more nervous than ever. "So… what do we do?"
Kaeya stood, his gaze sweeping across the landscape. "We follow the tracks. Carefully. If there's an Abyss Mage behind this, we need to find out what they're planning."
...
We followed the tracks for what felt like hours, the wind growing stronger as we climbed higher into the mountains. The landscape shifted around us, the snow giving way to patches of exposed rock and ice, and the air grew colder with every step. I could feel the tension building in the group—everyone's nerves were on edge.
Then, without warning, we heard it.
A low growl echoed through the air, followed by the unmistakable sound of heavy footfalls crunching through the snow. Kaeya motioned for us to stop, his hand raised as he gestured for silence.
I barely had time to register what was happening before a group of Hilichurls emerged from behind a ridge, charging toward us with reckless abandon. But these weren't the usual Hilichurls I'd seen before—there was something wild in their eyes, something desperate. Their movements were jerky, uncoordinated, as if they were being driven by something they couldn't control.
"Get ready!" Kaeya shouted, drawing his sword.
Elric was the first to react, stepping forward with his shield raised as the Hilichurls closed in. Mara nocked an arrow, her expression focused as she took aim from a distance. Venn, though clearly shaken, held his ground, his sword raised in a shaky but determined grip.
I gripped my own sword, feeling the unfamiliar weight in my hand. Eula had been training me for weeks now, but I still felt more comfortable with my fists. Still, this was no time for hesitation.
"Switch on!"
The Hilichurls attacked in a frenzy, their weapons swinging wildly. Elric held the line, deflecting blows with his shield and striking back with calculated precision. Mara's arrows flew through the air, hitting their marks with deadly accuracy. Venn stayed close to Elric, fighting defensively, but managing to hold his own.
As for me, I moved between the group, using a mix of sword strikes and brute force to fend off the Hilichurls. My regeneration kept me going, healing any minor injuries almost instantly, i can feel that my new version of demon mode has made me much stronger than before but for some reason even after getting their arms chopped off, the Hilicurls persisted. The Hilichurls, driven by some unseen force, seemed relentless.
At one point, a Hilichurl swung its club at me, and I barely dodged in time. I responded with a stab from my sword, the blade going through its chest. It staggered but didn't fall, its eyes? Mask? wild with rage.
"These things aren't normal," I muttered, gritting my teeth as I fought.
Kaeya, who had just dispatched another Hilichurl, glanced over at me. "That's the Abyss' influence. It twists them, makes them erratic—and more dangerous."
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last of the Hilichurls fell, collapsing into the snow with a heavy thud. We stood there, breathing heavily, the cold air stinging our lungs. The battlefield was quiet now, the only sound the wind howling through the mountains.
I wiped the sweat from my brow, feeling the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. "That was… something."
Elric sheathed his sword, his expression as unreadable as ever. "It's not over. We need to keep moving."
But as we prepared to continue, Kaeya knelt down beside one of the fallen Hilichurls, inspecting the strange markings that had been carved into its skin. His eyes darkened, and he stood slowly, his hand tightening around his sword.
"This is Abyss magic," he said quietly. "We're getting close."
A chill ran down my spine, and it had nothing to do with the cold. The Abyss was here—and whatever they were planning, it wasn't good.
---
The cold seemed to grow sharper as we pressed on, and the weight of Kaeya's words hung heavy in the air: Abyss magic.
Mara, ever perceptive, noticed my sudden stiffness. She fell into step beside me, her breath visible in the icy air. "You good?"
I hesitated before nodding. "Yeah. Just… remembering the last time I dealt with an Abyss Mage."
Her expression softened with understanding. "They're tough. But we've got Kaeya, and I'd bet on him any day."
I chuckled weakly. "You're not wrong."
Kaeya, up ahead, was walking with his usual nonchalance, but I could tell from the way his eyes darted around that he was on high alert. Elric was quiet, scanning the landscape as if he expected an attack at any moment, while Venn, clearly rattled from the earlier fight, stayed close to the group, his eyes wide as he glanced around nervously.
"Stay sharp," Kaeya said, his voice cutting through the wind. "The Abyss doesn't play by the rules, and we're in their territory now."
The landscape of Dragonspine had grown more hostile, the snow thicker and the wind howling with greater intensity. Jagged cliffs and frozen ruins loomed around us, casting long shadows in the pale light of day. The tracks we'd been following—those strange, erratic Hilichurl footprints—led us deeper into the heart of the mountain. Each step felt heavier, and it wasn't just the snow weighing us down.
We were close to something.
Suddenly, Kaeya held up his hand, signaling for us to stop. We froze, tension thick in the air. I glanced around, heart racing, waiting for something to jump out from the shadows.
Instead, a voice drifted toward us, calm and measured.
"Interesting. I didn't expect to see a group of knights this far into Dragonspine."
I turned toward the voice and saw a figure standing on a rocky outcrop, watching us with an air of detached curiosity. He was dressed in pale blues and whites, blending seamlessly into the icy landscape. His white hair, sharp features, and calm demeanor were unmistakable.
Albedo, the Chief Alchemist of Mondstadt.
Kaeya stepped forward, a smile tugging at his lips. "Albedo. Fancy running into you out here. Are you tracking these Hilichurls too?"
Albedo's gaze shifted from Kaeya to the rest of us, his eyes lingering on me for a moment longer than I was comfortable with. "Not quite. I've been conducting research on the unusual ley line disturbances in the area, but I did notice the activity. It seems the Abyss has its hand in this as well."
Mara, her curiosity piqued, stepped forward. "Ley line disturbances? What kind?"
Albedo glanced at her briefly before looking back at me. "Unstable elemental energy. Likely caused by the Abyss Mages' interference. It's been affecting the local Hilichurls, driving them into a frenzy."
"So that's why they're acting so erratic," Elric muttered.
I nodded, piecing things together. "That explains a lot… but why are you here alone?"
Albedo's gaze returned to me, and I felt a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold. "I prefer working alone when I'm conducting my experiments. Fewer distractions."
He stepped down from the outcrop and approached us, his eyes still fixed on me. There was a strange intensity in his gaze, as if he were studying me—assessing me. I shifted under the weight of his scrutiny, not entirely sure what he was thinking.
"You're Tayden, correct?" he asked, his tone calm but with a faint undercurrent of curiosity.
"Uh, yeah," I replied, feeling slightly uneasy under his gaze. "That's me."
Albedo's eyes flickered with interest. "I've heard about you. Your abilities, specifically. Quite fascinating."
Kaeya's smirk widened. "Oh, here we go."
I shot him a confused look, but before I could ask what he meant, Albedo took a step closer, his expression thoughtful. "Your regenerative powers—combined with the demonic aspect of your abilities—are quite.. unique I should say. I've read a few reports, but I'd be very interested in conducting some experiments to better understand the nature of your regeneration. For research purposes, of course."
I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in the conversation. "Experiments? For research purposes?"
Albedo nodded, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Yes. Your regenerative abilities are unique. I'd like to study the rate of healing under different conditions—temperature, elemental exposure, blood volume…"
I took a step back, feeling the urge to put some distance between us. "Uh, I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that."
Kaeya chuckled, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Don't worry, Tayden. Albedo's methods are… unorthodox, but he doesn't bite."
Mara raised an eyebrow, her tone teasing. "Doesn't mean you won't feel like a lab rat, though."
I forced a laugh, trying to ease the tension. "Yeah, I think I'll pass on the experiments for now."
Albedo, unfazed by my reluctance, simply nodded. "Of course. The offer stands, should you change your mind."
There was something about the way he said it that made me wonder just how serious he was. I had no doubt he'd be happy to run tests on me at the first opportunity. I could practically see the gears turning in his head, already planning out scenarios and variables.
Kaeya, sensing that the conversation was getting a bit too intense, clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Well, as much as I'd love to see Albedo put you through the wringer, we've got some Abyss Mages to deal with."
Albedo's expression softened slightly, his attention shifting back to Kaeya. "Indeed. Be careful—their magic is particularly volatile in this area. If you encounter them, expect resistance."
"We'll keep that in mind," Kaeya replied, giving him a nod. "Good luck with your experiments, Albedo."
Albedo inclined his head slightly before turning back toward the path he had come from. "And good luck with your mission. I'll be around, should you need anything."
With that, he disappeared into the snow-covered landscape, his figure blending into the icy terrain until he was nothing more than a shadow on the horizon.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding, shaking my head. "That guy's intense."
Kaeya laughed. "You get used to it. Albedo's brilliant, but he can be a little… focused."
Mara grinned, glancing at me. "I'd stay clear of his 'experiments' if I were you."
"Yeah, no kidding," I muttered, still trying to shake off the strange encounter.
---
We pressed on, the wind howling louder as we climbed higher into Dragonspine. The sky above was a dull gray, and the cold grew even more biting. But there was no turning back now. The Abyss was out there, and something told me we were getting closer to whatever it was they were planning.
As we rounded a bend, the outpost finally came into view—a small cluster of tents and makeshift buildings nestled against the base of a towering cliff. It was a relief to see, but the tension in the air hadn't lifted.
Kaeya motioned for us to pick up the pace. "Let's get to the outpost. We'll regroup and plan our next move from there."
I nodded, following closely behind as we made our way toward the outpost. The snow crunched beneath our boots, the cold biting at my skin, but all I could think about was what lay ahead.
The Abyss was out there, and something told me this mission was only just beginning.