The wind howled through the narrow passage, biting at my exposed skin even through the layers of fur and armor. Dragonspine wasn't like anywhere I'd been before—its cold wasn't just weather; it felt alive, creeping into my bones, seeping into every breath. I pulled my scarf tighter around my neck, trying to keep the sting of the cold at bay, but I could already feel the numbing frost settling in.
We had been hiking for hours, moving through Dragonspine's snow-covered wilderness. Kaeya led the way with his usual calm confidence, cutting through the terrain like he was made for this environment. Elric was close behind him, the tall, stoic knight whose broad shoulders seemed to slice the wind. Mara was further to the left, her eyes constantly scanning the ridges and cliffs, always alert. Venn, the youngest of us, was just ahead of me, looking slightly nervous but determined to prove himself. I could relate—I felt out of place here too, trying to understand how I fit into this group of seasoned knights.
The cold was fierce, but I had an advantage. In my hand, I held a torch—its flames a deep, vibrant red. Not an ordinary flame, though. It was made from my own blood, ignited with the help of the Pyro-infused oil I had carried with me. The warmth radiating from it was the only thing keeping the worst of the cold at bay.
Kaeya turned his head slightly, his smirk barely visible under the scarf wrapped around his face. "You know, Tayden, that's not exactly what I had in mind when I said we'd need fire for this expedition. But I've got to hand it to you—that's one way to keep warm."
I gave him a sideways glance, holding the torch a little higher. "Yeah, well, not everyone can summon fire from their blood, you know."
He chuckled, his breath visible in the freezing air. "True, true. But I'm just wondering how long you can keep that up. I mean, I'm pretty sure most people need their blood to stay *inside* their bodies."
"Funny, Kaeya," I said, shaking my head. "But I've got plenty to spare. Besides, this helps more than you'd think."
Elric, who had been listening quietly, glanced back over his shoulder, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the sight of the blood-flame torch. "I've seen you fight with that ability before, but I didn't realize it could be used like that. Does it… hurt?"
Mara, always curious, chimed in with a nod. "Yeah, what's it like? Do you have to cut yourself every time you need fire?"
I grinned sheepishly, feeling a little self-conscious. "Not exactly. It doesn't hurt much, at least not anymore. I guess I've gotten used to it. The blood regenerates quickly enough, so it's more of a temporary drain than anything permanent."
Venn, who had been unusually quiet for most of the journey, looked back at me with wide eyes. "So you're like… immune to the cold because of it?"
"Not immune," I corrected, shaking my head. "I still feel it. The cold stings just like it does for everyone else. But the regeneration and this little trick with the fire keep me going. It's a balancing act."
Kaeya snorted softly, his breath forming a brief cloud in the freezing air. "A balancing act where you burn your own blood for warmth? That's… impressive, in a morbid sort of way."
"Hey," I said with a chuckle, "whatever works, right?"
Mara's eyes gleamed with fascination as she kept glancing between me and the torch. "I've never seen anything like that before. How does it feel? I mean, having your own blood burn like that. Does it make you weaker?"
I nodded. "It can. If I burn too much, it'll slow me down. But I'm careful with it. Right now, it's just enough to keep us warm without doing any real damage."
Elric gave a curt nod, his usual stoic demeanor in place. "Useful. But be careful with how much you rely on it. The cold out here doesn't care about how strong you are."
"Yeah," Venn added with a small grin. "And you don't want to be the guy who ran out of blood and froze to death in the middle of nowhere."
Kaeya raised an eyebrow, amused. "We'll just have to make sure Tayden doesn't end up as a cautionary tale."
I laughed, though there was a hint of truth in Venn's words. I couldn't afford to push my limits too far out here, not in a place like Dragonspine.
We continued our trek, the landscape around us growing harsher with every step. Jagged cliffs loomed overhead, and the snow was so deep in places that we had to wade through it. The air itself felt heavy, thick with an oppressive chill that made it hard to breathe.
Tayden felt the weight of the group's expectations, but the camaraderie lightened the burden. The knights' questions weren't just idle curiosity—they were trying to understand him, just as he was still figuring himself out. And that made the cold, biting wind just a little more bearable.
As we moved deeper into Dragonspine, the wind picked up, howling through the ravines like a distant cry. I gripped the torch a little tighter, watching as the flames flickered against the gusts. Kaeya, always observant, shot me a glance, his expression unreadable.
"Don't let it go out," he said lightly. "We might need more than just warmth soon."
The seriousness in his voice wasn't lost on me. He was expecting something—or maybe he just knew this place better than the rest of us. Either way, I could feel the tension growing among the group as we pushed forward, the landscape growing more treacherous with each step.
We were entering the heart of Dragonspine now, and the true dangers of this frozen wasteland were just beginning to reveal themselves.
---
The deeper we ventured into Dragonspine, the more unsettling the landscape became. Snowdrifts reached higher than the tallest of us, and strange, jagged ice formations jutted out from the ground like teeth. The silence between the gusts of wind was unnerving, making the entire region feel desolate and hostile. Even with the torch in hand, I could feel the cold creeping in more intensely, as though the mountain itself was pressing against us.
Kaeya slowed his pace slightly, raising a gloved hand to signal for us to be alert. His eye scanned the horizon, sharp as ever. "Something's off," he muttered. "Keep an eye out."
Elric nodded, immediately shifting into a more defensive stance. His sword was out in a heartbeat, its blade gleaming even in the low light. Mara had her bow in hand as well, her eyes focused on the ridge just above us.
Venn, though trying to stay calm, looked uneasy, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword as he edged closer to me. "Do you think it's the Abyss Mages Jean was talking about?"
I didn't answer right away. My mind flashed back to my last encounter with the Abyss. The image of an Abyss Mage, dark and twisted with malevolent energy, tearing through my defenses. My arm, ripped clean off by the blast of elemental power. I could still feel the phantom pain at times, a reminder of how vulnerable I had been.
"If it is," I said, my voice low, "we need to be ready. They don't mess around."
Just as I spoke, Mara raised her hand, pointing toward a cluster of rocks further down the slope. "Look."
At first, I didn't see anything. But as we moved closer, the snow thinned just enough to reveal the unmistakable tracks of Hilichurls—deep, chaotic prints, as though they had been running or stumbling in a frenzy. There were several sets, all heading in the same direction—toward a steep drop-off at the edge of a frozen river.
"Hilichurls," Elric muttered, narrowing his eyes at the tracks. "But something's wrong."
I knelt down, inspecting the disturbed snow more closely. The footprints weren't random. There was a sense of urgency in the way they were scattered, as if the Hilichurls had been fleeing from something. But that wasn't the worst of it.
Faint traces of energy—dark, swirling tendrils of elemental residue—lingered in the air above the tracks. It was subtle, almost invisible, but unmistakable. I recognized that energy immediately.
"Abyss magic," I said, standing up quickly. "They've been here."
Mara grimaced, tightening her grip on her bow. "It's as Jean feared. The Abyss Mages are getting bolder."
Kaeya remained silent for a moment, his eye focused on the traces of energy. Then, without warning, he knelt beside me, running his fingers through the snow just above the footprints. When he spoke, his voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that made my stomach knot.
"They didn't just pass through here," he said, standing slowly. "They were hunting."
"Hunting what?" Venn asked, his voice shaky.
Kaeya didn't answer immediately. Instead, he straightened up, eyes scanning the horizon once more. "Whatever it is, it's close. We need to keep moving, but stay sharp. We're not alone up here."
I nodded, gripping the hilt of my sword tightly as we pressed on, the weight of the Abyss Mages' presence hanging over us like a dark cloud.
---
As we continued deeper into Dragonspine, the cold seemed to thicken around us. Every breath felt heavy, the frigid air biting at my lungs. The terrain grew steeper, the snow more treacherous, but Kaeya led us with a quiet confidence that kept us moving forward.
Then, up ahead, the faint outline of a camp came into view, nestled against the base of a craggy mountain ridge. The sharp angles of tents and makeshift barricades were unmistakable, even from a distance.
"Elric," Kaeya said quietly, motioning for him to stop. "We've got company."
The rest of us slowed to a halt, our eyes fixed on the camp. It was too organized to belong to Hilichurls, and too fortified to be a random group of adventurers.
Mara's eyes narrowed as she recognized the standard flying above one of the tents. "Fatui," she said, her voice filled with distaste.
Venn shifted uncomfortably beside me, glancing at Kaeya for direction. "Do we… engage?"
Kaeya shook his head, but there was a sharpness in his tone. "No. Not unless they give us a reason to. They haven't done anything suspicious yet, that and the amount of paperwork that would come from attacking them without reason is something I would rather not do, but we need to keep an eye on them."
I frowned, my hand resting on the hilt of my sword as we approached the camp cautiously. The Fatui were known for their diplomatic posturing, but everyone in Mondstadt knew they couldn't be trusted. They were always up to something, even if it wasn't immediately obvious.
As we drew closer, a group of Fatui agents emerged from one of the larger tents. They were dressed in their typical uniforms, masks concealing their faces. One of them, a tall man with a cloak billowing in the wind, stepped forward, his eyes—or at least, I assumed they were his eyes—fixed on Kaeya.
"Well, well," the man said, his voice smooth but cold. "The Knights of Favonius, venturing deep into Dragonspine. To what do we owe the pleasure?"
Kaeya's smirk was disarming, but there was no warmth behind it. "Just passing through," he said, his tone casual. "We could ask you the same question, though. What brings the Fatui so far from home?"
The man chuckled softly, his gloved hand resting lightly on the hilt of his weapon. "Nothing that concerns you, Cavalry Captain. We're simply here for… research."
I didn't like the way he said that. There was something in his tone, something beneath the mask, that set my nerves on edge. And though I couldn't see their faces, I could feel the other agents' eyes on me. They were watching me closely, too closely. It wasn't just the usual tension between the Fatui and the Knights. They were paying special attention to me.
I shifted uncomfortably, my grip tightening on the torch. The flame flickered slightly, as if in response to my unease.
Kaeya's smile never wavered, but I could tell he felt the shift too. "Research? In Dragonspine? How very… industrious of you. We'll be sure to stay out of your way, then. Wouldn't want to interrupt any important work."
The man inclined his head slightly, but his posture remained tense. "That would be wise."
There was a long, tense silence as the two groups stared each other down. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this encounter than met the eye, but before I could dwell on it any longer, Kaeya gave a slight nod, motioning for us to move on.
"Let's go," he said, his voice low but firm.
As we passed the camp, I could still feel the weight of the Fatui's gaze on my back. It wasn't just paranoia—they were watching me. But why? What did they know? What did they want?
Once we were out of earshot, I turned to Kaeya, my voice barely above a whisper. "Who exactly are the Fatui?"
Kaeya's expression darkened, his tone losing its usual playful edge. "The Fatui are… complicated. They represent Snezhnaya, but they've got their hands in just about everything. Politics, trade, military operations. They're ambitious, to say the least."
Mara scoffed. "More like dangerous."
Kaeya nodded in agreement. "They've got their own agenda, and it doesn't always align with Mondstadt's interests. We keep an eye on them, but they're slippery. Always acting like they're here for peaceful reasons, but there's always something else going on behind the scenes."
I frowned, glancing back at the camp, though it was no longer in view. "They were watching me. I could feel it."
Kaeya's gaze sharpened. "I noticed. We'll have to keep an eye on them, too. But for now, let's focus on our mission."
As we pressed on, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in my gut. The Fatui were up to something, and somehow, I was part of it. I just didn't know how or why.
---
By the time we reached the outpost, the sun was a mere sliver on the horizon, casting a faint, icy glow over the snow-covered landscape. The biting wind howled around us as we approached the small wooden fort tucked against the base of a cliff. It was a modest structure, sturdy but weather-worn, built to withstand the relentless cold of Dragonspine.
Knights stationed at the outpost greeted us with a mixture of relief and weariness. It was clear they were glad to have reinforcements, though their faces showed the fatigue that came from days of patrolling in such unforgiving conditions. They ushered us inside quickly, directing us toward the central building where the fires were burning, offering much-needed warmth.
As we stepped inside, the sudden shift from the freezing cold to the heat of the fire was almost overwhelming. The room was small, but cozy, with a single large hearth at the center, flames flickering faintly against the pile of half-burnt logs. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep the worst of the cold at bay.
Kaeya, ever the leader, took a quick survey of the room before addressing the group. "Rest up while you can. We'll set out again at first light. There's still a lot of ground to cover."
I nodded, though my muscles ached from the long trek through the snow. Dropping down onto a bench near the fire, I extended my hands toward the flames, hoping to absorb some of the warmth. The others gathered around the hearth as well, though the fire struggled to maintain its strength against the bitter chill seeping in through the cracks in the walls.
"Looks like this fire won't last the night," Elric muttered, eyeing the dwindling flames. He was right. It wasn't enough—not with the kind of cold we were up against.
An idea sparked in my mind, and I felt the familiar pulse of my powers stirring within me. I stood up, glancing at the knights who were now watching me curiously. "I think I can help with that."
Kaeya raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Going to set the whole place ablaze, are you?"
I grinned slightly, already rolling up my sleeve. "Just the fire. I've done it before, remember?"
The knights who had seen me use my blood to light the torch earlier seemed to relax, though Venn still watched with wide eyes, his fascination apparent. Mara nodded in approval, adjusting her bow as she leaned against the wall. "It'll be nice to have a fire that actually lasts through the night."
I stepped toward the hearth, focusing on the dull flame that was struggling to hold on. With a deep breath, I pressed my thumb to the blade of my sword and drew it across the edge, letting a thick, dark line of blood drip onto the firewood. I could feel the energy within me react to the flame, the heat intensifying as the blood soaked into the logs.
"alright now concentrate... Switch on" With a quick snap of my fingers, I willed the blood to ignite\
"Yes!"
Instantly, the fire roared to life, the flames rising higher and brighter, casting a warm, reddish glow around the room. The heat was almost immediate, washing over us like a wave, banishing the lingering cold from the air. The knights murmured their approval, and even Elric gave a small nod of appreciation.
Venn, still staring wide-eyed at the fire, shook his head in disbelief. "That's… incredible. You didn't need to use the pyro oil thing again?."
I shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious under the attention. "Well.. I wasn't able to ignite it at will before. Now Im kind of getting the hang of it but the oil does make it easier."
Kaeya, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, gave a low chuckle. "And here I thought you were just showing off."
Mara smirked, her eyes reflecting the firelight. "Must come in handy. Don't suppose you'd mind lighting up all our campfires from now on?"
I laughed, though the exertion of using that much blood had left me feeling slightly lightheaded. "I don't think I could keep it up all night. It takes a lot out of me if I use too much."
Elric, who had been silent up until now, spoke up in his usual gruff tone. "Still, that's a hell of an ability."
I could see the curiosity in his eyes, but I wasn't sure how much more to explain. I wasn't exactly used to talking about my powers so openly, but the fact that they had already seen me use it once made it easier. "It's got its limits,"
Venn looked even more impressed. "That combined with your regeneration? That's just cheating. You're like a walking army."
"Not exactly," I said, trying to downplay it. "Elemental attacks slow my healing, so I've got to be careful. It's not foolproof."
Kaeya tilted his head slightly, his smile more knowing now. " I'll make sure to keep you away from any nasty Cryo slashes, then."
The knights chuckled at that, though I could sense that Kaeya was already running through potential battle scenarios in his mind. The man was always thinking ahead, even when he was joking.
The fire continued to crackle, now burning strong and steady, providing us with enough warmth to keep the cold at bay for the night. The tension that had been hanging over the group seemed to ease as the heat filled the room.
"I'll take first watch," Elric said, standing and moving toward the door. "Mara, you can relieve me in a few hours."
Mara nodded, pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders. "Got it."
As Elric stepped outside into the cold, I leaned back, feeling the exhaustion from the day's journey finally catching up to me. Not physically, but this has been mentally exhausting.
With the fire blazing and the warmth settling into my bones, I closed my eyes for just a moment, letting the calmness of the outpost wash over me. Tomorrow, we'd head deeper into the mountain, closer to whatever darkness was lurking out there. But for now, we had fire, warmth, and a moment of peace.
Tomorrow could wait.