The next morning came, cold and quiet. I could hear the wind howling outside, the sound muffled by the walls of Albedo's lab. The warmth of the blankets was the only comfort I had as I lay there, trapped in my own body, still unable to move. I'd regained the ability to speak, but my body? Useless. Dead weight.
It had been nearly a full day since the battle with the Abyss Herald, and yet here I was, still paralyzed, completely at the mercy of Albedo's alchemical prowess. My thoughts raced, trying to make sense of what had happened. How had I let myself get into this situation? I'd pushed demon mode too far, that was obvious, but I hadn't expected it to leave me like this.
The door to the lab creaked open, and Albedo stepped inside, moving with his usual quiet grace. His calm demeanor was almost unsettling for me.
"Good morning, Tayden," he said in his soft, composed voice. "How are you feeling?"
I groaned, flexing the only muscle that worked—my vocal cords. "Well, I can talk, which is a step up from yesterday. But moving? Not happening."
Albedo tilted his head, nodding thoughtfully as if this were exactly the result he expected. "Yes, that's to be expected. Your body is still recovering from the strain of your abilities. I imagine it will take a few more days before you're fully mobile again."
"A few more days?" I muttered, exasperated. "You mean I'm stuck like this until then?"
"Not necessarily," Albedo replied, turning to retrieve something from his workbench. "You'll regain movement gradually. It won't be as sudden as flipping a switch. In the meantime, I can assure you that you're in no danger. Your body is simply… recovering."
Recovering. That word had been tossed around a lot lately. But this didn't feel like recovery—it felt like I was a prisoner in my own body. I could hear the wind outside, the quiet hum of Albedo's instruments, the crackling fire in the corner of the room. But all I could do was lie there, completely immobile.
I tried to move again, focusing all my energy on just lifting my arm. Nothing. My fingers twitched slightly, but that was it. Come on, Tayden, move! I screamed internally. Move your damn body!
Still nothing.
I clenched my teeth, mentally screaming at my limbs to obey, but they refused. It was like trying to will a stone to roll uphill—impossible. My mind raced in circles as frustration built up inside me, but eventually, I gave up. With a groan, I sank back into the pillow, defeated.
This is ridiculous. Though it's also a bit strange that TD hasn't come to me in another dream thing.
Albedo returned with a small vial of shimmering liquid, his face as composed as ever. "I've prepared a mild tonic that should help with your recovery. It won't restore full mobility immediately, but it will accelerate your body's healing process."
"Great," I muttered, nervous to drink it.
Albedo gently tilted my head up so I could drink. The liquid was cool and tasted vaguely of mint.
Once I'd finished, Albedo set the empty vial aside and sat down next to me, folding his hands in his lap. He studied me for a moment, his gaze unreadable.
"Your condition is fascinating," he said finally, his voice almost too casual. "It's not every day I come across someone with such unique regenerative abilities. I've been thinking about your powers, and there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
I raised an eyebrow—or at least, I tried to. "Oh? What's that?"
Albedo leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing in thought. "You're not from this world, are you?"
His words hit me like a hammer. My heart skipped a beat, and panic surged through me. What? How does he know? I stammered mentally, but my actual response was less composed.
"I—I mean… what? That's… why would you—?"
Albedo didn't seem fazed by my sputtering. In fact, he almost looked amused. "Your physiology is unlike anything I've encountered in Teyvat. The way your body heals, the way your powers function… it doesn't align with any known elemental system, alchemical principle, mystic arts or anything else that is known to Teyvat."
I tried to respond, but the words caught in my throat. Albedo watched me carefully, his expression calm but curious.
"Don't worry," he said after a moment, his voice softening slightly. "I have no intention of revealing your secret. Your origin is your own business. But I am interested in learning more about your abilities."
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my racing heart. "So… you're not going to tell anyone?"
Albedo shook his head. "No. I'm merely curious. As an alchemist, my pursuit of knowledge extends beyond the limitations of this world. But I understand the importance of discretion. Your secret is safe."
His reassurance eased some of the panic, but I was still on edge. How had he figured it out so easily? Was I that transparent?
"I guess… I should've expected you to figure it out," I muttered, feeling a bit sheepish. "You're too smart for your own good."
Albedo smiled faintly. "I simply observe the world around me. Your presence here is an anomaly, but not one I find threatening. In fact, I find it rather… fascinating."
"Fascinating, huh?" I echoed, still feeling a little nervous. "You're not going to, like, dissect me or anything, are you?"
Albedo raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a slight smile. "Not unless you give me permission."
I stared at him, unsure if he was joking or not. With Albedo, you could never tell.
"Let's just keep the dissections off the table for now haha.." I said, half-joking, half-serious.
"Agreed," Albedo replied, his expression neutral once again.
We lapsed into silence for a while after that. Albedo busied himself with his alchemical instruments, occasionally jotting down notes in a small journal. I lay there, staring up at the ceiling, still unable to move, but at least my mind was a little calmer now.
Despite everything, I couldn't help but feel a small sense of relief. Albedo knew my secret, but he wasn't going to tell anyone. He was curious, sure, but I got the sense that he genuinely wanted to help. Maybe being stuck in his care wasn't the worst thing that could happen.
As the hours passed, Albedo continued to tend to me, checking my pulse, administering more potions, and occasionally asking me questions about how I was feeling. He was thorough, that much was clear, but he wasn't overbearing. It was almost… comforting, in a way.
At one point, as he was scribbling something in his journal, he paused and glanced over at me. "You seem to be in good spirits, despite your condition."
I snorted. "Good spirits? Sure, if you call being paralyzed and stuck in a lab 'good spirits.'"
Albedo chuckled softly, which caught me off guard. I didn't think he had a sense of humor. "I suppose your situation could be worse. At least you're not in any pain."
"Yeah," I muttered. "Small victories, right?"
We continued chatting off and on throughout the day. Albedo asked me more about my powers—how they worked, how I controlled them, what limits I'd discovered. I answered as best I could, though I was still trying to figure a lot of it out myself. He seemed genuinely interested, not in a creepy way, but in the way a scientist might be fascinated by a new discovery.
It wasn't until late afternoon that the conversation took a turn I didn't expect.
"You haven't relieved yourself since you've been here," Albedo remarked casually, glancing at me over his journal.
I blinked, caught completely off guard. "Wait… what?"
Albedo set the journal down and stood up, walking over to where I lay. "It's been over twenty-four hours, and you haven't mentioned needing to use the restroom. Are you experiencing any discomfort?"
I stared at him, mortified. "Uh… no, I'm fine. I mean… I kind of feel like I need to go, but it's not urgent or anything."
Albedo's expression remained neutral as he nodded. "In that case, I should assist you."
I panicked. "What? No, no, I can hold it. It's fine."
Albedo raised an eyebrow. "Tayden, you can't move. If you hold it in for too long, it could cause unnecessary strain on your bladder, which—"
"I said I'm fine!" I cut him off, my voice rising in pitch. "Seriously, I can hold it. No need to help."
Albedo stared at me for a moment, clearly confused by my reaction. "Are you sure? Holding it in is not advisable, especially in your condition."
I nodded frantically. "Yeah, I'm sure. I'll be fine. Trust me."
Albedo's gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, as if he were debating whether or not to argue the point. But eventually, he sighed and relented. "Very well. But if you experience any discomfort, let me know immediately. It's important to address these bodily functions in a timely manner."
"Will do," I muttered. This is what my life has become.
Albedo returned to his workbench, muttering something under his breath about "bodily functions" and "regenerative capabilities." I closed my eyes, groaning internally. Great. Just great.
As the day wore on, Albedo continued his work, occasionally checking on me, but for the most part, he left me alone to rest. I couldn't move, but at least I could think. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that maybe I was lucky. Sure, I was stuck here, paralyzed and completely dependent on Albedo, but at least I was alive. At least I had people looking out for me.
That was something, right?