Two days had passed since the battle with the Abyss Herald, and I had finally regained some semblance of movement. I could walk again—well, more like stagger—but at least I was no longer entirely dependent on Albedo's assistance.
My body still wasn't fully cooperating, and every step felt as though my muscles were made of stone. Dragonspine's frigid winds weren't doing me any favors either. I longed for the warmth of Mondstadt, for solid ground that wasn't coated in ice.
That morning, the quiet crackle of fire greeted me as I woke. The soft warmth of Albedo's lab tent provided a brief escape from the icy wilderness just beyond its thin walls. Stiffness clung to my limbs, and as I pushed myself into a sitting position, my joints protested with every move. The overexertion from pushing my demon mode to its limits had drained me physically, mentally, and emotionally. It wasn't just the exhaustion of the fight—it was the helplessness afterward, lying there unable to move while the world carried on around me.
Albedo, of course, was already awake, perched at his desk with that detached focus of his. He scribbled notes with precise strokes, his gaze flitting between the pages and the vials and instruments laid out around him. If he ever slept, I hadn't seen it.
"Good morning," he said without looking up from his work.
"Morning," I grunted back, stretching my legs cautiously. The stiffness was starting to ease, but I was still a long way from being fully recovered.
Albedo glanced up, his pale blue eyes sharp and analytical, but with a faint flicker of concern. "How are you feeling today? More mobility, I hope?"
I rose to my feet, testing my balance. My legs wobbled slightly, but I managed to take a few steps without stumbling too badly. "Better. I think I'm at around sixty percent now. Still not great, but I'm getting there."
Albedo stood from his desk and crossed the room, hands clasped behind his back in his typical composed manner. "Sixty percent is progress, but you're still far from optimal capacity."
I gave a weary shrug. "Yeah, tell me about it. But hey, I'll take what I can get."
Albedo studied me for a moment longer, then tilted his head slightly. "Are you sure you're ready to leave Dragonspine? You're still in recovery, and the cold conditions here aren't exactly conducive to a full recovery."
I blinked. "You want me to stay?"
Albedo's gaze flickered with curiosity. "I was hoping you'd agree to undergo a few more tests. There's still so much we don't know about your unique physiology, and I believe we've only begun to scratch the surface."
A sigh escaped my lips as I imagined becoming a permanent fixture in Albedo's lab, subjected to endless tests and experiments. "More tests, huh?"
"Yes," Albedo replied, already moving toward a table cluttered with instruments and beakers. "I've noticed something rather unusual during your recovery. Your body seems to be absorbing trace amounts of Anemo energy from the environment."
I froze. "Anemo energy? Like the kind Vision wielders use?"
Albedo nodded, his tone calm but tinged with excitement. "Precisely. It's faint—almost imperceptible—but it's there. Your body is drawing in small amounts of Anemo energy. It's not something I've encountered before, especially in someone without a Vision."
I frowned, trying to make sense of what he was saying. My powers didn't rely on elemental energy since it came from Muzan. But then, a memory surfaced. The Statue of the Seven in Mondstadt. I had touched when I first arrived to Mondstadt, though I hadn't felt anything unusual at the time.
"Wait," I said slowly. "This might sound crazy, but could it have something to do with the Statue of the Seven? I touched one of Barbatos's statues before we left Mondstadt. Didn't feel anything then, but maybe it triggered something? Since well Barbatos is the Anemo Archon?"
Albedo's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "That's a reasonable theory. The statues are tied to the elemental forces of Teyvat. Your unique biology may have reacted to that connection in an unexpected way."
"But I don't have a Vision," I pointed out, still trying to wrap my head around it. "How could I absorb elemental energy without one?"
Albedo tapped his chin, pacing slowly as he considered the question. "Your biology is unique. It's possible your body can attune to elemental forces naturally, without needing a Vision. Unlike Vision bearers, you may not need the Archons' blessing to interact with elemental energy. It's a fascinating development."
"Fascinating for you," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "I'm not exactly thrilled about becoming an elemental sponge."
Oblivious to my sarcasm, Albedo continued theorizing. "In theory, with time, you could develop the ability to manipulate Anemo energy, much like those with Visions. However, your absorption rate is much slower, likely because your body is still adapting to Teyvat's elemental structure."
I stared at him, trying to process it all. The thought of using Anemo energy like a Vision wielder was both exciting and terrifying. My powers were already difficult enough to manage without throwing elemental energy into the mix.
"So, what does this mean?" I asked, crossing my arms. "That I could eventually use Anemo energy like a Vision holder can?"
Albedo nodded. "Potentially. But it's too early to say for certain. We'd need to conduct more tests to fully understand the scope of your abilities."
"More tests, huh?" I sighed. "Of course."
Albedo glanced over at the array of alchemical equipment scattered across the room, then back at me. "If you're willing, we could begin immediately. There are several avenues we could explore—how your body interacts with other elemental energies, for example. Anemo may only be the beginning."
I grimaced at the thought of more tests. Being poked and prodded in the name of research wasn't exactly my idea of a good time, but I couldn't deny that I was curious. If I was absorbing Anemo energy, I needed to understand it better.
Though I wonder if TD knew about this already, but if he did then why didn't he tell me?
"Fine," I said with a reluctant sigh. "Let's get it over with."
---
The next few hours passed in a blur of strange experiments. Albedo had me stand in glowing circles drawn on the floor, waved crystals over my head, and even made me drink suspicious-looking liquids.
At one point, he handed me a glass of green, viscous liquid. "Drink this," he instructed.
I stared at the substance, my stomach already protesting. "What is it?"
"A mild elemental catalyst," Albedo replied casually. "It should enhance your body's ability to absorb Anemo energy. Perfectly safe."
"Should?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Drink."
I grimaced and downed the concoction. The taste was indescribable—like drinking liquid grass mixed with dirt and metal shavings. I gagged, coughing as the vile flavor hit my throat.
"That's… that's terrible," I wheezed.
"Noted," Albedo said, jotting down more notes.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" I shot him a glare.
"Only in the pursuit of knowledge," he replied, the faintest smile tugging at his lips.
For the rest of the morning, I stood in various positions, holding different crystals as Albedo observed the faint interactions between my body and the Anemo-infused materials. It was tedious, but I had to admit—it was fascinating.
My body really was absorbing elemental energy, slowly but surely. There was a faint tingling whenever I held an Anemo crystal, like a low-level current running through my veins.
By midday, I was ready to collapse. My body was still far from fully recovered, and the constant tests were taking their toll.
"Alright," I said, holding up a hand. "I think that's enough experimenting for today."
Albedo nodded absentmindedly, still jotting down notes. "We've made significant progress. Your body's ability to interact with Anemo energy is remarkable."
"Yeah, fascinating," I muttered, rubbing my sore arms. "But I'm done for today."
Albedo nodded. "Of course. We can continue tomorrow."
I collapsed into a chair near the fire, grateful to be off my feet. As the warmth began to seep into my bones, I felt the lingering aches in my muscles ease.
Albedo joined me, sitting across from me with his notebook in hand. He looked up from his writing, studying me with that calm, analytical gaze.
"You've made remarkable progress in the past two days," he said. "If your recovery continues at this rate, you'll be back to full strength soon."
"Good," I replied, stretching my legs. "I'm ready to get out of this frozen wasteland."
Albedo smiled faintly. "I'll miss having such an interesting subject to study."
"Yeah, well, I'll miss not being turned into a human experiment," I shot back with a grin.
Albedo chuckled softly. "It's all in the name of science."
"Sure," I muttered, leaning back. "Let's go with that."