Diluc was in his father's office. Since his death, he had been looking for reasons why Ursa, the dragon who had been without signs of life for so many years, had attacked Mondstadt. On the other hand, he was trying to figure out what kind of power the gem his father used to defeat the beast had.

He remembered that night. He held his father in his arms as he struggled to tell him his last words: "A man's life can change in a matter of seconds," he smiled, and then coughed up blood. "Diluc—don't blame Kaeya for anything. You need each other. You must protect each other." After facing the dragon, his red hair, like Diluc's, had turned white, and the wrinkles had multiplied on his face. It seemed as if they had traveled to the future, only Diluc was the same.

As much as he investigated Ursa's powers, among them, was not one that would cast curses. He looked at the gem sewn into the glove. He wondered since when his father had possessed an artifact with such a magnitude of power and if it was really the dragon that ended his life.

A movement outside put him out of his thoughts. He fixed his eyes on the window and saw Kaeya approaching the house. He left the glove inside the drawer and ran to receive him. He needed to hug him and tell him so much. He knew that with him by his side, he would discover anything he was looking for.

"I'll open the door, Adelinde," he told her when the maid was two steps from the door. "It's Kaeya."

Adelinde nodded and withdrew, knowing that Diluc had waited a long time for that moment.

"Kae, you're finally back," he said as soon as he opened the door. He was expecting to receive one of Kaeya's smiles, but Kaeya only looked at him for a second before looking away. He had rarely shown his head down in front of anyone, not even him. Even when Diluc found him lost in thoughts, with a gloomy or distressed face, Kaeya would immediately change his expression to show him his most charming smile. "Is everything okay? You've been away a long time. I'd even say that—you avoided me," he laughed nervously. He knew well that that was what he had been doing, although he didn't quite know the reason. He imagined that his father's death was the cause, he assumed that Kaeya was hiding from him so that he wouldn't have to hide his sadness.

Kaeya still didn't say a word. Diluc saw him frown and bite his lip. He reached out his arm to touch his shoulder, needing his contact, but Kaeya took a step back and looked at him again. Diluc didn't know how to decipher that look. His icy eyes no longer showed that characteristic calmness that sometimes got on Diluc's nerves.

"Kae, please, tell me what's wrong," Diluc begged. "I've not heard from you since my dad—," he went silent and clenched his jaw. "I would have liked to have you by my side at his funeral, but I understood that, perhaps, it was too much for you—even if he was your father—"

"Crepus wasn't my father."

Diluc's blood ran cold when he heard his words. It wasn't disdain what was in them; rather, it seemed to him that he was tired of hearing that. It was true that Kaeya had never agreed to take the surname Ragvindr, no matter how much Crepus had offered it to him, but he had never been bothered by being called his son.

"Even if you weren't his blood son, he always treated you like a Ragnvindr."

"But I'm not a Ragnvindr. I'm an Alberich."

Diluc looked at him perplexed. Kaeya never told his last name. When asked, he changed the subject. In the end, it was assumed that he didn't want to talk about it or he didn't remember it.

"Alberich—Where have I heard it before?" mumbled Diluc when he noticed that it sounded like something.

"Kaenri'ah."

Diluc opened his eyes wide, suddenly remembering where he had seen that surname. It appeared in some stories about Kaenri'ah, although briefly. It belonged to the clan that began to rule those lands when their king, Irmin, became weak. Little or nothing was known about them, and that's why they were hardly mentioned in history books.

"I don't know what your intentions are, but it's a bad joke that I'm not going to tolerate," Diluc said, annoyed.

Kaeya laughed. It was a sad laugh, like so many others Diluc had heard before.

"You were always too innocent, but also clever. Ragnvindr is the most important clan in Mondstadt. Do you really think it was just a coincidence that a child from distant lands appeared in your vineyard? Even your father didn't quite believe that story, much less Varka."

"And why did he accepted you into the Order?"

Kaeya shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe to keep an eye on me."

"I don't believe it. You—you are a Ragnvindr!"

"I never accepted that last name. Now you know why I couldn't do it. I am an Alberich, the ruling clan of Kaenri'ah, an agent sent to keep an eye on the most important family in Mondstadt. I can't run away from that, not even for you."

Kaeya saw a mixture of rage and helplessness in Diluc's eyes. He knew he was about to cross the red line, but he didn't stop. Maybe because he thought he deserved that anger.

"Crepus welcomed me, gave me a home, a family. I owed him the truth, but it's too late, so it's up to you to judge me on his behalf—and yours."

"Kaeya!" he growled, and Wolf's Gravestone appeared in his hand, covered in flames. "Tell me it's not true. Tell me you haven't been cheating on us all this time. Accept that you are a Ragnvindr!"

Kaeya sighed. The time had come.

"I'm sorry," he said with his head down, and drew his sword. He looked up to meet Diluc's eyes. "I'm not gonna lie to you again. I am and always will be an Alberich."

Diluc could no longer contain his anger. He was unable to keep a cool head. First, the death of his father, then this: Kaeya, whom he trusted the most, turned out to be a spy. He jumped on him and Wolf's Gravestone described an arc in the air before crashing into Kaeya's sword, which was barely able to stop it. He felt the heat of the flames close to his face in the seconds he tried to move the greatsword away. Just as a flame reached his right eye, burning his patch, he managed to pull away with a light movement and rolled on the floor. If something was hindering Diluc, it was his weapon, which reduced his speed. Kaeya stood up and raised his sword again, waiting for a new attack that wouldn't be long in coming.

He was a better swordsman than Diluc, as long as he didn't use his vision. Kaeya could beat him on equal terms, but he was unable to put out those flames. His defeat was decided before the fight started.

Diluc looked at the ground and saw the charred patch before turning his eyes to his opponent. Kaeya remained in front of him, with one knee stuck on the ground and covering his eye with his hand. Even when he pulled it away, Diluc was unable to distinguish his eye, as the blood completely covered it.

The sky roared and a lightning bolt crossed the darkness of the night. Kaeya looked up, the drops soaked his face, easing the pain in his eye a little. He felt Crepus crying. He was sure that he hated to see his two sons face each other, because, even if he couldn't accept their last name, Crepus was always a father to him.

"I'm sorry—" he murmured to the sky as Diluc raised his sword against him again.

Kaeya knew he wouldn't be able to stop that blow, but he still tried. If he had to die for his sins, he preferred to do so at the hands of Diluc, but not without a fight. Fate would decide for him.

The swords clashed and that's when a blinding light forced them to close their eyes. The flames disappeared under a layer of ice that immediately turned into steam. When they managed to open their eyes again, Kaeya saw a vision in front of him. It emitted a bluish glow and seemed to be inviting him to take it, so he reached out his hand and the vision rested on it.

Diluc didn't give credit. He had always thought that the gods would also choose Kaeya sooner or later, but, after knowing the truth, he didn't know how they could trust him. However, Diluc had grown up respecting them, trusting their judgment. If they had chosen Kaeya, they would have a good reason. He could oppose the whole world, but not the gods. So he lowered his sword and looked at his opponent as the rain continued to fall torrentially.

"Cryo, huh? It fits you like a ring on your finger," he said before returning home.

Kaeya watched him walk away and disappear behind the door of what had been his home all those years. Then he looked at the vision again. A smile twisted his face. He laughed at the whims of the gods. He had wanted a vision so badly to protect his family and, now that it had been granted, he had no family left to protect.

He covered his injured eye with his hand, it was starting to burn, and a raindrop, or maybe a tear, slipped down his cheek.