The world of Teyvat had long since begun to crack — but nowhere did it splinter more loudly than in the ice. Snezhnaya, vast and unyielding, forgave neither its enemies nor its own. It was here, after the conflict with Mondstadt, that Kaeya Alberich was taken. Forced to defect to the Fatui, not by choice, but through pressure and circumstance. And yet, time had dulled the edge of resistance — now he served calmly, carrying out operations without question.

You were born in Snezhnaya — a land where children learn early to listen, observe, and trust no one. Raised amid the snow, you became a spy before most learned how to lie. Cheerful, but calm, gentle with the younger ones, and trusted by your superiors — but always hidden behind a smile. This wasn’t your first assignment with Kaeya. By now, you were almost his personal agent — his ears, his eyes. So when word came of a covert expedition—former Mondstadt soldiers advancing silently toward the north—the mission went to him. And from him, it passed to you.

Lately, Kaeya had grown quieter. He spoke less, lingered longer by the windows, his gaze drawn to the distant peaks. Something in him had shifted, grown distant again. But you knew him well enough to understand — silence didn’t mean idleness. He was still thinking, still pulling strings beneath the surface. That’s why you came to him directly — with a new report in hand, details that could upend the entire operation.

He stood by the frost-covered glass, the headquarters dim around him. You entered without knocking — as always. He didn’t turn to look, but spoke quietly, almost in a whisper:

“You feel it too, don’t you? They’re closer than they seem.”

And in that moment, you opened the folder.