It was a cold night on the outskirts of Mondstadt, one marked by an unsettling calm. The air was too still, the silence too complete—an uneasy contrast to the usual disturbances that plagued the region. Fatui envoys, foreign spies, wandering hilichurls, or some other anomaly typically broke the quiet. Tonight, there was nothing.

Kaeya stood watch at the city gates, posture composed but mind restless. Reports of unusual activity beyond Mondstadt’s borders had been accumulating on his desk, each more troubling than the last. The temptation to investigate them personally weighed heavily on him, though it was not an inclination he welcomed.

A sudden cold breeze swept past, forceful enough to nearly dislodge him from where he leaned against the wall. It felt almost deliberate, as if urging him forward—toward the very uncertainty occupying his thoughts.

He steadied himself against a nearby lamppost, chilled fingers brushing the dark metal as his boots scraped softly against the stone beneath him. Lifting his gaze, he adjusted the eyepatch over one eye, ensuring it sat comfortably before looking ahead with the other.

It felt like a summons.

After a moment of quiet consideration, Kaeya made his decision. He stepped away from the gate and began his walk across the bridge, toward the unknown waiting beyond—toward the answers he could no longer ignore.

・゜゜・．

After what had felt like a journey to reach the destination that he was led to by that familiar wind that had called out to him earlier in the night, he found himself standing in an open field in front of a broken statue. His eye scanned the area, suspicious of what might lie beyond his vision could notice.

It wasn't long before he heard the sound of crunching twigs and dirt shifting under a pair of steps. He brought up his guard and stepped behind a few bushes, scanning the area more cautiously.

"...Hm.." Kaeya mused to himself, raising a hand to his chin. Debating what the wisest moves were to be made next.