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Alhaitham’s had his fair share of weird research trips.
Being a student of Haravatat meant that he spent weeks upon weeks of his time as a student scouring precarious tunnels and ruins, hoping to find an artifact or relic that would make his newest paper a success. As an adult, his interest had only sharpened- now that he had ample funding and a vision to defend himself with, Alhaitham's trips into the desert had become more and more frequent. The scribe’s personal research delved into King Deshret’s society, and Sumeru's desert was an endless sea of ancient texts waiting to be translated.
However, nothing could have prepared him for finding a man who, by all accounts, should have been dead for the last two decades.
-
It wouldn’t usually be his first choice, but Alhaitham decided to set up camp beneath a rocky outcrop in the Lower Setekh. It was more of a divot in the sand than an actual cave, but it provided enough wind protection that he deemed it a reasonable place to rest for the night.
Although Alhaitham by himself could have easily crossed through Abdju Pit and into Aaru Village before sundown, the man he had just discovered laying on the ground alone deep inside King Deshret's Mausoleum certainly wasn't in any condition to do so.
He was alive, but just barely. The stranger was emaciated, and what remained of his shredded Akadeymia uniform was practically hanging off his body. The desert certainly wasn't cold during daytime hours, but the man still shivered the entire way out of the mausoleum. Alhaitham practically had to drag him away from the pyramids- the stranger's battered legs could barely hold his own weight.
“Whew! Thanks for pulling me out of there.” Alhaitham's guest shivers, rubbing his hands over the campfire. “Thought I was a goner when that caravan started sinking. Although I have no clue how I ended up in those ruins…”
Alhaitham wordlessly passes him a canteen of water, which the man happily takes.
“Ah, appreciate it! I’d offer you something in exchange, but I'm afraid I lost all my supplies to that blasted quicksand. I'll have to repay you somehow once we reach Sumeru City.”
The scribe bows his head in affirmation, but does not respond.
Quicksand… if this man is who I think he is, then he sank into the sand on the way to Caravan Ribat, in a valley just outside of Aaru Village. How did he end up so deep underground in the Lower Setekh? That's leagues away from point A to point B. For an ordinary person, it could take days to travel.
He picks at his ration bar absently. Although the sun was just barely starting to set, Alhaitham had chosen to set up camp early in order to accommodate his strange new travel companion. The man's hair was sandy blonde, and his sunken eyes were a familiar shade of reddish brown.
In short, he looks eerily similar to somebody Alhaitham knows.
The gray-haired swordsman closes his eyes, trying to take stock of his situation.
I found him lying in the entrance of Duat Hall. The carvings in there represent death and the judgement of souls. Most ancient myths state that Duat Hall was created by a god, intending to replicate the underworld and the heavens…
The man shifts uncomfortably, red eyes darting back and forth between Alhaitham and the entrance to the cave. “You're… not much of a talker, are you?”
“Sorry. Just thinking about something.” Alhaitham responds, staring into the flames. “Your situation is unique, to say the very least.”
The man snorts. “I'll say! I've probably given my poor wife quite a fright. Not sure how long I've been out here or how long I was unconscious for, but I think it's safe to say I'm past my estimated time of arriving home.”
In reference to Duat Hall; “Sinners would fall into the underworld, and those who gained his favor would live on in paradise.” It's one of the few Ancient Deshretan translations that almost all Haravatat scholars agree on. I also found strange traces of elemental energy in both the surrounding chambers and the entrance to the tomb. That would signal unusual Ley Line activity in the area.
The blonde stranger squints at Alhaitham, clearly a little perturbed. “Uh, are you alright? I can just leave if I'm disturbing you-”
“Not at all.” Alhaitham replies, shaking himself back to reality. “In fact, I would really prefer if you stayed with me until we return to the city. Apologies for being so distracted- I merely have some concerns about the state in which you were found.”
The man scratches his head absently. It's almost creepy how familiar his mannerisms are. “Well, I can't say I blame you. It's not every day you hear about someone falling into a patch of quicksand and waking up at the bottom of a tomb that’s been sealed for over five centuries!”
Alhaitham shakes his head. “It's bizarre, but there must be something that caused it. I'll bring you to the Akadeymia first thing tomorrow. They should be able to treat your wounds, and perhaps offer some explanation for how you ended up in this situation.”
The man visibly recoils. “...The Akadeymia? I'm sure you mean well, but you do know there's a fairly good chance they'll try to run a bunch of experiments on me the second I walk through the door, right?”
Alhaitham smiles ruefully. “That's not something you need to worry about, considering I am the Akadeymia’s current standing Grand Sage. You may hereby consider yourself protected from any unwanted studies.”
Alhaitham's guest looks absolutely floored at that. “ I- Pardon?!?”
The scribe- no, Grand Sage- shakes his head grimly. “I'm not entirely sure of my theory yet, so take my words with a grain of salt- but I believe many things have changed in the time since you fell into that quicksand and the moment I found you.”
The man's red eyes darken with worry. “We have no time to lose in that case. I'm sorry to rush you, but I have a family back in the city! If any more than one or two days have passed, my wife and son will be completely frantic!”
“I agree, but you're not traveling anywhere in your current condition, and I can't fend off monsters in the dark. We'll have to wait until morning to travel. Hopefully you will have recovered enough to walk by daybreak.”
The scribe hesitates for a moment. “...Also, I must insist that you visit the Akadeymia with me before anything else. I understand it's inconvenient, but it's of tantamount importance that we find out what happened to you between the time you fell and the time you woke up. I may not enjoy my position as Grand Sage, but I still have to ensure that the people of Sumeru are safe from whatever this phenomenon is. It could just be a one off thing- but if it's not, then I have serious concerns for the welfare of the people living and traveling through Upper and Lower Setekh. If this is a Ley Line distortion like I believe it is, then there's a chance you aren't the only victim.”
The man nods slowly, brow furrowed. “I understand- I'm just worried for my son. You might not entirely get it if you're not a parent, but there's something unnerving about leaving your kid to go on a trip, you know? I just hope he isn't too upset with me for losing all those souvenirs I planned to bring him.”
Alhaitham swipes the crumbs of his ration bar off his cloak before laying down. “There's plenty of trinkets for sale at the campus bookstore if you'd like to bring him one. It might not be exactly the same, but I'm sure the gesture would be appreciated nonetheless. Your safe return is a much better gift than any toy, after all.”
The man yawns widely before flopping down onto the bedroll. Alhaitham was only carrying one, but he'd chosen to offer it to the stranger to spare his bruised body from direct contact with sand.
“Ah, you're probably right. My little Kaveh isn't the type to worry about such things. That boy is spoiled, but certainly not rotten!”
Alhaitham quickly schools his expression into a wall of calm, but it's no easy feat. There's trepidation rising in his chest- but also a little bit of hope.
My theory was right.
“Tell me more about your son.”
“Where do I even start… he's a genius for a kid his age! Just eight years old, but you wouldn't believe how talented he is already. I know they always say you should cherish those childhood years, but I honestly can't wait to see how he does at the Akadeymia. Faranak and I are already planning the party we'll throw when he finally chooses his Darshan!”
Alhaitham rolls over to face the wall, ensuring that his face is obscured by the shadows cast by the dwindling campfire. “He sounds like a truly exceptional child. I'm sure he'll do well at the Akadeymia.”
The stranger laughs good-naturedly. “I certainly hope so- the Akadeymia means a lot to us. I actually met his mother while we were both scholars there! Rhtawahist and Ksharewar, and we couldn't be any more different. I suppose opposites attract, because we clicked almost immediately. Sometimes you meet someone and just know, right?”
Didn't Faranak remarry about 10 years ago? That's not going to be a fun conversation. I suppose I'll leave it up to someone with a little more tact to break the news.
“...Sure.”
“You have a special someone at home, by any chance?”
“I'm not married, if that's what you're asking.”
The man- no, Kaveh's father- waves his hand dismissively. “Psh, marriage is overrated anyways. And Faranak agrees with me! We just signed our documents in a courthouse and that was it. I think raising our boy together represents our union much more than some fancy wedding ceremony.”
“Fair enough.”
The man sighs deeply. “You know, you remind me a lot of a buddy of mine.”
“How so?”
Kaveh's father chuckles, but it's strangely melancholy. “You’re practically the spitting image of the guy- not to mention, he wasn't much of a talker either. I think you would've gotten along well.”
Oh no.
“I really wish he was still around so I could introduce you two.” Kaveh's dad continues, seemingly oblivious to Alhaitham's current plight. “His name was Hakim. Incredibly gifted scholar, that guy- he used to volunteer as a mentor to all the Haravatat kids. He and his wife were pretty famous around the Akadeymia. You've probably run into them at least once if you've been in the city long enough to become a Sage.”
Alhaitham grips his cape perhaps a little harder than necessary as he pulls it over his head. “Never had the pleasure of meeting them, I'm afraid.”
“That's a real shame. Maybe you've met Hakim's mother, then? She's smart as a whip, just like he was.”
“I have.” Alhaitham finds himself saying. “I enjoyed her company very much.”
“I can see why! That woman has a heart of gold. She's been raising her grandson all by herself after Hakim and Nabila passed, and it takes a lot of strength to do that. Especially at her advanced age...”
Alhaitham smiles ruefully. “Indeed. She's one very determined lady.”
Kaveh's father yawns widely before rustling back into his bedroll. “Well, I think it's about time we turn in for the night. It's quite a journey to the city by foot, we may as well rest up while we have the chance. I'm sure we'll have a long day tomorrow.”
That's an understatement. I don't know how we're supposed to break any of this to him, much less Kaveh.
“...Agreed. See you in the morning.”
Sick with worry, Alhaitham falls into an uneven and fitful sleep.
-
Returning to the city felt very surreal.
For one, they had to contend with quite a bit of staring. Kaveh's dad stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the crowds of sharply dressed Eremites and starched Akadeymia uniforms. Alhaitham had lent him some spare clothes to replace his shredded ones, but they were much too large for the man's thin frame. There also hadn't been much Alhaitham could do to hide his injuries, much less the layers of sand and grime. Whispers followed them deep into the city as the crowd parted to make way for their Grand Sage.
Secondly, Kaveh's father was clearly very overwhelmed.
“This just doesn't make any sense.” He grumbled under his breath as Alhaitham led him past Lambad’s Tavern. “I don't understand how I could get so turned around in my own city- I barely recognize half of these buildings, for Archons sake! I'd be hopelessly lost if you weren't here to help me!”
That would be because the city’s layout has changed quite a bit in the twenty years you've been dead.
“Perhaps you have a head injury.” Alhaitham supplies helpfully. “We'll get you checked out at the Bimarstan shortly, but I need to take you to meet someone first. She may be able to assist with some of your confusion.”
Kaveh's father wipes his brow, still looking mildly disturbed. “I suppose that makes sense, but I just can't shake the feeling that something is off here. It’s not that I don't trust you, but something just feels… wrong .”
This is bad. Best to take him to Nahida before he realizes what's happened to him.
“My colleagues will likely be able to offer an explanation once we arrive.” Alhaitham replies shortly, rounding the corner of the Akadeymia entrance staircase rather sharply. A student shrieks in surprise and nearly drops her books as Alhaitham’s cape whips past her. “Try not to think about it too hard in the meantime. That could make things… unnecessarily complicated.”
The man frowns in confusion as Alhaitham strides past the entrance to the Akadeymia and towards Razan Gardens. “Where exactly did you say your colleagues were located again?”
Alhaitham wordlessly points to the top of the Divine Tree. Kaveh's dad follows his finger, eyes wide.
“Surely you don't mean the Sanctuary? No one's been in there in years.”
“Things have changed.” Alhaitham replies tersely. More researchers skitter out of the way as he strides past them, but his nerves are too on-edge to care. “The Sanctuary of Surasthana is now partially accessible to the public, so that the people of Sumeru may request private audiences with our Archon- and I intend to do exactly that. It's not necessarily a cause for alarm, but your presence demands further inquiry. Like I said last night, I have concerns that this phenomenon could harm other people in the desert.”
“The Archon?!” Kaveh's father asks incredulously. “I'm sorry, but are you quite right in the head?”
“Perfectly fine, thank you. I'm afraid I'm not the best person to tell you what's currently going on, but things should become more clear once we speak to her.”
The top of the Divine Tree is a beautiful place, the crisp winds of autumn blowing through the leaves as Alhaitham strides onto the platform. The Sanctuary's doors, formerly a rather intimidating sight, are now decorated with a plethora of flower garlands to celebrate their god's birthday. Alhaitham nods once to the guards outside the door, who immediately part to let their Grand Sage through.
Kaveh's father whistles in awe as they cross the threshold, footsteps echoing across stone. “Never thought I'd see this place in person.”
Something blue soars out from behind a pillar without warning, zooming to a halt mere inches from the scribe's face. Kaveh's dad yelps in surprise, but Alhaitham doesn't flinch. “...Greetings, Hat Guy. Is Nahida home? It's an emergency.”
The puppet sneers at him, crossing his arms. “ Nahida? How bold of you mortals to refer to your god in such an informal manner. You're fortunate that the Electro Archon doesn't rule this silly nation of yours- she would smite you with the Musou no Hitotachi for speaking so casually.”
“ Hat Guy!” A tiny voice chides, echoing across the Sanctuary. “Be nice to our guests!”
A little girl no older than five or six bursts into existence in a shower of leaves, clover-shaped eyes glowing bright. “Alhaitham, it's lovely to see you! Are you here for tea?”
Alhaitham steps to the side, revealing the blonde man currently cowering against a pillar. “Not this time. We require your assistance.”
A flash of surprise crosses the Dendro Archon's face, but it quickly fades back into a cheery smile. “Oh my! A new friend! What's your name, mister?”
Huh. She could easily read his mind to find out, but I suppose this is a less intrusive way to start a difficult conversation.
Kaveh's father quickly wipes the sweat from his brow. “Lovely to meet you! I'm Jamshid, Faranak’s husband.”
Nahida smiles brightly, but Alhaitham knows her well enough to tell there's a slight look of worry upon her tiny face. “Ah, Jamshid of Rhtawahist! I've read several of your research papers- they're quite fascinating!”
Jamshid’s ears turn bright red, just like how Kaveh's do when he's embarrassed. “I’m flattered, Lord Kusanali. I didn't know you were interested in the work of regular scholars.”
Nahida taps her chin thoughtfully. “Hm, yes. I can see why you would think that. But as the god of knowledge, learning is my favorite thing to do! I loved your essay on the symbolic meaning of the constellations situated above the Akadeymia at different times of year. It certainly gave me a lot to think about!”
Alhaitham clears his throat pointedly, and Hat Guy lets out a thin sign through his teeth. “...Buer, this isn’t the time to get distracted. You can badger the poor man about his degree later.”
Nahida coughs, looking mildly abashed. “Yes, right… Well, Jamshid, I have some rather unfortunate news for you. Although there is surely some good along with the bad, as there is with all things in this world…”
“I time traveled, didn't I?” The Rhtawahist scholar replies casually. Alhaitham glances at him in surprise, but the man's red eyes are sharp and critical. “I could see that much from the moment I woke up.”
The Dendro Archon nods, impressed. “You are entirely correct. Just out of curiosity, how did you manage to come to that conclusion?”
“When Alhaitham found me, I was covered in dust that looked like it hadn't been disturbed for a very long time. There were no marks or footprints in the sand around me that would be consistent with something dragging me there. The ceiling in the cavern was also far too high for me to have possibly survived a fall. The last season I remember was springtime, but when we arrived in the city today, it was very clearly autumn. There were posters up for events that shouldn't be happening yet, and I barely recognize half the buildings… and on top of all that, Alhaitham here seems to know me, although he's trying to hide it. But I still can't recall meeting him before yesterday at all.”
Nahida nods again, looking lost in thought. “...Yes, very good. I would expect as much from one of our city's most beloved academics.”
“That's why you pretended to be unaware of your situation, then?” Alhaitham asks lightly, tapping his foot against the marble floor. “Don’t worry, I’m not offended that you didn't trust me right away. If our roles were reversed, I would've felt the same.”
Kaveh's father looks him up and down, a calculating expression on his face. “...Apologies, but yes, that's why I didn't share all of my thoughts with you. I know almost every scholar at the Akadeymia, and I'd never seen you before- the chances of someone relatively unknown suddenly becoming the Grand Sage are close to zero, and I doubt Azar would willingly step down. You also tried to conceal what had actually happened to me, and were rather cagey about the identity of your colleagues in the city… I concluded that it would be unwise to let my guard down, despite you saving me.”
Alhaitham dips his head respectfully. “That is entirely fair. I commend your ability to keep up the act under pressure- I'm sure it couldn’t have been easy.”
“I appreciate the praise, but there are still so many pieces of this puzzle missing. Lord Kusanali, please- I can't go on in the dark any longer. What happened to me?”
Alhaitham closes his eyes with a deep sigh.
Despite being in an unusually polite tone, Hat Guy’s voice still cracks the silence like a bullet. “You've been gone for a while.”
Kaveh's father swallows nervously. “...How long?”
“About twenty years.” Alhaitham confirms solemnly.
Jamshid's mouth falls open in a silent oh.
“It could have been much worse.” Nahida says softly, placing a hand on the scholar's arm. “We have a documented case of someone disappearing under similar circumstances, but she was lost for over a century… Unlike Madam Faruzan, you still have living family and friends waiting for your return.”
“ My son .” Jamshid croaks out, turning towards the scribe with an expression so terrible that Alhaitham knows it will haunt his nightmares for the rest of his life. “Oh gods- what if- what if he-”
“Kaveh is alive and well.” Alhaitham confirms quickly, placing his cloak over the man's shaking shoulders. “We’re about the same age, and currently reside together in the city.”
“He's not a little boy any more.” Kaveh's father repeats faintly, shivering. “Gods above, I missed his entire childhood!”
Alhaitham shakes his head. “No. Your previous life may have been cut short by forces beyond our control, but I know that Kaveh still cherishes each and every moment your family spent together.”
Kaveh's father looks at him desperately, tears welling in his crimson eyes. “You don't understand. If two decades have passed, then he's just turned thirty. The Kaveh I know is merely a memory! I never got to say goodbye. I've been gone for so many birthdays, so many milestones… I just got plucked out of my life like it was all meaningless to begin with. My child is alive, but I don't know him anymore- how am I not supposed to mourn the Kaveh I lost?”
“Death would have given anyone else much the same result.” Hat Guy retorts harshly, kicking a pebble across the Sanctuary with such force that sparks fly from the tiles. “You, on the other hand, have received a second chance. You have a good 50 years left of your silly mortal life… I wonder, what will you make of it? Will you sit around and waste it until your feeble body crumbles, or will you try to rebuild everything you lived for in the past?”
Nahida frowns, chlorophyll eyes swirling with some unknowable emotion. “...I would perhaps phrase things a little less crudely, but Hat Guy is right. Grief and pain is inevitable, but your life was never meaningless. Not when you lived it, not when you died, and not now that you live again. And as your patron god, I promise wholeheartedly that not once has this nation ever forgotten you. You will find your place in this world again.”
“I can attest to that.” Alhaitham rumbles, something gravelly catching deep in his throat. “For better or for worse, not a day goes by where Kaveh doesn't think of you. Even if you couldn't be there physically, he has still carried you with him for his entire life. …Not to be presumptuous, but I think you'll be proud of the man he has become. He's achieved a great deal in the time you've been gone, and already made his mark in Sumeru's history.”
Something softens in Jamshid's brow, but he remains visibly distressed. “...And what of Faranak?”
Alhaitham bows his head. “She is alive and well from what I know, but I believe the remainder of that conversation is best left to Kaveh.”
Jamshid bows his head in defeat. “No… I understand. If I truly did die that day, then she has every right to move on. We were so young- it wouldn’t be fair of anyone to expect her to let her life come to a standstill, or to live on without a companion. I just pray that Kaveh never held that against her.”
Nahida shuts her eyes, looking slightly pained. “You seem relatively unsurprised by this. It's not a bad thing, but I am curious as to why you are so accepting of such a devastating loss.”
“It’s because I still love her.” Kaveh's father replies plainly, a slightly misty look in his eyes. “All I ever wanted was for her to be happy, even if it wasn’t with me.”
Hat Guy arches an eyebrow. “Huh. I don't think I've ever seen someone react to news of a divorce that way, but I suppose there's a first time for everything.”
Nahida opens her mouth to reprimand him, but Alhaitham beats her to it, scowling. “ Enough. This is no time for your games.”
The puppet sticks out his tongue before activating his vision and soaring towards the top of the pillar. The Dendro Archon visibly cringes.
“I'm sorry about him. We've been trying to work on his social skills, but alas…”
Jamshid shakes his head. “It's okay. He's right. Nothing is normal about any of this.”
“It may not seem like it now, but you're going to be fine.” Alhaitham says suddenly. “It has been a long time, but most of your friends and family are still alive and well. Don't worry about work or housing- we'll have all of your expenses paid for by the Akadeymia for the rest of your life if necessary. The majority of your research has been preserved by both your Darshan and your son. And I'll do everything in my power to make sure this never happens to anyone else again. You and Madam Faruzan have both suffered enough.”
“I will do the same.” Buer echoes, a determined glint in her emerald eyes. “Although they have since released their hold on you, I can sense where the Ley Lines once held your body and soul captive. I will send a delegation to the desert to research this phenomenon immediately. Thanks to Madam Faruzan, the Akadeymia has a research team specializing in Ley Line Time Distortion Theory, and I believe your case may give them the evidence they need for a major breakthrough. If I have anything to do with it, this will never happen again to anyone else- you have my word as your Archon!”
“Thank you all.” Kaveh's father croaks out, eyes glassy. “Even that flying prick, I guess.”
Nahida tries to shush him, but Hat Guy's deranged cackling echoes throughout the entire Sanctuary.
-
“Alright… That should be the last of them.” Jamshid's doctor pats the man's arm, having just neatly tied a final bandage over his shoulder.
Their next stop after leaving the Sanctuary had been the Bimarstan. As powerful as Nahida’s Dendro abilities are, she's not a healer- and the Rhtawahist scholar certainly needed one.
Alhaitham’s eyes rove over the pages of the book propped up on his knee, but he isn't really taking in any of the words. The hospital's guest chairs are as uncomfortable as ever.
The doctor straightens up with a bright smile. “Good news, sir. Your injuries are quite extensive, but you should heal up in no time. Just lay off the heavy lifting and take off work for a few days, then come back in about a week to get your cast and stitches checked. If you happen to bump into anyone with elemental healing abilities and can afford their services, there's no shame in asking them for a boost- it won't magically fix things, but you should recover a little faster.”
“Thanks.” Kaveh's dad says faintly, gingerly flexing his newly-splinted hand. “I'll be sure to take it easy.”
“Are you in any pain?” Alhaitham can't help but ask. Jamshid shakes his head.
“Some of the little cuts sting a bit… but considering I've been dead for about 20 years, I’d say I’m in fairly good shape.”
“Good.” Alhaitham snaps his book shut, standing abruptly. “I hate to rush you, but my little excursion into the desert took about a day and a half longer than it was supposed to. Kaveh's probably worried by now. We should return home, at the very least to spare me his nagging.”
Jamshid's eyebrows pinch together. “Has anyone sent word ahead?”
Alhaitham shakes his head. “Not yet. Don't take this the wrong way, but I believe I’m the best candidate to tell him the news. He won't believe it otherwise.”
“You two sound very close.” There's a tinge of bittersweetness in Jamshid's voice, but his eyes are clear. “I'm sure you know him much better than me at this point, but I'm glad to hear he has such good friends. Kaveh deserves to have someone as capable as you by his side.”
Alhaitham closes his eyes, not quite trusting himself to speak.
-
It's only when they get to the front door that Kaveh's father finally voices the question that had been hanging over Alhaitham’s head for the past few days.
“By the way, I forgot to ask earlier. Was I alive when you found me?”
Alhaitham doesn't miss a beat. “No. But something in the atmosphere of the mausoleum changed the moment I stepped into Duat Hall. Dust froze in midair, and the sand disturbed by my footsteps became smooth again. You were reanimated shortly thereafter. Nahida's Ley Line Time Distortion Theory checks out, but we still don't entirely understand what it was or how it happened, or why your life was rewound to the exact moment before your death.”
“So there's a chance I could simply drop dead again at some point in the near future?” He asks casually.
Alhaitham hesitates. “...I certainly hope not, but yes. If it was an intentional spell or curse of sorts instead of true time travel, then we have no way of knowing if the effects will last. It could be entirely random Ley Line activity, but there is also a chance that it was a trap placed by the people of King Deshret's society in order to deter grave robbers. Although that would not explain how you ended up in the mausoleum in the first place.”
Jamshid squares his shoulders, jaw set. “...Well. I'd better make the most of the time I have, then.”
Alhaitham steps towards the front door, making sure to rattle his key extra loud as he unlocks it.
A familiar voice echoes from the living room as he steps over the threshold, sharp with irritation. “Haitham! How many times have I told you not to run off on your little research trips without leaving a note? I've also told you a million times to let me know if you won't be home for dinner, I cooked two portions of biryani last night for nothing-”
“Kaveh. A word, if you would? It's important.” Alhaitham asks wearily. The day’s events are slowly catching up to him, and suddenly the task ahead seems a million times more daunting.
“What's wrong?” Kaveh asks, all semblance of irritation suddenly gone from his voice. The divan creaks loudly as he stands up, footsteps padding towards the entryway. “Are you feeling alri…?”
The architect's voice dies in his throat as his father steps through the doorframe.
“...Hey there, kiddo. I hear it's been a while.”
Alhaitham's roommate staggers backwards, eyes wide with pure shock.
“Weren't you supposed to stand outside while I broke the news to him?” Alhaitham mumbles defeatedly.
Kaveh gives him one long, blank stare before immediately fainting and hitting his head on the coffee table.
“KAVEH!!”
The scribe sighs. “...And that was exactly what I was hoping to avoid.”
Welcome home, I suppose.
-
When Kaveh wakes up on the divan ten minutes later with a massive bump on his head and a raging headache, the first thing he does is start complaining.
The architect hesitantly peels one red eye open. “...Did I pass out again?”
The scribe doesn't miss a beat. “Yes. You really need to drink more water.”
Kaveh leans back into the pillows, throwing an arm up to cover his eyes with a miserable groan. “ Gods… Haitham, I just had the worst nightmare.”
“Do tell.” Alhaitham murmurs, pressing a cold compress to his roommate's head. Kaveh relaxes into his touch with an aggrieved sigh.
“Well, I had an awful day at work, so I went to lie down on the couch. That part really happened, by the way, I wish it hadn't though- but the point is! I got home and fell asleep, but then dreamed that I woke up. You know how that happens sometimes, right? So anyways, you came in through the front door late as you always do, and everything seemed normal.”
Alhaitham squints at Kaveh's forehead, inspecting the brilliant purple bruise. “And then what happened?”
Kaveh gestures wildly with his hands. “My father showed up out of nowhere! Usually I dream of him looking exactly like the last time I saw him, but he was covered in injuries, Haitham. I just wanted to cry. I hated seeing him hurt like that.”
Alhaitham presses a glass of water into Kaveh's hands. The architect immediately gulps half of it down. “Mmh. What startled you the most about it?”
Kaveh sighs, leaning back into the pillows. “Archons, I don't know. I've dreamed about him miraculously surviving and coming home so many times, but never like that. He was always… perfect. Like he was before the competition. Like he’d never gone to the desert at all.”
“What would you think,” Alhaitham begins slowly, “if the dream was real?”
Kaveh stares at him for a moment before laughing bitterly. “I'd think I hit my head somehow, to be frank.”
Alhaitham smiles despite himself. “Well, you did manage to do that. That's a pretty nasty bump on your face, you know.”
Kaveh grins at him, looking slightly dazed. “...I think I have a concussion.”
“I think so too.” Alhaitham agrees, handing him a small bowl of water. “Heal yourself up with some Dendro cores- we have a lot to talk about.”
-
“You promise you're not pranking me.”
Alhaitham frowns. “I wouldn't joke about something like this.”
Kaveh grips his head with his hands. “I know, I know, it's just- think about how insane this looks from my point of view!”
Alhaitham knows. He has known ever since he found the man currently hiding in his study laying motionless in the ruins. He knows that his inquiry into Sachin and the diadem now have a completely different meaning, and that his and Kaveh's lives will never be the same.
He places a hand over Kaveh's, a rare display of physical affection.
“Believe me. I know.”
Kaveh closes his eyes, fists clenching involuntarily.
“...I trust you. Don't fuck this up.”
Alhaitham can feel the warning in his tone. If any of this is a lie, they will part ways for the rest of their lives.
He knows he's telling the truth, but the mere thought of losing this second chance at rekindling their friendship still makes his skin crawl.
“Do you want to see him?”
Kaveh nods slowly, opening his eyes with a wavering sigh. “...Yeah. I think I'm ready.”
-
When they step into the study, the first thing Alhaitham notices is the shining orange stone sitting in the center of the blonde man's palm.
Kaveh's voice is strangely small. “Dad?”
Jamshid's fingers close around the newly-formed Geo Vision, and he turns towards his son with a small smile. “The gods are so finicky, aren't they? This funny little thing appeared in my pocket after I heard your voice again for the first time. It's deeper now, certainly, your accent has been changed by the city- and of course, you're not a child anymore. But I still recognized it was you.”
Kaveh makes a wheezy, punched-out noise in the back of his throat.
Kaveh's father stands shakily, setting down the Vision and propping himself up on the desk. “You know, I was thinking to myself- how can I possibly start to make up for all the time I've lost? I guess this is Rex Lapis’s way of answering me.”
“ You're here .” Kaveh whispers. “You're actually here? I'm not dreaming?”
“I'll gladly pinch you if you'd like to check.” Alhaitham murmurs before he can stop himself. Kaveh elbows him in the ribs. Ouch. Well, I'm certainly not dreaming.
Kaveh's dad lifts his arms hesitantly- and Kaveh almost immediately crashes into him with a hug, broad shoulders shaking with the force of his sobs.
“Bring it in, buddy.” Jamshid murmurs, patting the architect's back. “Archons above, when did you get so tall? I guess I just always thought you'd be shorter than me forever. I'll have to find a new arm rest.”
Kaveh makes a strange choking noise that might've been an attempt at a laugh.
“Oh, and your hair looks just like mine! I always thought you were going to take more after your mother when you were little, but now I see that I was wrong. You're the spitting image of both of us.”
Alhaitham lingers awkwardly near the door.
Should I leave? I don't know what to do. Am I intruding? Does he want me to stay? There's no guidebook for how to respond to situations like this.
Kaveh blindly reaches out behind him, grabbing the front of Alhaitham's cloak before yanking him into the hug. Alhaitham instinctively tenses his shoulders, but Jamshid simply throws an arm around him and pulls both men closer.
Kaveh sniffs wetly, tears seeping into the front of Alhaitham's shirt.
“ Thank you, Haitham.”
This time, Alhaitham is kind enough not to demand he say it thrice.
-
Dinner that evening is a strange affair.
As expected, no one particularly felt like going out, and the events of the day had left all three far too exhausted to cook. Alhaitham plucked forlornly at his plate of cheese and dates as Kaveh tried desperately to catch his father up on the last twenty years of the city's lore. The older blonde's eyebrows climbed higher and higher into his hair as Kaveh prattled on about his various misfortunes.
“...So then the Palace’s foundation was destroyed by the Withering overnight, right? And when the workers arrived on site the next morning, they were all in danger. I didn't have my Vision yet, so I ran to Ghandarva Ville for help…”
Jamshid shakes his head, looking deeply troubled. “Good lord.”
“...I ended up getting that sorted with the Forest Rangers, but my commissioner was understandably pretty furious. She told me to choose between paying to complete the project out of pocket, or leaving the project in shame. Obviously I had to choose the first option- not only was I at fault for what happened, but I would've been blacklisted by potential clients for the rest of my career if I failed to deliver on such an expensive project.”
Kaveh's father blinks rapidly. “And the one who did this to you was… a pink-haired child billionaire with a pet electro slime ?”
Alhaitham tilts back the remainder of his drink. “Kaveh often has the misfortune of meeting the strangest people Sumeru has to offer. As the Akadeymia's resident madman, I happen to be included among that number.”
Kaveh scowls at him halfheartedly. “Oh please. You know that was just one of those dumb nicknames our professors gave us- remember when I got stuck with “The Urchin of Ksharewar” by that crotchety old librarian?”
Alhaitham smiled behind his glass. “I hear several members of the Akadeymia staff held a party when your year graduated. May the House of Daena forever be spared from Ksharewar’s ideas for how to make perfectly good shelf organization a hundred times less efficient.”
“I was fixing a broken system!”
“You were color coding books that should clearly have been in alphabetical order. The Daena Decimal System was created for a reason.”
“At least I put them back on the shelves! It's like you're allergic to not leaving books on the floor for me to trip on-”
Kaveh's father clears his throat pointedly. The two scholars turn towards him rather meekly, cheeks burning.
“Not to interrupt you two lovebirds, but I think I'm missing some rather crucial pieces of the timeline here? Kaveh, you said you and Alhaitham had some sort of falling out when you were students. How in Teyvat did you two end up under the same roof?
Kaveh blanches. “...Do you mind if we save that part for another day?”
Alhaitham bows his head solemnly. “It's not a fun story. I believe some things are best left between the two of us for now.”
Jashid nods thoughtfully. “I suppose that's fair. How did you end up with your Vision, then? I certainly hope it was in a less dire moment than when I received mine.”
Kaveh’s expression stiffens. “...I was reading a book I found on a research trip, and it just fell out of the pages once I was done.”
Alhaitham stares at him incredulously. That's how I got my Vision. Although I suppose Kaveh wouldn't want to reveal the truth to the person whose death was the catalyst for his lifelong guilt… Might as well play along.
“I got mine in a similarly mundane way.” The scribe remarks, examining his hand in a feeble attempt to avoid eye contact. “I was recreating a recipe my late grandmother had taught me, a few days before I was set to sell her house and strike out on my own. When I went to wash the dishes after, I found a Dendro Vision at the bottom of her old cast iron. I suppose I'm just sentimental that way.”
Kaveh shoots him a warning look, but Alhaitham ignores it.
“Although if you were to ask me about Kaveh's experience, I'd say he's downplaying it quite a lot. Surely something that could inspire even the gods wasn't just an ordinary book. It’s contents must have been either unusually spectacular or uniquely stupid.”
“Definitely uniquely stupid.” Kaveh grumbles under his breath, but Alhaitham can tell by the way his shoulders relax that the architect is feeling much calmer.
Jashid turns the yellow stone over in his hand, clearly lost in thought. “...You know, I always thought Geo would be the last element I'd get if I were to receive a Vision. Guess things never go as you plan in life, eh?”
Kaveh smiles weakly. “It’s kind of ironic that you spent your entire academic career studying the sky, and now suddenly you have the power to control the earth.”
His father chuckles. “I know! Honestly, I wanted a Hydro Vision the most when I was a kid. There used to be this rumor in Rhtawahist that the great astronomers of the Hexenzirkel use the reflections in their tea water to read the constellations. But I suppose you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, especially if it's from Celestia.”
Alhaitham props his head up on his hands. “You can use any element to refract light if it's spread thin enough, actually. I'll show you my own methods for Dendro projection once you've recovered a little. I was able to create a mirrored surface with it, even though it doesn't have the same visual properties as Hydro or Cryo.”
“I'd certainly be willing to try! I'm not particularly interested in combat, so I'd like to explore other avenues of making my Vision useful. Aside from my own research, maybe there's some way it could be used for a charitable cause.”
“You could try practicing shield projection first.” Kaveh suggests. “That way you'd be able to protect yourself. And eventually other people, of course, but Layla's told me that's a little more difficult to master.”
“Sounds like a good game plan. I'll have to count on you two to test the durability without shredding me, though.”
Alhaitham shakes his head. “That won't be necessary. Mehrak should be able to determine the strength of your shield with a simple scan- no need to risk putting yourself in danger.”
Jamshid glances at Kaveh, looking slightly bewildered. “...Mehrak? Who's that?”
Kaveh startles. “Oh, I completely forgot to introduce you two!”
A snap of his fingers, and the sentient briefcase appears over his shoulder in a burst of green light.
Beep boop!
“Mehrak, this is your granddad. Say hi.”
Mehrak tilts sideways, a confused expression appearing on its pixelated face. Beep?
Kaveh waves at it nonchalantly. “Well, he's back now! …Uh, don't dwell on it too much though. I haven't put the concept of time distortion into your programming yet.”
Mehrak’s display screen flickers into a frowny face. Kaveh reaches out to pat the top of the briefcase with an exasperated sigh.
“Oh, good grief. I really shouldn't have vented to you so much about my problems…”
“I did tell you that it was bad for a child's development.” Alhaitham says, very helpfully.
Kaveh's face turns tomato red. “I didn't know it had the capacity to remember things at the time! My first round of coding was so simple- it was just supposed to be a floating toolbox with a built-in calendar, and a cute face to keep me company while working. It's just that the machine core was recording and storing data from interacting with the world without me knowing. By the time I had improved Mehrak's capacity to interact with the environment, power itself through my Vision and generate its own action codes, it was too risky to delete anything.”
“That is incredible.” Kaveh's father breathes out in awe, leaning forward to observe the robot in more detail. Mehrak examines him curiously, emitting a series of electronic trills. “Exquisite craftsmanship, too! Your eye for the aesthetic side of things has certainly improved since you were eight.”
Kaveh snorts. “I'd certainly hope so. Remember when I ruined mom's commission by drawing on it with crayon?”
Jamshid chuckles. “Don't ever let Faranak know I told you this, but the client actually ended up liking your new placement for the bay window. They had her incorporate it in the second draft. Technically, your first ever collaborative design was when you were five years old!”
Alhaitham twirls a napkin between his fingers, lost in thought.
…It seems my previous concerns about Kaveh's emotional state were unfounded. Even after so long apart, they just fell back into place. Like pieces of a puzzle.
It's a hypothetical he doesn't particularly enjoy thinking about, but he can't help but wonder if things would be similar if his own parents miraculously returned. Of course there was no way of knowing, and he would never harbor the delusion that such a thing was possible. Unlike Kaveh's father, Alhaitham was entirely certain that his parents were currently resting peacefully in a private cemetery just outside Vimara Village, and would continue to do so for the rest of time.
Nonetheless, the question lingers.
Would they recognize him, now that he was no longer a chubby-faced toddler? Would they look exactly the same as they did in those grainy Kamera photos on his desk? Would he immediately know them because they are family?
He was so young when they died. So young that he was barely aware enough of their presence to truly mourn the loss.
So if they did somehow return, wouldn’t he simply be introducing himself to two strangers?
Kaveh reaches across the table to tap his hand, looking mildly exasperated.
“Haitham, you still awake? I've been talking to you for the past twenty seconds.”
Alhaitham quickly shakes himself out of his turmoil. “I’m perfectly fine. Just thinking.”
The architect yawns widely, blinking slowly. “Ugh… speaking of not being awake, I think I'm going to head to bed. As much as I want to hear more, I pulled an all-nighter on a commission yesterday…”
Jamshid pats his son's arm in sympathy, looking slightly amused. “Your sleep schedule has always been a mess, hasn't it? Get some rest, kiddo.”
Kaveh yawns again, rubbing his eyes. “...You’re not going to disappear in the middle of the night or anything, right?”
The older man chuckles. “I'm not going anywhere if I can help it. I think we've all earned some downtime.”
“...Mhm. Goodnight, Haitham. Goodnight, dad. Love you both.”
Huh. That's certainly a new one.
Alhaitham's roommate shuffles into the hallway, Mehrak following along behind him with a sleepy beep.
“...Love you too.” Alhaitham mutters under his breath, gaze fixed on the architect's back as he shuts his bedroom door with a loud bang.
There's a strangely tense silence left in his absence.
Kaveh's father knits his brows, eyes drifting towards the bookshelves surrounding the room. “...You know, I was just thinking to myself that you looked oddly familiar.”
Alhaitham bows his head. “Indeed. I believe you knew my parents.”
Jamshid nods. “I figured out who you were pretty soon after we met Lord Kusanali, actually. You’re practically a carbon copy of Hakim, aside from having your mom's eyes and nose. When you told me twenty years had passed, the timeline started adding up pretty quickly.”
“Kaveh once showed me his mother's illustration of you all together. She's a very talented portrait artist.”
“Oh, that gathering! We very rarely got together like that, so Faranak wanted to remember the occasion with a memento of sorts. Kameras weren't very popular then, so the only way to capture casual moments like that little party were through art and literature. I did try to convince her to show everyone once it was done, but she was always so shy about her drawings of people.”
“You were friends, then.” Alhaitham replies softly, propping his head up on his hands.
Jamshid sighs deeply.
“Your parents… I don't think there's any other word to describe them other than eccentric. They were geniuses in their respective fields, but not sociable in the traditional sense. I suppose some people in the Akadeymia judged them quite harshly for that.”
“But not you.”
Jamshid shakes his head, smiling wistfully. “No. They were good people. Constantly bragging about how adorable you were, sure- but as a father myself, I could hardly hold that against them. And to be fair, you were an unusually cute baby. Took them twice as long to do the grocery shopping after you were born, because all the aunties at the Bazaar kept cooing over that little sprout on your head.”
“I didn't realize my parents were so… family oriented.”
“Well, they weren't exactly the touchy-feely type. Your grandmother was a sweetheart, but your parents truly were birds of a feather. They tended to approach social relationships with practicality over anything else, and part of the reason why they bonded so fast was because they saw the world from the same unique lens. Some things did change a little bit after you arrived, though. I'd never heard either of them talk so much!”
There's a strangely fuzzy feeling in Alhaitham's chest. “I suppose that makes sense. I did notice an uptick in the length of my mother's journal entries after I was born.”
“I didn't know her quite as well as your father when they were still alive, but I read some of her studies when I was researching Vahumana materials before joining the Championship. Her writings were always very insightful.”
Alhaitham averts his gaze. “...I have some of her unpublished works in my study, if you would like to take a look at them sometime. Same with my father.”
Kaveh's dad regards him, crimson eyes familiarly warm.
“I think they would've been very proud of who you are now.”
Alhaitham's ears burn.
“...I would like to hope so, too.”
-
Mother. Father.
You will never read this, but I'm writing anyways. I should be asleep right now, but Grandmother always told me journaling was a good way to organize your thoughts.
Kaveh's dad came back today. You never knew he was missing in the first place, but I suppose now is a better time than any to inform you. He died in the desert, but whether by accident or purpose, his fate was somehow reversed.
The next few weeks will be difficult. I imagine this has been an incredible shock to him, and he's likely barely holding it together to save face in front of his son. If the universe is kind, then he will live out the rest of his days here in Sumeru City, with whoever remains among his former companions and family.
I am not jealous of Kaveh. But I did think of you.
I won't ever love you in the way that most children love their families. You will never hug me, or hold my hand, or kiss my face.
I will only know you in the silhouette of old photographs, the curve of your handwriting, and in the few remaining records of your lifelong pursuit of knowledge.
I think I've made my peace with that.
Your son,
-Alhaitham