Chapter Text
The soft yet precise brush strokes over the canvas were drowned out by the howling wind as yet another snowstorm raged outside his camp on the mountain. However loud the winds screamed and howled, the owner of the brush never seemed to pay any mind to it, having been completely engrossed in his current work for the day. Time seemed to have lost its meaning whenever the Chief Alchemist was in this state, focusing every last thought on what he was to work on and nothing else. Whether that be his endless amounts of experiments, leisure painting, and sketching, or anything else that captured his curiosity or interest. For the time being, no experiments of any kind were being worked on today, or any of the previous few days for that matter.
Though however meticulously neat Albedo's camp usually was in Dragonspine, it no doubt looked like a mess if anyone thought to drop by unannounced. Piles of finished canvas paintings were leaning against the bookshelves, tubes of paint, paintbrushes, and several books littered his desk while several stacks of in-depth research papers and notes were nestled between various alchemical potions and devices on his currently unused research table. Resting on a stool next to the canvas he was currently working on was a copy of the manuscript with detailed notes and prompts regarding the illustrations the author wanted to bring to life for his new novel. Adding to the mess was a handful of various books scattered across the campsite, some open while others were closed and stacked haphazardly on top of each other.
Albedo's eyes narrowed in concentration as he let the brushwork it's magic on the newly started painting of a scenery portrait that he chose from a variety of potential suggestions from Zhenyu's letters. Perfection was always a key element in his drawings and it showed when the alchemist discovered that Legend of Sword was immensely popular in Inazuma. His timeline for this newest book was rather lenient, unlike previous times where Albedo only had either a few days to as little as a few hours to finish the artwork in. However, the chief alchemist had decided that he would get these paintings finished early so that the editor and author would be able to review the artwork and provide feedback within a reasonable timeframe. That would indeed free the rest of his time up so that he could indulge himself in his research once more.
A strange noise, loud enough for his ears to pick up, echoed outside his camp and shattered his concentration on the painting. Immediately all of Albedo's inspiration and focus were lost in that one instant. His lips drew into a thin line as the alchemist pulled and lowered his brush away from the painting. His teal eyes narrowed as he set his painting equipment aside, directing his gaze to the entrance of the cave that he set his campsite within.
That was no ordinary sound that he just heard right then. Albedo had a vast amount of knowledge of all the fauna and flora residing in Dragonspine due to spending most of his time here instead of inside the city. A quick analysis of the sound confirmed there was no native creature of the mountain that could make a sound that was even remotely close to that. As Albedo listened closely, the sound came again a few moments later, louder this time, and echoed once more into the cavern.
“Interesting…” He mused, his curiosity perked as he mulled over the sound. At the same time, a warning bell rang in his mind, reminding him that Dragonspine was a dangerous place, and whatever creature this sound had come from was more than likely a danger to anyone who ventured up into the mountain. Due to the echo it had produced, he couldn’t pinpoint the source of the noise. Was it coming from the left or right of his campsite? Perhaps down below where the skeleton of Durin lay or even far above at the mountain's peak? He carefully made his way out of his safe haven, teal eyes sweeping from side to side, searching for something out of place in the surrounding area, some clues to help him narrow his search.
The echo of the sound was gone, being replaced by the howling of the blizzard that surrounded him. His hair and coat whipped around him as Albedo reached the edge of the cliff a couple of dozen meters from the cave's entrance, analyzing the view in front of him. Even with the blizzard, nothing seemed out of place down below before his teal gaze fell on the rib bones of the long-dead skeleton of Durin. The alchemist’s eyes were drawn lower until they rested on the pathway that lead down into a deeper cavern where Durin’s heart was housed. Something felt off in that location and his curiosity needed to know the reason why. It was as if he was being called to investigate that location.
There were many reasons why he chose this location out of all places on Dragonspine. One reason, in particular, one that he never shared with other Knights, Klee, or even the Traveler, was so that he could keep a close eye on Durin and his venomous blood. It corrupted everything it touched - flora, fauna, and even great deities. It ate away at their mind and bodies like ravenous wolves, throwing them into a pain-induced rage that very few items, magic, or powers could even hope to heal them. Friends would be seen as enemies and bloodshed would soon follow in their wake as they wreaked havoc across the land. It reminded him of what potentially could have happened if the Traveler didn’t arrive when she did to prevent Stormterror from annihilating Mondstadt. Perhaps he would take a closer look at the deceased dragon’s heart after he finished this latest portrait. That is if his inspiration came back to him.
Albedo soon felt eyes burning through the swirling snow, leering directly at him. The alchemist gave a sigh before sweeping his teal gaze around before it fell onto a dark shadow that seemed to melt out of the shadows of one of the ribs that jutted out from the ground. Even from this distance, the chalk prince could feel the hatred radiating off his imposter. It seemed the grudge that the other held for him only grew stronger after the incident a year ago. Just what was he thinking, what was he planning? His appearance just now - were they standing on the cusp of another conflict, one that was liable to pull the Traveler into the mix once more? The previous incident was more or less contained to Dragonspine, which he was grateful for. However, if subject two was in the process of planning something else, it would be far greater than the one before, potentially threatening the safety of the residents of Mondstadt and the surrounding regions. Albedo narrowed his eyes to that particular thought as the figure continued to have a glaring match before it turned away and stalked away.
~~~~~
At the same time, down at the foot of Dragonspine, Lumine tugged the fur coat that Jean lent her tighter around her figure just as another blast of icy wind attempted to send her tumbling backward. A muffled yelp behind her made the blond turn her head slightly to peer back at her floating companion through the falling snow. Paimon had gripped the fur lining of the coat like her life depended on it to prevent herself from being tossed around in the air like a ragdoll.
It honestly didn't help that they decided to visit the place just as another treacherous blizzard sunk its cold grip on the icy mountain. It, however, was like clockwork for Dragonspine, as it didn't come as much of a surprise. The terrain of the mountain and the freezing temperatures made for a difficult climb even in the best of conditions. But alas, orders were orders and she was going to see it through. The honorary knight had been called upon to head up to Albedo's campsite in Dragonspine to deliver a message in person. Of course, Klee, having just been let out of the confinement room for the fourth time this week, had immediately volunteered to help because she missed her brother terribly. So Jean, though concerned, only agreed to allow the Spark Knight to go since it was the Traveler who was to accompany her.
Besides, even before Jean decided to reach out to Lumine, Albedo had yet to respond to any of the letters that the Knights of Favonius had delivered to the basecamp residing just out of reach of Dragonspine's chilling grasp over the past few weeks. According to Sucrose and Jean, that was highly unusual for the man. Something must have really kept the alchemist busy enough as to not respond in a timely manner. Sucrose even checked his lab in Mondstadt and reported that there was nothing out of place nor any signs that he had ever stepped foot into the city in the previous weeks.
"Ahhhhhh! Paimon hates this weather! Why can't Albedo pack up and move somewhere warmer!" Paimon whined and pouted, a shiver rocking her small frame. Her voice yanked Lumine out of her musings and a good thing too as she had almost tripped over a hidden rock at the side of the path which had been covered in a fresh layer of snow. Able to catch herself before she fell, Lumine sighed and brushed her bangs out of her hair, making sure that she stuck to the middle of the path this time.
“Klee?” She blinked, glancing around before her full attention fell on the small child running ahead of her, having not a care in the world. No, in this snowstorm, she could easily lose Klee if she wasn't careful and that would have spelled disaster. Both for the well-being of the mountain's landscape as well as having to inform Albedo that his little sister was lost and could potentially injure herself in these horrible conditions. The three of them could barely see the path leading up into the higher elevations as it was.
The mind-numbing cold was making their progress up the mountain slower than usual due to the howling blizzard. If things kept up as they were, they should be able to make it to the alchemist's camp within the hour if they were lucky. If they didn’t get side-tracked either, which was bound to happen. They also had to be wary of hilichurls, treasure hoarders, and Fatui that were known to make their camps in the area as well. The group could potentially run into them if they strayed off the path and at this point, in this specific weather, Lumine would rather not waste her energy fighting.
"Klee, not so fast! Dragonspine is still a dangerous place and I don't want you to get hurt. What would I tell your brother if you did?" Lumine called, carefully picking up her pace through the piling snow and following the path to where Klee was just a couple of meters away. The fur jacket did little to stop the cold from chilling her to the bone and she shivered. Paimon gave a whine as another gust of wind tore through the mountain, making her grab the fur-lined coat tighter in her small hands.
"Oh… okay Miss Honorary Knight. Klee will stay next to you. Dodoco wanted to have a snowball fight though. But that can wait. I want to see big brother first, then we can play!” The girl waited until Lumine had caught up to her before reaching out to hold her hand. The Traveler nodded before fixing the fur-lined hood of the smaller knight’s coat, also provided by Jean, which had been blown down by the strong wind. Klee giggled out a thank you, smiling brightly as they continued on, clasping her hand in the honorary knights'. If they had time after reaching Albedo's camp, maybe they could have a small snowball fight. Albedo could use a break from whatever it was he had been doing these past few weeks.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until they reached the Frostbearing Tree, following the path as it slowly started to tilt upwards in an incline before the path, although partially covered by a fresh blanket of snow, split in two different directions. One continued straight before veering off and down to the left while the other banked right and up, heading up higher into the mountainside. As Klee was a few feet ahead of Lumine and Paimon, she was the first to notice movement off to the side of the path a dozen or so meters ahead of them. It was hard to see through the swirling snow and wind, but she could make out a silhouette of a person kneeling in the shadows of several trees near a large rock formation, holding something in their hands. The young knight stopped and tilted her head, placing a finger on her chin before turning back to wave at Lumine and Paimon, catching their attention.
“Miss Honorary Knight, Miss Honorary Kight! Klee sees someone right there! Maybe they need help.” The girl turned and lifted a finger, pointing at the figure, who still hadn't moved from its position further up the path. It didn’t take long for the Traveler and Paimon to take notice as well. In an instant, Lumine was at Klee’s side, a gleaming sword materializing in her hand as she focused her attention on the strange figure, who didn’t seem to have noticed them, being so focused on whatever it was in their hand. Lumine had an off feeling in her gut about this figure, but why should she when they didn't provoke her yet? Why were there alarm bells blaring in her mind?
“Wait… Klee’s right. Who is that? Is it another adventurer? But who would be insane enough to come up here when there is a blizzard? Well, besides us that is.” Paimon questioned, rubbing the back of her head as she squinted through the snow to try and get a good look at the figure. It was indeed kneeling and holding something in its hands, but exactly what it was and who this mysterious person was, she couldn’t tell in the slightest. Paimon waved her hand in the air, trying to make the figure notice them.
“Hello! Do you need any help? Are you hurt?” Her voice was louder this time. That provoked a reaction from the person, as though hearing the voice through the shrill howl of the wind. The snow made it hard to see, but the silhouette turned towards them before pausing. They could only make out a few details - what looked like a white jacket or coat, black shorts or pants, and black boots. The hood of the jacket was pulled up and obscured the face, so Klee, Paimon, and Lumine had no idea if this person was a female or male. But they could feel its gaze despite that. There was no response that came - maybe this figure couldn’t determine which direction the voices were coming from, but that wouldn’t explain him turning his head in their direction. It was odd, and that set Lumine on edge even more. Who exactly was this?
“Hi, Mr. Adventurer person! Are you lost? Let us help you!” Klee called out, running towards the figure before Lumine could grab hold of her. As Lumine shouted Klee’s name, the figure reacted again, but this time, it gripped what it was holding and darted through the trees, sticking close to the rocky formation and before disappearing over the hill. It moved quickly for someone running through deep snow, though the Traveler had to file that thought away for later as she caught up with Klee, who stopped at the spot where their mysterious person was at only moments before.
“Miss Honorary Knight… that person wasn’t hurt… was he?” Klee asked, her voice faltering somewhat as she pointed down at the snow. Lumine's eyes went wide at what she saw and Paimon gasped. There, among the cluster of boot imprints in the snow near the tree were several splatterings of red liquid mixed with an abnormal black tinge. A quick glance around the trees and rock resulted in finding more streaks of red and black liquid droplets, leading towards the tree and away from it.
"I'm not sure, Klee. They might have been carrying paint with them, just like Albedo does when he goes to paint. He likes to mix colors, right? Maybe this person mixed red and black paint in the same tube and somehow it got damaged and leaked out. I'm sure they're fine, they just got startled. Maybe they needed to hurry to their campsite down the path to get out of the blizzard." The Traveler was quick to throw out an excuse to try and calm the child. Klee looked at her and nodded, linking her hand with her own and gripping it tightly.
"Okay, I guess… Can we go see Albedo now?" Klee asked in a quiet voice, tugging her hand. Paimon looked at Lumine before staring back at the red-black liquid, unable to determine just exactly where and what the liquid came from. Lumine nodded at Klee and guided her away from the scene, quickly ascending the steps. All they had to do now was to ascend the path up the mountain, round the bend, and travel across the broken narrow bridge to reach Albedo's camp. The faster they got to Albedo, the better, for Klee's sake at least.
Her mind was racing with countless thoughts as they followed the faint path through the snow. Nothing in Dragonspine has blood that resembled that liquid, nor did any other creature in Teyvat in that matter. Was it some sort of undiscovered species in Dragonspine? No, Albedo would have written a report that he found a new specimen to paint if that was the case and informed the Knights about the recent discovery. As it stood now, there was no such letter. That made Lumine even more ill at ease just by entertaining that singular thought. Perhaps it was best not to bring up that in front of Klee. The spark knight was already unnerved as it was.
Their ascent had slowed a bit, due to hitting several deep patches of snow along the path. It got so bad that Lumine had to pick Klee up just to make it across calf-deep snow, with Paimon complaining the entire way. A shiver wracked Lumines body, feeling the chill of the snow start to permeate her knee-high boots. She carefully placed Klee down, holding the child’s hand once more as they picked their way across the barely visible path until they rounded the bend.
The first thing the small group noticed was a figure, standing at the edge of the cliff on the opposite side of the bridge, arms folding across his chest and what looked to be a focused look plastered on his face. Klee’s eyes lit up and she looked up at the honorary knight, tugging her hand in excitement. However, the older female felt her gaze be drawn briefly to the repaired bridge, a surprised look dancing its way across her face before she followed his gaze down to the rib cage of the dragon skeleton below. A concerned expression was quick to replace the surprised look. Just what was he staring at?
"Look, it's Albedo!"
"Big bro!"
Though slightly deafened by the howling winds, Albedo's keen ears picked up on the hurried footsteps as they crunched through the snow to the right of him, as well as distinct, but familiar voices. It was enough to draw his attention away from the scenery below, his focused expression melting into a neutral one. There they were, three figures crossing the now fixed bridge. As no knight nor any normal human was willing to brave the ever-changing conditions of the mountain, Albedo had brought it upon himself to repair the bridge so as to not have visitors be forced to glide from one side of the broken bridge to the other. Rock-like platforms with gold geo-like veins filled in the collapsed portions, created from a blend of alchemy and his geo vision. It was an interesting concept he created
"Klee. Traveler and Paimon. What brings you here?" There was a brief moment of surprise that slipped into his voice, teal eyes analyzing them before Klee practically jumped into his arms, laughing. A small smile broke across Albedo's normally stoic expression as he effortlessly caught her, steadying himself before he brought her close in for a warm hug. He motioned with his head in a silent invitation to come into his camp and out of the biting cold of the blizzard. The group was quick to move inside the cave, Paimon instantly relishing in the warmth that the fire provided, hovering around it like it was the last thing in the world. Albedo and Lumine, however, took a seat at two stools situated near the cluttered desk.
"Haha, Klee can tell you that, big brother! Master Jean said that there's going to be a big meeting tomorrow. And you have to be there too! But, you didn’t answer any mail that was delivered to the base camp. So me and Miss Honorary Knight decided to come to get you!" Klee giggled and threw her arms around the alchemist's neck as Albedo adjusted her in his arms. The chief alchemist hummed in response and he tilted his head, indicating he was analyzing the information he was given. A few moments passed before he nodded, as another slight smile tugged at his lips. Of course, why would anyone else brave this mountain’s icy wrath if not for commissions or to come to visit him?
"Oh, I see. I must apologize then -"
"Oh, no need to apologize, Albedo. Sucrose told me that you hadn't returned to Monstandt in a few weeks now. She was really worried that something must have happened. Actually, everyone was. I’m glad to see you’re doing well." Lumine waved her hands in front of her, a soft chuckle falling from her lips as she did so. It was an understatement when the traveler said that they were all worried over the alchemist, not because of how he would stay in Dragonspine for a long period of time, but because of him not answering the letters. Thankfully, no one knew about the incident that happened on Dragonspine nearly a year ago other than those who were directly involved. Albedo had made it adamant that he would deal with the problem himself and that it was nothing that the other Knights should worry about. Though Lumine couldn’t help but briefly flick her gaze down to the alchemist’s neck to verify that the yellow star mark was indeed there. Thankfully, the mark was there and Lumine could almost breathe a sigh of relief for the moment but caught herself.
"Hmmm, it has been a while, hasn't it? I have indeed been busy with various tasks that required my full attention and energy, as you can see." Even as he spoke, being the ever-observant one, he noticed the fleeting glance from the Traveler but didn’t say a word. Of course, she would make sure he was who he was supposed to be. It didn’t bother him in the slightest though. After the incident, it was understandable for Lumine to react in such a way, she would be a fool not to. Albedo motioned to the clutter, something that he was not particularly proud of at that moment. Yet, his hyper fixation on the artwork for the light novel did manage to distract him significantly.
Lumine glanced around the campsite, taking in everything new that was within the space. There were piles of beautifully painted artwork on canvases, new potions and vials that Albedo potentially created within the past few weeks, large piles of papers of research and notes, and even new books that Lumine didn’t recognize. Though several new devices on his research table drew her attention and she felt drawn to them, her curiosity winning her over. Albedo was busy chatting with Klee, who had excitingly pulled out and showed him her newest drawing of her, Alice, and himself about to go fish blasting at a lake. The male chuckled, giving her a pat on the head and a warm thank you before noticing Lumine staring at the first device.
"Oh? That device is used to increase the durability and survivability of newly created crystalflies in a variety of different environments. The results are… unsatisfactory at the moment. I haven’t had the opportunity to analyze the notes in more detail. If you would like, Traveler, you are more than welcome to assist me." The chief alchemist explained, giving a soft chuckle at the suggestion. Lumine smiled and nodded, switching her gaze to the other two devices. They were so detailed and complicated, as expected of Albedo's brilliant mind and meticulous nature. As he was about to explain the next contraption, movement at the entrance caught his eye.
“That’s nice and all, Albedo, but shouldn’t we head back to Mondstadt. You are going to attend the meeting, right? We didn't just come up here to freeze our butts off just for you not to come!” Paimon questioned, floating over to the three after having her fill with the roaring fire. His teal gaze flickered over to Paimon before nodding, reminding himself of the reason for this visit. He could save the discussions for when they were back to Mondstadt. It was safer there and less likely for potential eavesdroppers to listen to their conversation. As the others started towards the entrance, he crossed over to his crowded research table and picked up the third device, glancing it over as he carefully held it in his hand.
“Albedo, what is that?” Lumine asked, staring at the strange device, confusion flickering across her face. Albedo didn’t answer, but knelt down at the cave’s entrance, tapping a few buttons, before flicking a small lever on one side. The device beeped and whirled before a geo-infused energy shield erupted from it, sealing the entrance to his campsite. Albedo hummed in satisfaction, standing back up before sliding his teal gaze to examine the surprised expressions of Paimon and Traveler. A light chuckle escaped him, “It’s just added protection. Whenever I leave my campsite for any reason, this device will prevent anyone from disrupting it and my research. Come now, if we are to reach Mondstadt before nightfall, it would be wise to leave now before the storm gets worse.”
The descent down the mountain was easier on the group now that they had Albedo leading them. He could pinpoint exactly where the snow was the lightest and avoid the patches where the snow was much deeper than expected. However, the further the alchemist traveled away from his camp, the more he felt like they were being watched as if by a highly skilled predator stalking them with great care. None of the others seemed to notice, besides Lumine, who had more than once glanced around.
The feeling of having their movements monitored continued as they reached the case of the mountain. Those watchful eyes continued to pierce through the cold winds of the mountain, not at all hindered by the blinding snow around them. He waited until they cleared the icy bridge before he paused and turned ever so slightly to cast his gaze back up the path that they had just traveled down. The males’ teal eyes flickered from side to side, attempting to pinpoint where the hated glare was coming from. It took him but a few moments before his gaze drifted down from the Statue of the Seven to focus on two dark shadows standing at the edge of the cliff where the pathway lead up into the higher elevations of the mountainside. The same path that they had taken to head down the mountain from his camp. So, those two were on the move once more, now that he was leaving the mountain for a few days.
"Ummm, Albedo, is there something wrong?" Paimon's voice snapped the alchemist out of his thoughts. Albedo shook his head, before turning back to regard the flying being with a neutral expression, not a single hint betraying what he had been thinking about. At Paimon’s voice, both Lumine and Klee halt their advancements.
"Ah, there is nothing to worry about. The scenery of the mountain as it is right now would make a lovely painting. I don't get many chances to paint blizzards outside Dragonspine." Albedo was quick to formulate a response and gave a convincing smile, to which the others bought into. Although Lumine didn’t look too convinced, she held off saying anything at the moment. But once she was able to pull the alchemist aside after the meeting tomorrow, she wanted to voice some concerns and have some answers.
“Oh, oh, big brother Albedo - can you make a painting of Klee and Dodoco having a snowball fight in the snow?” Klee bounced up and down, eyes lighting up in excitement. The chief alchemist couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm and gave a nod in her direction. For Klee, he would do almost anything to make her smile or be happy.
“Of course I can, Klee. I’ll start on it once we reach Mondstadt.”
~~~~~
Annoyance burned in his teal eyes as the imposter continued to carefully track the group's movements before closing them. He would have to keep a closer eye on Albedo and especially that Traveler. She was a thorn in his side ever since their first meeting a year ago, ruining his carefully crafted plan at that time. A major miscalculation on his part and one mistake that he wasn't about to repeat again. This time, he was prepared for these unknown variables and factored those into his plan. Nothing was going to stop him this time.
“Let’s go, Fell. Now we can put our plans into motion without him interfering.” Rubedo ordered, tilting his head slightly to look at the other Albedo lookalike. The only response he got was a slight nod, to which he smirked. Satisfied, the primordial being turned around and easily made his way through the deep snow as the wind clawed at his jacket, making it flutter behind him.
There was much to do in a short amount of time. As much as he bided his time and observed Albedo this past year, it was time to set his new plan into action. The real testing phase was about to begin and he needed new test subjects, proper ones at that. His preliminary tests showed promising results, yet he needed more data to compare the results before proceeding to the next stage. Treasure hoarders, hilichurls, and Fatui, perhaps the primordial being could start with them first. In Dragonspine, he didn't lack any of those subjects, so perhaps he would start with hilichurls and work his way up. There were a few camps of those creatures nearby and Rubedo was positive that no one would mind them going missing. Those humans were always trying to rid the lands of their kind, so he would, in a way, be helping them out.
The revived Fellflower stood there at the edge of the cliff and continued to stare at the shrinking figures as they made their way to camp, head tilted almost cutely and eyes full of curiosity. They were an interesting bunch, though Rubedo said that they were their enemies. They didn’t seem threatening or mean to him, but he had to follow orders, did he not? A confused frown replaced the look of curiosity as he cast his gaze down at the object in his hand - a cryo crystalfly. However, this crystalfly looked wrong no matter how anyone decided to look at it.
Its wings and core were oozing red liquid which was tinged with a black taint. The core was cracked and pulsed with an odd light every so often while its wings were broken and bent to the point where it shouldn’t have been able to fly. It looked like a twisted creation that crawled out of a child’s nightmare. The corrupted crystalfly fluttered its broken wings, causing the liquid to splatter on the white snow before it took into iff into the raging blizzard and let the clawing winds take it wherever it wanted.
Fell watched it go before pulling out a small notebook and started to scribble down some complicated notes, sitting down and making himself comfortable on the snow. Even though Rubedo told him to follow, he didn’t move from his spot, opting instead to focus on writing down the results of this experiment. It would take time for Rubedo to find the perfect test subjects for the real testing phase to begin, and the mutated whopperflower wasn't needed until then. Besides, it wasn’t proper to rush an experiment before it even started.
A sudden twinge of pain forced Fell to drop his notebook and writing utensil, his lips parting in a soundless gasp as his face contoured in pain. His teal eyes held an agonizing look in them before he lifted shaky fingers to touch his neck, cringing as pain erupted through his body. His neck, specifically near his throat, had ignited with pain. It was as if someone tore through him with a sharp iron rod that was infused with pyro energy and left it there to rot inside him. The surface of his gloved fingers when he pulled it up to his face was covered in the same liquid that had seeped out from the crystalfly. The unusual liquid slowly rolled down his fingers before droplets started to spatter onto the snow, painting unusual patterns on the ground.
Not again.