Catalyst

“Strange...Kaeya, are you sure you have the name right?” Lisa’s hand hovered between the book titles on the shelves, a frown on her features as she turned to him. “Corynacht…?”

“That’s what we found at the ruins. Coryn’s own name seems to indicate that much, too.” Kaeya’s gaze flicked over to the younger man in question, before returning his focus to the librarian. “Judging by how close it was to Stormterror’s lair, I’d presume it was a temple that started out shortly after Decarabian’s fall.”

“And we already have so little information on Old Mondstadt to go on…I’ll have to see what I can find, but I certainly haven’t encountered the name ‘Corynacht’ before.” Lisa’s expression was nonetheless kindly as she looked over to Coryn. “You’re not the first outlander seeking answers here, cutie, so don’t feel down, all right?”

“Down? Uh, no, just...confused, mostly.”

“As to be expected! Waking up after being trapped in ice...not a clue what’s going on…” Lisa sighed, turning away from Kaeya as she returned to the shelves. “And even a library as big as this one doesn’t seem to have answers.”

Kaeya had expected as much, judging by the other Knights’ reactions when they’d first entered the ruins. Only he had actually recognized the coloration of the clothing Coryn had arrived in as Miasmo-based, rather than Electro-based as Lisa and Jean had both presumed. His only surprise was that the apparent “Corynacht reborn” was...either amnesiac or just tied up in one hell of a coincidence.

“Do you have any ideas who’d actually know?” Coryn’s voice brought Kaeya’s focus back to him, even as Lisa led the two men out of the library. “Or...even where to start with finding answers?”

“Not directly, I’m afraid. I’m sure most scholars wouldn’t even recognize the name, but…” Lisa walked over to a table with several weapons on it, one that Kaeya presumed Jean had prepared. “It wouldn’t hurt to begin searching for answers, except you’d need some way to defend yourself out there.”

“Must be some wild stuff to defend from with weapons like these…” Coryn glanced over the table, although Kaeya could see the younger man’s eyes widen slightly at the sight of the claymore. “A sword that big could probably bash someone’s brain in alone…”

“Claymores are an acquired taste,” Kaeya said jokingly, which prompted Lisa to giggle behind her hand. “The other outlander uses a sword, so maybe that might be good for you?”

“Um...to be fair, back on Earth, I’ve never had to use a weapon at all…” Coryn’s eyes seemed to study each weapon, before it landed on a catalyst. “...what’s that?”

“Oh, that’s a catalyst! Like mine.” To demonstrate, Lisa brought her hands in front of her, summoning her own catalyst. The purple Eye of Perception hovered between her hands, even as Coryn watched it float. “You can use these to direct elemental energies directly from your Vision, unlike the others which are more supplements to our Visions.”

Kaeya allowed his gaze to look over Coryn’s clothing once again. Even back at the ruins, while he was carrying the younger man back, he hadn’t seen a Vision at all on him. It was fortunate in one way, namely lacking a Miasmo Vision and thus alerting the seven nations, but in another...it was just like Lumine’s own lack of Vision.

He just wasn’t going to bring that up first. Surely Lisa had already figured out that fact, too, right?

“Huh. Can’t hurt.” Coryn picked up the catalyst on the table, examining it in his hands. “And I guess I can head out...someplace.”

“I can take you back to the ruins where we found you,” Kaeya suggested. “That might be the best place to start. We’ve already cleared most of the monsters surrounding the area.”

“Oh, that’s a great idea!” Lisa beamed. “And if those monsters came back, the two of you should be able to clear them out.”

“That’s...that’d be great, actually.” Coryn allowed the catalyst to begin floating idly with one hand, even as his free hand rubbed the back of his neck. Those warm brown eyes met Kaeya’s blue as he added, “I doubt I’d get too far by myself, so...thanks, Kaeya.”

Nodding, while trying to ignore how his heart skipped a beat at those words, Kaeya said, “Well, considering it was my own squad that’d discovered you, I think I should take some responsibility, hm? I found the mystery, and I should help to try and resolve it.”

“And...well, we’re not sure when Varka will be back with the cavalry.” Lisa shrugged, before turning to head back to the library. “You two should probably see Jean before you go running off.”

“Of course. Can’t have Jean worrying too much about us, now, can we?” Kaeya replied coolly, watching her disappear into the library before glancing at Coryn. “...you don’t have a Vision, do you?”

“Nope.” Coryn sighed. “That’s going to be a problem, isn’t it?”

“Oh, not at all. Lumine, our other outlander and Honorary Knight, has elemental powers herself despite not wielding a Vision. How, I’m not too sure, but…” The captain paused, looking over Coryn before continuing. “I’m sure we can find something, although I’m not sure why you’d choose a catalyst without a Vision…”

“It’ll be the easiest without training.” The sheepish smile that Coryn gave was enough for Kaeya to blink. Oh. He was cute like that. “Like I said, back on Earth, I never had to fight at all, let alone with a weapon. Maybe if we find that elemental power thing that Lumine’s got, figuring out other weapons will just come naturally.”

“That’s...one way to look at it.”

“And there’s ways to fight without weapons, so. Maybe I’ll surprise someone.”

Kaeya allowed himself a smirk. “It sounds like traveling with you will be the most interesting experience I’ve had in a long while.”

“Yeah. Me too, except...different reasons.” Coryn nonetheless nodded, even as the two men began to walk to find Jean. “I’ll try to pull my own weight, I promise.”

“I’m looking forward to it.” Perhaps Kaeya could see what “Corynacht reborn” was truly capable of, and...well, he’d figure out the rest later.

For now, he’d keep an eye on him.