Ragnvindr. One of the five families to have participated in the civil war of Decarabian and the people of Mondstadt. The same family that had help establish the knights of favonius. The family which the contract demon has associated with for centuries.
Alastor had watched generations of the Ragnvindr grow and pass on. He was there to witness it all; including Diluc Ragnvindr, the last of his clans descendants grow up into the fine young man he was now.
He had watched as Crepus took in a strange boy, raised him as if he were his own and give Diluc someone like a brother. Alastor saw this child, stared into his diamond like pupils and looked away. He knew where the boy―Kaeya Alberich―had come from. Where he originated. His nationality. His reason to appear in Mond.
Yet he ignored his past, trained Diluc and Kaeya, become the mentor until he vanished when they were merely fourteen. He couldn't get involved anymore, yet four years later―when both boys where adults and had come of age, he returns to find that Diluc was the last of his clan.
The once grand and powerful Ragnvindr clan left only one of their descendants, broken, anguished, and alone.
Alastor lost control of himself as the Ursa Drake's were taken from Mond, and manipulated the fatui, resulting in constant damage and influence against the leylines. He was vulnerable, and fell into a sleep while his other half stayed wide awake.
It gave Hyde a chance.
Hs took it, and Kaeya Alberich shook hands with the devil. Ignorant of what he had truly done.
The contract demon was not merciful, especially the greater evil. What he had done was not a simple contract as he thought, but perhaps he should stay ignorant for longer.
.
"Diluc, where's your brother?"
"He's not my brother!"
Diluc snapped at the demon, pouring a glass of wine for a customer before beginning to mix other beverages. He was unfortunate enough for the demon―his childhood mentor―to come pay a visit to their tavern, and constantly press on several things. The subject now was Diluc's 'brother', Kaeya.
"Childish of you." Alastor scoffed, smirking at the redhead. "Well then, if you do not wish to speak about little Kaeya, let's talk about the recent attacks."
Alastor hummed, pressing the glass of wine against his lips as he felt the drink burn down his throat. He smiled, satisfied with Diluc's brew and reminiscent to Crepus' own skills. The man was not your everyday Winery owner, as he did stop by the tavern to play bartender.
He had a natural talent, and Alastor just loved his mixes and cocktails. It seems as though Diluc inherited such skill from his father.
"I though all the demons of Mondstadt were to cowerdly to attack. Explain why they've become violent, now." Diluc demanded, narrowing his eyes at the demon.
Alastor hummed softly, "They think I actually died and took the chance. Without the presence of Barbatos, infernal beings target human civilization and have the goal of overthrowing human government." He stated, slowly twiling the glass half-filled with wine.
"They've grown violent from excitement and arrogance. If Barbatos was not here to protect your from demons, it was I that has been fending them of. As I said, my supposed death is like a miracle to them."
Diluc furrowed his brows, unsettled at the information. If the demons of Mondstadt had only acted upon his false death, why has they stayed silent when Alastor was not even in Mond? He shivered as he imagined the raw power Alastor had left on Mondstadt to cause such fear.
He was trained by this man, yet even now he could not hold a candle to what Alastor could do. Kaeya and Himself never bested him in a duel, even if it was a two-against-one fight. They always lost, and Alastor would harshly, but honestly criticize them on their mistakes and commenr on their forms.
He was a good teacher, a brutally honest one, but a good one in the end.
"On the bright side, the Abyss order would not dare associate themselves with infernal beings." Alastor conveniently let slip, glancing at Diluc who froze at the new information.
"Also, make sure that Dragonspine is not to be hindered... There's a certain demoness there and she's very aggressive." Alastor chuckled wryly, his strained grin plastered across his face as he rested the empty glass on the table.
"Though I had a hand on Favonius' creation, I am disappointed at its current state. Even if Jean and Varka are great leaders, I can't help but be offended at how awful the current knights are." Alastor sighed, rubbing the side of his head.
"On early fazes of Favonius, they were a smaller group, but more efficient and faster. Mind you, if they weren't so lazy like now, perhaps the incident years ago wouldn't..." He trailed of, glancing at the dark grimace ruining Diluc's face.
He couldn't blame him, but that he said was true. If the knights of favonius had better security, better knights, and weren't lazy or reckless... Perhaps Crepus would still be alive.
Alastor sighed, shaking his head as he stood up and began to walk to the door. But he paused, glancing at the child he had mentored, only to witness him fall from grace and shroud himself in despair.
"Don't dwell in the past Diluc."
'Because it never did good for me.'
Alastor saw himself in both Diluc and Kaeya, and maybe that's why he was motivated to train them. But that was another story for another time.
.
Alastor sat in a small meeting between Kaeya, Jean, Lisa, Eula, and Aether. The five of them focused on the most recent attacks, which were hydro-powered demons that had caused a flood near starsnatch cliff. Thankfully, Eula and Amber were dispatched immediately and had fought the demon.
The two had reported on fight, and had commented on how the demon instantly recoiled at the mere mention of Alastor's name. It caused the captains and outrider to wonder how much fear Alastor had instilled in the demons.
"Just how scared are they that one of those hydro-demons surrendered." Kaeya queried, immediately interrogating the demon sat on the couch.
Amber had vehemently explained how one out of the three demons they fought had let out an unholy scream and began to wave their hands in the air, showing how they wanted to surrender. The other two had began to growl at it, causing the unfortunate third demon to flee and continue screeching.
The two were even quite hesitant to fight after Alastor had been mentioned.
The smile across Alastor's face caused them to shudder, as he coldlg chuckled at the situation. Alastor truly was a demon, and they were thankful that he as on their side.
"A little trauma here and there. Nothing much."
"A little?"
Alastor smirked, but turned back to the rest of the knights. "I've nearly forgotten... Dragonspine will be of-limits to any citizens, be it knight, or adventurer it's become far to dangerous."
"I understand that it's become dangerous, but the knights? How are we supposed to get rid of the demons hiding in Dragonspine if we don't dispatch some knights?" Eula exclaimed, outraged that he even suggested such a thing.
The recent attacks had even alerted the Lawrence family, which surprisingly had one of few family members speak to her about it.
For once did the Lawrence clan lended some kind of contribution to the knights for the safety of Mond. They had lended them dozens of books about demons, history of their ancestors which Alastor had mildly approved of.
"I understand your confusion and worry, but Drafonspine has a demoness dwelling in it... One with a particularly big grudge against me."
Alastor grit his teeth, rubbing his head as he frustratedly tried to avoid the subject of the demoness in Dragonspine. Although the knights began to press further in the matter, and Gabe him no choice. He had to explain who she was, and why she had a particular grudge against him.
"Her name is; Gwyneira. An ice demon that can create hordes of snow and ice monsters, that answer to her beck and call. Parts of Dragonspine are affected by her illusory snow, which creates a small domain for her little demon―one that most mortals cannot see nore sense."
Aether had recalled the time they trecked up Dragonspine, and how the minions Alastor spot of would be the ones they had fought. They were dangerous, and many of the knights would not be able to handle them in a fight. The thought of those monsters being more in population caused him to shiver in fear.
"The monsters we fought in Dragonspine, she created those?"
"Yes, and that's only the medium-sized ones. The bigger monsters she create are about the size of a lawachurl and a rift-hound."
Jean paled as she came to realize how dangerous this demoness is. If even Aether seemes worried about it, she could only assume how many knights they could have lost without Alastor's advice.
Even Eula, who had so much conviction until Alastor began to explain about the demoness was speechless. Her face as pale as jeans, broas furrowed as she tried to recall anything in the books her family has reluctantly borrowed to her.
"Small question, why does she hate you?" Lisa finally askes, narrowing her eyes as Alastor flinched.
He groaned, eye twitching as he found no way out of the interrogation. It was he told them or some of the trust they had on him vanished. Thus he took a deep breath.
"She's my ex."
And silence covered the room, as the knights stared blankly at Alastor. Said demon looked tired, and extremlt annoyed at the silence as he leant back on the couch and crookedly grinned at them.
"She's your what?"
"My.. er― ex lover."
Aether's mind went blank, while Kaeya immediately grabbed hold of Alastor's shoulders and glared darkly at him. The unfortunate could not meet his eyes, glancing to the side while trying his best to ignore Kaeya's piercing gaze.
"Explain! You bastard explain why your ex is trying to kill us!" Kaeya shook him back and forth, demanding an explanation.
Lisa giggled, noticing the hint of jealousy in his expression, as she dragged him away from the demon. Alastor look disheveled from the violent shaking, clearing his throat as he hesitantly explained his situation.
"Gwyneira and I... Well, we were in a little relationship centuries ago. I, uh... Left her after some time."
"Why?!"
Alastor's eye twitched, slouching on his seat while trying his best to ignore the frozen Aether by the side.
"Gwyn was... Insane." Alastor mumbled, "She had this obsession of freezing things she liked. If she grew fond of a cat, she'd freeze it. If she liked a flower she'd freeze it. She liked me and―" he sighed...
"I left after she tried to freeze my blood and encase me in ice. I dont even understand how I ended up with her, but I did. One day, I told her that I wanted to end our relationship and..."
Lisa grimaced, "she didn't take it well."
"Yes! And that was six centuries ago! Do you see how crazy that woman is?" Alastor waved his arms in the air, as if it could help explain.
Lisa frowned, sighing as she realizes what kind of demon they were up against. Sure, her ability to create and freeze things was scary, but Lisa turned to what she found pathetic.
A woman unable to move on.