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Red.
All he saw was red, red, red.
He absolutely hated it. Especially in this one moment as steel ground against steel, his muscles straining against the force that attempted to cut through his blade to reach him. The shine of an eerie red seemed to gleam back at him, taunting him. He never felt so helpless before, watching as something else claimed what should be his.
Their battle of endurance was suddenly interrupted, the air crackling as a sudden zip of Electro cut through. Kaveh felt the weight against his weapon instantly lighten, Cyno's surprise attack missing its target as Alhaitham launched himself back and out of the way. Only Kaveh was close enough to notice how Cyno corrected his stance again with a huff of irritation.
Kaveh focused solely on their current enemy, his eyes peering into Alhaitham's blank ones from afar. Gone was that tapestry of lovely colors, and with it came a ruby red. The man's terminal was equally glowing with that ominous tint. Oh, how badly Kaveh wished to just crush it all under his foot until it was a fine powder, or burn it up. Crumpling it like one of his failed sketches was far too kind of a fate.
With a low growl, Kaveh's voice came out like a harsh bark, hoping to cut through that head of Alhaitham's and be heard. "Pull yourself together, damn it! Is this all the Grand Scribe can do? Play as a puppet? I thought you were better than to be reduced to that!" As expected, he was met with no answer, the glint of a sword's blade suddenly swinging toward him as Alhaitham moved.
Off to the side, Deyha was on guard, her claymore held in front of her defensively and at the ready. Behind her, the Traveler was gently supporting Nahida's body, the young god having collapsed from an earlier attempt to reach Alhaitham. At the time, there was a spark of hope, Nahida and Alhaitham both going still while the whole world seemed to hold its breath. But the moment of frozen time had shattered as Nahida suddenly emitted a pained cry, reeling back and stumbling backward as she had to eject herself from Alhaitham's mind. It was only thanks to the Traveler that the young god hadn't collapsed to the floor as she clutched her head.
They had little time to question her before Alhaitham recovered again, forcing Cyno and Kaveh to take the offensive.
Screams. Cries. A cacophony of sounds and desires that blended together into a horrid chorus. That was the closest she was able to describe her attempt. Kaveh would rather not imagine it any further than that. Yet, it only made him wonder how much pain Alhaitham was in that none of them were able to see. Kaveh felt nauseous.
It made him feel just as sick as when they first encountered Alhaitham like this. The man was not himself. His usual quips and comments were replaced with silence. His gaze was even more dull and cold than any human could possibly be. Yet, the blood of Sages and those that were accomplices in the Sages' "grand" plans was dripping down Alhaitham's blade. It was frightening, unnervingly so. And Kaveh has seen so many different moods Alhaitham has made over the years, and nothing... nothing could have ever compared to that horrifying sight.
Kaveh rushed forth before Cyno could, gritting his teeth as he charged and slashed at Alhaitham with the intention to disarm. Vaguely, in the back of his mind, it reminded him of the times they had sparred. But not once had their dance been on a floor smeared with blood and with the craving to *harm*.
Kaveh internally winced as he felt that blade nearly slice into his skin, the fabric of his shirt gaining a tear. "For fuck's sake, Haitham. Snap out of it! And you owe me a new shirt!"
He hated the lack of bickering. He hated it and hated it. This wasn't who Alhaitham was. This isn't the Alhaitham he knows. And Kaveh wanted to condemn every bit of "divine knowledge" to the deepest depths of the Abyss where it could never touch Alhaitham again.
Kaveh slipped up without realizing it. By the time he realized it, he choked out a pained gasp, a foot connecting with his stomach and sending him slamming against the floor. A sword's blade came soaring down at, what he assumed in those milliseconds, was his neck. Quickly, he squeezed his eyes shut, body tensed for the inevitable. Did he even last a minute against Alhaitham?
A piercing sound rang by his ear and Kaveh opened his eyes, startled by the unexpected sound. Carefully, Kaveh glanced to his left without moving his head, able to see part of his reflection through the blood already smeared on Alhaitham's blade. The Scribe's sword had pierced the floor an inch from Kaveh's neck.
"...Alhaitham...? Haitham...?" Kaveh looked at the one looming above him, eyes widening by a fraction as he finally saw an expression on Alhaitham's face.
The expression was one of strain, an eye remaining that ever-toxic red while the other was that familiar collage of colors Kaveh has known all these years with more emotion than Kaveh could hope to interpret. "...Haitham..." He spoke softly like a breathy whisper, a part of him scared this moment of peace would shatter.
"...K...ah...v..." Every syllable sounded as if Alhaitham was being strangled to death, every sound a choke. One could almost think the man's tongue was cut out as he struggled.
"C'mon... You got it. Don't you dare fucking lose this. I swear if I die by your hands I'll haunt your ass so fucking bad. I'll make sure it's an absolute nightmare."
Mechanically, Alhaitham shakily lifted his sword again, whatever was going on seemingly wanting to attempt another strike. Yet, taking the clear opening and seeing it would not be an easy fight for Alhaitham to win alone, Cyno charged in. With a heavy hit with the blunt side of his polearm, he smashed it against Alhaitham's head enough to knock the man unconscious. Kaveh was certain that would result in one hell of a concussion, but a concussion didn't exactly mean being dead. So it was better than nothing.
They'll figure this out. They will. And if no one else could figure it out, Kaveh will. If Alhaitham had taught him anything during their times together, it was the desire to make something happen no matter what.
They'll fix him. Kaveh will fix him. And whatever those Sages and Fatui had done to Alhaitham will and can be reversed. Kaveh would accept it no other way.