Getting dressed was of slight issue (the arm guard alone weighed more than your entire water weight you were pretty sure), when your mind was running at a hundred miles an hour trying to figure out how, exactly, you were supposed to what siphon off of Morax’s power and face a giant serpent like it was a normal Tuesday and not pass out. You couldn’t fully comprehend it still, (and it is doubtful you ever would you’ve never sought to face conflict headfirst have you, what an introduction) so Guizhong’s quick visit into your room was…appreciated.
“Try and stick close to Morax the entire time, his shield is near impenetrable but even then, remain on guard- we don’t know if any other beings are with what is approaching, and I would hate to loose a new friend to an unknown god of sorts” (you had to inhale your brief moment of laughter at ‘Unknown God’. Yes, it would be depressing for you to get smited by Asmoday now of all times wouldn’t it.)
Her hands paused in their braiding, before she slipped a clip into your hair “This, is a miniature mechanism. If something, anything happens, throw it at the ground. Just a safety thing, we all have one.” She stood, and turned you to her, giving you a gentle smile “Are you even fully here mentally?”. You must look entirely conked out then, eyes half focused with only a slight nod her response. Her laugh rings like the breeze between a windchime at the half response she receives. “Try to get back down to Teyvat before leaving your home then. I’ll be waiting right here with the others, then we can further figure out whatever this ability of yours is. Promise me, that you’ll be careful.” Her tone had dropped, halfway through the teasing words, eyes meeting yours with true concern, unlike any you’ve ever seen before in all your life. It is almost heart shattering in it’s honesty.
“We’ve already lost many in this war, do not become another faded imprint on the ink of the history we are all writing.” Her hands brush some hair back once more, before reaching down to squeeze your own. She waits in silence for a bit, only releasing them when you whisper your agreement to the promise- a verbal contract- if only she remains safe herself. (Images of the lore you once knew flash past your eyes then. You know not what day it is that she is bound to die but you hope with all you are that it is not this day.)
“Of course. I’ll be with Menogias and Indarias the entire time, nothing will get to us, promise.” You nod, watching as she finally steps back when the doors open, a horned figure walking in- Morax in all his war ready glory. (You had wondered if those horns got longer according to his demands. Theory confirmed it seemed…now to touch them-)
“Are you done with your farewells?” he turns his gaze to the goddess in the room, and she gives only a brief smile, glancing to you then back to him.
“I am. Bring her back alive, and yourself unharmed, this time. Please, I’d hate to have to baby you for another three years over an avoidable injury.” Your eyes flick between the two at the silent stare down that follows, broken only at Morax’s eye roll- sassiest you’ve seen him thus far.
“I will be fine, and yes, I’ll be sure not to make any stupid mistakes again. Only if she, remains out of trouble.” He turns his head to you, finally and even if that all encompassing feeling is gone, your thoughts drop to the chill of your spine and freeze into nothing at the severity of his gaze. “I want you attached to my hip the entire time am I understood? If you stray beyond my immediate reach I cannot guarantee you will be as unharmed as the rest would surely like you.” He keeps you pinned under the pointed look that near screams ‘I bear no responsibility for what may happen if you disobey’ and you simply nod in response (your brain, is, of course, frazzled, the leader tone is doing things to your brain that you’re pretty sure are not going to exactly end well for your focus, prior to war).
He watches you for a half second more, before he nods, “Then we move out, immediately. Keep up.”
Well, this is one way to put the forced combat training to use (quietly, you mourn your arms, they’re going to hurt like hell after this)
It was barely a challenge to run through the different array of elemental constructs that seemed to spike up trying to stop you on your way back to the Adeptal abode, a green blur moving ahead to the same location. You have little time for distractions.
You’re already drawing your bow, turning only your torso, pointedly ignoring the rumbling roar the serpent- Orobashi- released upon his next clash with Morax. The arrow releases, and once within range it lights up as Morax takes over, the small item shifting into a streak of elemental energy, aimed right at the serpent’s eye. You barely take the time to see if it struck, turning back to continue your journey, the three minutes of events flashing past your eyes as you see the still growing tree over the lake.
“It was a distraction, there is another who has breached the abode. Alatus, stick with her. Return to the others.” Morax’s words were barely heard over the wind as you both already moved to run. The ground was in near ruins, the earlier release of elemental energy still thrumming through every single atom of it, and somehow, holding down some monstrous beings that had arrived with the serpentine god, by some miracle it had actually worked. But that was beyond your focus now, as memories flashed again- of moments in bed in a life that already seems so distant, watching the scenes in which you know that those you now consider friends, died during.
Guizhong. She was your priority, and most likely to die now, if you did not interfere, somehow.
You could barely sense her, with the carnage around you- the mountains had rips within them, your cottage, levelled to nothing, and the seal over the home holding all of Guili’s people- holding the rest of the Adepti broken.
Alatus, is barely audible as he shoots past into the abode, your eyes still scanning the scene until-
It is unlike any other monster you have seen or had described to you, almost towering, and impossible to comprehend. A jaw unhinged almost to it’s neck, eyes dotting the crest of it’s head and looking everywhere and nowhere at once, elemental spikes adorning it’s legs and back, and a ball of energy generating within it’s mouth aimed right at-
Guizhong, with her catalyst at her side, and a child at her back, barely on the edge of the cliff.
The scene almost shatters your reality more than seeing Morax’s spears descend did and ever will. It is the first you see her truly helpless, holding onto the child tightly, eyes focused on the being as she tries to keep their distance, but does not attack, not now. Too much of a risk to the child, you could almost hear her say.
The wails of the child reach you, and Guizhong looks at them worried, for a second, barely and yet, too long.
The ball releases, growing rapidly as it barrels towards her, her head turning to look but a millisecond too late-
The air tastes of lava then, and if any looked from beyond, you would be frozen in place, wide eyed and yet, the ground seems to cleave open as if breathing, wind ceasing before pulling inwards again. Then it seems to turn back unto the force you were focused on.
The monster- deity- would never have survived.
Whatever it was, is absorbed into the ensuing gust of geo energy that bursts forth, and the entire array of mountains audibly cries out in response to the sheer unbridled rage released within that moment.
The moment Morax looks back, Orobashi already running off away to who knows where, he can barely see the mountain, that seems to be devoured by the very sun. A screaming light that he knows is still, a reflection- a mimic and amplification- of his own power brought forth, and the world around it leaning into it.
Then the world goes silent once more, the peaks coming back into view- yet with a new addition. He can see it even from where he floats above the waters. Something akin to a blade, hovering midair, cleaved clean through another god- a dead god, who now has their power absorbed into the blade rather than rushing outwards. It is unlike anything he has seen, and it shocks even him for a moment, before he reminds himself of the panic from but a near half hour earlier and seems to leap right to the abode to ensure all are well and as his feet touch the ground- black, as if all life drained from it- the first sight that greets him, is Guizhong holding your body- limp yet breathing in her arms, teary eyed as she grabs for any skin she can see to feel your pulse, before she lets out a broken exhale that swiftly turns into a sob her head dropping to yours, muttered thanks- too quick to follow- pouring out of her.
The presence of the rest, is barely registered to her it seems, and the blade- the size of the mountain itself- tilts, leaning against whatever remains of the abode, pulsing before it settles into a gold color.
“Prepare an infirmary room.” The order is barely audible, but Moon Carver moves regardless to execute it at his behest. Xianyun, is still where she stands with the others, Streetward Rambler in a similar position, simply standing, and staring as Guizhong weeps, in both shock and relief unlike any other that has struck her before.
It takes little, for them all to realize, that whatever it was you had done, had saved her life. And for that, some, felt they owed you everything.
You remember little of what had happened before it all seemed to go black, but this place was, not wholly unfamiliar. That black void wherein you float, now with no direction to turn, simply water to sink into. Many, memories seemed to rush past, from a life old and new- a day at the park somewhere, playing with another child who’s laughter filled the air, replaced by the image of a brown haired lady laughing with two others around a table, a teacup in your own hand as you watch them all, feeling their joy infect you, even with the aching you felt after your training. It was, one of many moments of true peace you had felt since arriving in Teyvat, feeling like one of those days where your mind saw all things as new, and brighter than it would ever be again as if tinted with the indescribable joy, that youth brought about for you, the same joy that had slipped from your fingers far too early. You felt warm then, some part of yourself reclaimed, you think. A kindness of Fate, one too many in recent times, but one appreciated nonetheless.
You got comfortable in that feeling, sinking, fading-
“She’s conscious.” A soft voice speaks, and suddenly that comfort is replaced with an aching pain everywhere. The only sound you manage is a groan as your eyes slowly open, to a ceiling made of geo, barely recognizing the moving blurs in the room as they converge at the bed.
“She’d been out for months, I was worried she’d never wake.” There is the sound of a hit against skin, and a scolding whisper of ‘Bosacious!’ that is quickly forgotten as you turn your head, looking right into a worried set of brown eyes that calm when they meet your own, and the woman sighs.
“Oh thank goodness.” Something is brushed off your face as your name is whispered, and all you can do, is blink as your brain still catches up to the world. There is a smile then, that is turned unto you, as she mutters “Now I owe you my life. How very reckless of you.”
Another voice speaks up from not too far away, smooth as a calm river, yet as unyielding as time itself; "How very like her."
