Chapter Text
Heading back to Liyue Harbor was not as bad as you thought it would be. After being on the run from the millelith for a little while, as well as staying at Wangshu Inn. You suspected things to die down only a little bit, like how the story suggested. Things like the Qixing ruling out Aether after he dedided to run away, only making him more suspicious of the murder, would be kept from the public. Some don't even know of Rex Lapis's death.
Well, really he wasn't dead, just taking the form of a young man at a funeral parlor. But that was just your perspective on things.
Paimon had already given you context as to how Aether and Childe met. As if you didn't know about the whole 'hey girlie hold still' thing all over the internet. And the English voice actor for Childe. He was an interesting guy. You internally giggled at the many songs he made in the context of his own character.
Due to the Fatui Harbringer giving out the sigil of permission, you had to head over to Northland Bank and meet up with him. At least, that was what Paimon said.
Your gut however, didn't want to meet him at all. You just got your awareness, and suddenly, you had to deal with a well known character in this game. Life just really wanted you to struggle didn't it?
As you went up the red steps to the bank, you found Childe just waiting out front. He was a ginger of the Ed Sheeran variety, tall with lanky limbs too. A Fatui mask was worn on the side of his head, giving you a view of ocean eyes. His outfit was mostly red and grey, despite the hydro vision worn on his belt where a bit of his skin showed. Childe was leaning over a bridge, connecting Northland Bank to another building. Possibly another place of business.
You couldn't deny the fact that he was handsome. Stupidly handsome.
Childe finally noticed your little group, and waved you over. You stayed close behind Aether and Paimon, as to not draw so much attention to him. Thank god you hid the research journal away, or you'd be in some deep shit.
"You've finally returned. How was your visit to Jueyun Karst?" Childe shifted his gaze over to you. "And you found your friend too! How nice!"
Well, so much for hiding for a moment. It wasn't that hard to spot you anyways. You sighed, wanting to just wait further out from the bridge so you didn't have to be here.
"Yes, it's so wonderful to meet you," you said with a fake smile. "I'm [Name], if you weren't told already."
"I was not, thank you for letting me know," Childe smiled right back at you. Only making you even more irritated by his handsomeness.
Aether spoke of what he and Paimon saw up in Jueyun Karst. The abode of the adepti. He mentioned things like the dear, Mooncarver, the temple of Cloud Retainer, and the amber that Mountain Shaper created. He did not say much about him finding you at the Wangshu Inn, or that you did not act or speak so maturely. Maybe you shouldn't have dropped the act you were supposed to put on. Stupid brain, acting on instinct. Next time, you'd play dumb like you were supposed to.
"I see, Mooncarver, Mountain Shaper, Cloud Retainer, and the Conqueror of Demons," Childe listed off the adepti. "Some of these names have ever come up in the intel the Fatui gets a hold of."
You made sure your stolen research journal was well hidden. You were in the presence of a Fatui Harbringer after all. Although, Signora never found that you had the research on you, despite the fact that you were so helpless in Mondstadt. You took a deep breath. Never again would that happen. Not without this new knowledge.
"As a returning gift, if have some information for you. Regarding the archon's passing, The Liyue Qixing's response has really given me food for thought," Childe continued. "They've announced that, since the killer has not been found, they will not allow anyone to view the exuvia. They've gone so far as to cut off information. But, with the Rite of Descension and all. The Qixing hasn't been able to keep a lid on things."
"Exuvia?" Paimon tilted her head.
"It's common knowledge in Liyue that Rex Lapis is also an adeptus. The geo archon is also known as the god of contracts, and the exuvia, prime of the adepti," Childe explained. "The mighty and illuminated adepti all signed a contract with him to protect Liyue way back then."
"Guess that's why they're all so focused on Liyue's well-being."
"Naturally, they both have the responsibility and aptitude for the job. If the ruling Qixing became unable to perform their duty properly, the adepti have the right to take corrective action. The geo archon's spirit has risen, so why hide his vessel? Truly suspicious."
"This makes things difficult for me then," Aether said.
"Maybe, he is the reason we even came here," you made sure your tone of voice was playful, a bit like a child. "If they locked up the exuvia, then finding all seven archons is impossible."
"Oh? You're trying to find the seven? And just why is that?" Childe asked.
"Nothing to do with you," Aether stepped in front of you.
"Good answer," Childe said. "A knight duped by the Fatui is really no knight at all. But I can help you with that too y'know."
"Really?!" Paimon asked.
"Give me some time...a day would work," Childe said. "I can find someone that can help you break through this stalemate. Truly fascinating isn't it? The harder they try to silence the situation, the more chaos erupts and the safe is broken before them. If you want to see it all crash down, best you stay alive until we next meet, yeah?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Aether rolled his eyes before leading you away from the bank.
You glanced back at the familiar face of the ginger. His blue eyes lingered on your figure. Your burns to be specific. Things would not be working well if you were to be discovered by someone. The fatui would be after you nonetheless. And if it were a god. Well, that was significantly worse.
You pulled the journal out of your hoodie, opening to cover and exploring the roughed up pages. The edges of the first page were torn to a degree. As you wandered through town with Aether and Paimon, you flipped the pages to the first entry of the journal.
I have found a strange thing in the world of Teyvat. Although there are quite a few. As I was wandering through Mondstadt territory, a blur took over my vision. It was a person carrying a young girl with burns all over her body. When I hid, all I could see of the carrier was blonde hair. The girl ended up being laid down, and pyro slimes gathered around her. I have decided to further research this burnt girl and her affects on the pyro slimes.
There was a blonde, apparently. That was the first thing that came to mind after skimming through the first entry. A blonde left you in a field somewhere before Aether found you. There were plenty of blondes in Genshin. But the two you thought of made more sense than anything else you thought of about your past.
It was either Lumine, or Dainsleif. Dain seemed like the more plausable option. He could've saved you from some hilichurls or something and left you behind while looking for the abyss herald. There were no other descriptions of the mysterious blonde that were in the journal, so this was just a lucky guess on hair alone. And if it really was Dainsleif, he could tell you where you came from, who sent you. But that indicated that the abyss was involved with you. Great.
You ended up at that same bank again the next day, after staying at an inn. This time, there was no fatui harbringer by the bridge to give you fake smiles and be handsome. That would come by later as you would meet the actual handsome man of the questline.
In the time between you playing through this part and losing your memories, you forgot what the Northland Bank looked like. The interior was made from dark wood. Gold decorated the walls as if it were made of mora itself. The front desk was extravagant while a plant was on either side. There was even a greenish rug in the center of it all. Even with all of this, dark red poles connected the ceiling to the floor.
A woman was behind the front desk. She wore a purple uniform with that same fatui mask everyone else had. Her hair was in a ponytail that went over her shoulder. She had a friendly smile to her, as if she waited for your arrival.
"Welcome friends of Childe," she said as you approached the desk. "And congratulations on your first day of your illustrious career with the Fatui!"
"Neither of us intend to join the Fatui," Aether spoke for you, keeping an arm's length between you and the woman.
"You sound remarkably sure of yourself. Remember, we are mere mortals; our ideas are fluid like water," the woman chuckled. "Only the Tsaritsa has a will as solid as permafrost. But back to the matter at hand, Childe has informed me that he has upheld his end of your agreement."
"What agreement?" Paimon asked. "Oh! The one where he's helping us find a guy."
"Correct. Childe promised he would find someone to break the stalemate, and the Harbringers do not break their promises lightly."
"Where is that guy anyway?"
"Childe is currently at Liuli Pavilion."
You tilted your head.
"Ooh Ooh! Paimon knows this one," Paimon's eyes lit up as she began to talk about food. This was a part of the game you found only somewhat interesting. Sure, it was worldbuilding about the culture of Liyue. And yet, there was so much talking that this part of the archon quest became boring after awhile.
"You only know something if it's about food don't you?" you commented on Paimon's behavior.
"Well don't say it like that," Paimon retorted. "Anyways, Paimon's hungry. So let's get a move on."
The three of you exited the bank, going down the steps of a pagoda that connected with another. This was the town square, and the center of Liyue Harbor. Despite the millelith prancing around with their spears, they didn't target you or Aether when you were in their line of sight. They just carried on with their patrol of the city, not knowing of the news. That Rex Lapis decided to quit his job.
Aether stayed silent throughout the trip down, while you and Paimon gazed at how Liyue looked in the evening. A few lights were starting to be lit by the citizens as night descended upon them. Soon, the city would be as gold as the mora Rex Lapis created. Aether did not seem as impressed with the beauty that was the harbor. His lips were pressed in a thin line, eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"What's on your mind?" you asked.
This startled the boy, as he almost tripped over one of the stairs. "Oh, it's nothing," he said.
"Maybe it's you reeling from the fact I can speak for myself now," you said. Aether stood still as you walked ahead of him. You turned around to see his wide eyes. They were just as gold as the light around you.
"That's..."
"Exactly it?" you said. "I thought so. It'll take some getting used to. But I ended up remembering some pretty big memories while at the Wangshu Inn."
You continued to walk, Aether trailing behind you now. He's back to his derpy self now after your little guess on how he was feeling. Was this how you were in your previous life? Just talking like that made you so comfortable with your own voice. Back in Mondstadt, it was almost like you were tied up in this personality that focused on you being dependent on others. There was a lack of heat in your chest all the time now that you became aware of your surroundings.
Speaking of that, you had just found Childe waiting outside the Liuli Pavilion. He gazed at you before putting on his diplomatic face.
"Ah, you made it!" he waved to you and your friends. "As promised I have found someone who can help you. Someone who can solve the mystery of why the Liyue Qixing would hide the geo archon's vessel."
It was quite obvious to you now that he was trying to find the gnosis at this point. But really, it was under his nose in the form of the man you would soon meet.
"So where is he? In Liuli Pavilion?" Paimon asked.
Childe motioned for you to follow him, "He sure is. Come, I'll introduce you."
Aether stepped ahead of you, being the barrier between you and Childe. This was probably for the best.
"As per the Liyue custom, I set up a business dinner between you and him," Childe said from up front.
Within a few steps, you were at the door into Liuli Pavilion. There was an old man and young woman on either side of it. You assumed they were the hosts for the restaurant.
"Welcome back sir. You honor us with your patronage," the man bowed as he greeted Childe. "Mr. Zhongli is awaiting your arrival as we speak."
You were let inside without a second thought. Neither host left a lingering gaze on your burns. It was as if they did not exist, save for when they itched. There was a private room separated from the other tables by a boarder. On the other side of it was a grand table with a tea set already out. None of the cups were touched, only one being filled to perfection.
There was a man sitting at one end of the table. A man you recognized right away. His hair was dark with the ends of it being lighter than the rest. A piercing gold made up the color of his eyes. It was the same shade as the emblem on his chest. His uniform was that of a refined business man. Although it was more complex than any three piece suit you've seen in pictures. The man picked up the full tea cup, sipping the hot liquid.
Childe gave a calm wave as you entered the room fully. The man put down the cup he was drinking from, gesturing to the empty chairs. It was almost like an order being made. You sat down, struggling to make eye contact with yet another stupidly handsome man. Instead, you focused on the food brought to you by one of the waitresses. It was a Liyue delicacy of course, one you couldn't name. You weren't that much of a fan to know everything about this game.
"Allow me to introduce you to Mr. Zhongli," Childe said. "Consultant to an organization known as Wangsheng, a trusted associate to the Fatui."
"Associate?" Aether said.
"Indeed. Wengsheng's line of work can be a little on the sensitive side. Let's just say they understand when discretion is needed. Though I believe their current director is trying to be more open about their business. Even then, we the Fatui enjoy talking with friends who discuss in the shadows."
"Walk in the shadows?" Paimon said in a shaky voice.
"It is an honor to meet you," Zhongli's voice was deep and smooth like honey dripping from a stick. "I've heard tell of you from Mondstadt."
"Discretion, shadows?" Paimon thought to herself before stiffening. "Ah! Is Wengsheng some kind of business involving...'dealing' with people."
"Yes it's the most evil thing you could think of Paimon," you giggled. "They might even take you as their emergency rations."
Paimon yelped, "Paimon's not edible, no!"
"That is quite far from the truth," Zhongli corrected you. "Wengsheng funeral parlor organizes burials. We ensure those who pass do so in peace."
"I was only joking," you said.
"Best not to do that. I don't think he knows what a joke is," Childe said. "And although the Fatui calls many hired killers friends, the Wengsheng Funeral Parlor does not dabble in such business. Well, ostensibly."
"Huh?"
"They are still...Ah, I shouldn't say too much. In any case, I brought you here because-"
"Because I can take you to Rex Lapis's vessel," Zhongli finished the sentence.
"What?" Paimon gasped.
"Don't be so surprised. Sure, the geo archon's body has been squirelled away by order of the Tianquan Ningguang," Childe said. "But let's see what Mr. Zhongli has to say first."
Zhongli cleared his throat, "Rex Lapis may be the Prime of Adepti, but he is ultimately an adeptus. Many of them have left us over the millennia, this is the inexorable trend. The times have changed. You must've felt it too when you were at Jueyun Karst."
"True. The adepti have been keeping their distance from Liyue," Aether said.
"As you have seen, the time of the adepti is ending. And the time of humanity is slowly dawning."
There were many perks to a normal life where you could just watch all of this from a screen. Nothing supernatural existed. And if it did in the real world, then it was well hidden. Having it be a way of life was something you didn't think would be possible. People with horns on their heads to indicate that they were different, all powerful even.
"In years past, Liyue's tradition was that of a huge memorial service for the fallen adepti. But this time, the Qixing have made no attempt to respect this tradition. It is sacrilege," Zhongli said.
"But the assassin hasn't been caught yet," you said.
"Be that as it may, the Wengsheng Funeral Parlor's concern is this: When the ritual to receive this god is so kingly, it is all the more egregious for his final send off to go unattended to," Zhongli said. "Travelers, Childe has told me a lot about you. Since you have had dealings with the Anemo Archon, could I ask you to help with the preparations of the geo archon's last rites?"
"I accept your invitation," Aether said.
"We accept your invitation," you said.
"A wise decision," Childe said. "The Tianquan has forbidden anyone from accessing Rex Lapis's vessel, which of course, you would need to achieve your goal of meeting The Seven."
"Precisely, only by participating in the Rite of Parting, will you be able to see the form of Rex Lapis again," Zhongli added.
"Then there's no other choice," Aether said.
"If we are agreed, then come with me. We will discuss the details as we walk."
And so, things begin with your encounters with the Geo Archon.