Chapter Text
A heavy gust of wind blew over Mt. Huluo, the mountain where the young pair resided. Feeling the crisp air nip at his flesh, the once-exorcist yawned. The winter season was, he noticed, starting to gently roll over the mountainous slopes of Liyue.
He fell back against the grass and pondered over many things.
He counted and compared the number of times an eagle flapped its wings.
He estimated the amount of snowflakes it would take for the bottom of Mt. Huluo to finally submerge in frost.
He questioned which cloud he had seen more than thrice.
Above all this, however, he still felt tiresome.
He turned towards his longtime companion, who was combing through his smooth, long hair. It felt like yesterday they had first woken in the city of clouds and were forced to work side by side. Not like they minded, of course.
-
Their "birth" was somewhat strange. For a moment, they were nothing. Not nothing—but rather everything . The exorcist and the swordsman were once the roots of fruit trees, the buds of silk flowers, the seeds of valberries, the heartbeat of animals and monsters alike. They once felt the pulse of tallgrasses, the steps of humans, the currents of countless seas, and so much more. The pair were once one with creation. Their hearts pure. Their minds unburdened. Their souls cleansed of any impurities.
That is until a strange phenomena occurred, disrupting their tranquil avalon. Rather than feeling the usual skitter of a squirrel or the snap of a tree branch, a violent wind blew over the earth and into their lungs—lungs the divine had newly conjured from the core of the earth. With this, they took in their first puffs of air. It was a surreal feeling for the once-exorcist. Everything felt cold and comforting. It was as if a shock electrocuted his entire being, starting from his skull to the tip of his new limbs.
After adjusting to the sensation of being alive, adapting to the heavy weight of a conscience, and absorbing an array of colors for the first time, that's when he met him . A young, cerulean-haired man with eyes as rich as the chestnuts that grew in the mortal realm, stood not too far from him, face struck with the same look of wonder and awe. He was flexing his fingers in interest. He threw his hands all over himself, memorizing the curves of his face and the frame of his figure.
Whenever he encountered something new, a delighted noise filled the air. While he was distracted, the once-exorcist took the time to compare their physical features. Unlike his own light, messy waves, the other's were far longer, and gracefully fell over his shoulders. Their attires were noticeably similar, adorned with golds, silks, and jewels of all kinds. Though the mysterious stranger had a deeper color palette. He was rather dainty-looking as well, the other realized, with his pale limbs and slightly short stature.
Looking back, the once-exorcist wished their eyes hadn't met.
As the air grew suffocating, neither moved an inch. It was as if they were paralyzed in their little spots. Neither knew what to do.
For better words, what could they do?
It was the swordsman who spoke first. "Hello.." Two syllables. Two whole syllables fell from his lips. He hurriedly slapped a hand over his mouth and pointed a finger to himself, as if to say 'did you hear that?' Perplexed, the exorcist’s mouth fell open slightly. "H-Hello.." He repeated, and repeated, and repeated, "H-hello..? H-hello.. hello.." Each time he uttered a word, it sounded different. Mysterious, dubious, euphoric. Each time felt better and better. The way he spoke drove passion and excitement. It seems, he concluded, that the other was very much enjoying himself.
The mysterious stranger continued playing with his voice, and out of impatient wonder, began deeply shoving his digits inside his throat. He spoke again, this time studying the way his cords continuously vibrated. The once-exorcist could only watch in horror. He did not dare to mirror the stranger’s actions.
He clenched his hands and looked away, grimacing at the stomach-churning sight of the other harshly stretching the skin of his face.
The once-exorcist desperately wished for the other to stop. This was not what he wanted. Just a second ago, he was the center of stones and vines of trees. And what was he now? An entirely new being made to watch someone else toy with themself? The cerulean-haired man suddenly came into his view, forcefully grabbing his shoulders. To say he was startled would be an understatement. The stranger pointed to his throat and hummed. His eyes were blown wide with curiosity, eagerly waiting to see what would unfold. "Hello..?" He said slowly, studying the other's face for a reaction.
Unable to take in the smothering atmosphere, the once-exorcist finally mimicked, "Hello..?"
A loud gasp erupted in the air. Before the stranger could edge him any further, a sprite appeared before them. After prying his fingers off the other and calming him down, it began narrating a story. The sprite painted a picture of many things, using winds of the skies and waves of the seas. It painted the tallest mountains and deepest caverns of Teyvat, the most beautiful creatures that roamed the surface, and the ugliest deformities that seized the far lands.
They were beyond mesmerized. After a little while, the sprite began painting their own tales. At that moment, the pair finally learned what they were. No longer were they the riverbanks, the dirt, the stars. They were now guardians, adepti, for better words, wearing the faces of two boys who once roamed the mortal realm. They were forever bound by a contract to protect Liyue against other gods and evil monsters alike until they've fittingly earned the pleasure of reaching the afterlife. Such orders were given by the divine itself. Because of the reuse of once-living souls, however, a few drawbacks lingered. For one, it was nearly impossible to retrieve their memories. The divine did not consider such factors to fall in place, which led them to desperately sought out ways to overcome this inane flaw.
In the end, the divine left them under the guidance of Mountain Shaper, who willingly opened Mt. Huluo for them to occupy.
Through time, they began properly communicating with each other. Courtesy of the elder adeptus, the two were given many gifts and trinkets from all over Liyue. From a child's doll to a politician's paper, everything was theirs to learn. His companion, who he learned was a former swordsman, greedily absorbed texts from books and scrolls of all kind. He studied at an unnerving pace. Not only did he read books of astronomy and biology, but fictional fairy tales portraying knights and princesses. It didn't matter if the plot was as cliche as it can get. Anything was enough to keep him entertained.
The once-exorcist, though, was very different. Rather than sticking to words and such, he dealt with things physically. This did not go unnoticed to Mountain Shaper. Because of such potential, the elder allowed him to train under his eye, which led him to grow stronger over time. He learned the ways of Martial Arts, and later practiced with traditional weapons. A polearm was so light that, with just a flick of a wrist, he could send it through the atmosphere. He found the sword too dull, and the bow too complicated. In the end, he settled for a claymore.
At times, the exorcist would convince the other to join in on their training sessions. They learned that even the bookworm harbored incredible potential. His moves were smooth and swift, with arm flexibility as agile as his thinking. The exorcist felt newfound respect form deep in his chest.
The day Mountain Shaper bid his final farewell, a rainstorm raged between the stone forests.
After adjusting and learning to survive by themselves, the two began living comfortably once more. They were different from before, which definitely made things easier. No longer were they plain slates, lacking knowledge of even the most basic things. They were now wiser, both in mind and in strength. They have grown considerably older in appearance as well. Soon after Mountain Shaper left, the cryo adeptus was quick to discover his companion's new tendencies.
For one, the swordsman had grown to be awfully puzzling. After absorbing a considerable number of ancient daybooks over the years, he began to speak in bewildering riddles and metaphors the other could not comprehend. While it was admirable, both his companion's skills and wit, he deemed his behavior to be very unnecessary. Not only were there riddles, but the swordsman loved to recite and declare what he said were "pieces of lost human history.”
Every fraction of the day, every inch of a snail's path, a new verse spilled from his tongue. Whether it'd be a fact or simply his own convictions, the young adeptus frequently confided with the other. It wasn't how often he did it that irritated him so much, but the strain it'd put on his mind. Unlike his hydro companion, the exorcist was more grounded and preferred to cut things straight to the point.
He did not find joy in extending things that weren't meant to be extended. Similar to his actions, he preferred simple but effective solutions to his problems. Due to their contrasting perspectives and ways of thinking, they came to an agreement to avoid future quarrels. The once-exorcist would welcome the former swordsman, allowing an open conversation. From there, he was permitted to speak as much as he desired.They established this rule in the beginning of their partnership, and since then, both seemingly enjoyed the privacy it ensured. The little things, like boundaries, were important to them as they were to each other.
While they adored and indulged every second they spent exchanging words through stories, it truly was exhausting. They often questioned how mortals could sustain such long, repetitious discussions, but they waved off the topic and agreed that it was simply another one of humanity's strangest customs.
"Bizarre" was how his companion described it.