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The trek from the Stone Gate to their first pit stop in the marsh wasn’t especially long or taxing. It probably would have been an entirely peaceful affair if not for the odd, unexplainable reaction that’d seized Nova at the border. Putting the incident behind her was probably one of the best things she could do for the time being, at a loss for any practical solutions that might resolve the enigmatic turn of events. With her senses regrettably on high alert and her confidence well and truly shaken, she and Mona carried on with their quest.
Enticed by the gentle breeze and the fresh scent it carried from the marsh and the various feathery plants immersed in its shallows, Nova paused and leaned against the side of the stone bridge they were crossing. She endeavored to relax her shoulders and take a deep breath, concentrating on the light, earthy aromas surrounding her. How could the air here already feel and smell so different from Mondstadt? Perhaps she shouldn’t have been so surprised, considering the unexpected toll visiting this foreign land had already taken on her. But she would not be deterred.
The vibrant yellow and orange hues that dyed the rolling fields gave off the impression of a land forged in gold. From some of the research she’d done while preparing for the trip, Nova had gleaned that the Archon of this region was known by several distinguished titles. A few of them were directly associated with gold and wealth, which the land itself seemed to reflect in its very essence. The Lord of Geo, Morax, progenitor of Mora…the currency that flowed through every nation of Teyvat without equal or substitute. Alongside Morax’s more pragmatic roles, there were a variety of local legends and lore that detailed the revered Archon’s impressive, world shaping feats.
According to some accounts, the wind was born from his breath. The land was carved out and made prosperous by his skilled, diligent hands. The brilliant amber and clear pools that trickled from the mountains like dew to form grand rivers and modest streams were derived from his blood. As another gentle gust enveloped her, twisting her fluffy locks like bouncing boughs, it also summoned memories of those grand tales to mind. If the Geo Archon’s influence was truly so intrinsically instilled in Liyue’s roots, could it possibly be connected to her perplexing affliction?
No, there was no point in dwelling on such improbable musings. There was more to this, and even if she never got to the bottom of it, she had a sinking feeling it was somehow linked to the mysterious mental torment she’d been enduring for years, for as long as she could remember. Why would setting foot in Liyue provoke her ailment to act up, and why to such a severe degree? The real question was why any of this was happening at all, why did she have to be the one to bear this burden? Would she ever succeed in finding some sufficient form of relief? Was there any point to her aimless pondering in the first place, or was this baffling condition just something she was meant to tolerate for some greater purpose, or just because this was the unfortunate hand she’d been dealt?
A couple of Geo crystalflies flitted by, jolting her out of the winding labyrinth of her thoughts as she reflexively raised a hand to touch one. She did it impulsively, not genuinely believing the elementally imbued creature would give a potential predator any leeway in getting close. That was the experience she’d had with Anemo crystalflies in the past…although the Hydro variety tended to respond to her in a very friendly manner, which only made sense. As a devout disciple of the Hydro Archon, Nova’s affinity with the element of her Vision and anything that happened to be associated with it were quite high, arguably even higher than the typical Hydro Vision wielder. But, much to her surprise, one of the crystalflies deigned to settle on her hand as the other came to rest on her shoulder.
“What…by the Seven…?”
She examined the delicate, luminous golden crystalfly perched on her finger in awe. The one on her shoulder tickled her neck with the tip of its wing, and she was speechless in the face of this abnormal display. Mona observed her friend’s distracted pause and found herself stricken in quite the same way. These crystalflies weren’t just tolerating Nova…they were drawn to her. That didn’t bode well as this additional development added yet another unanticipated piece to the ever complicated puzzle Nova was growing more desperate to solve by the day. With all of these strange occurrences taking place during the early stages of their journey, she couldn’t help hoping that if nothing else, all these cryptic signs doubled as evidence that she was moving in the right direction. Or some direction, at the very least. Moving forward.
That was exactly what they needed to do now. Waving off the creatures and their peculiar behavior, Nova and Mona followed the makeshift stone path that led towards the inn they’d set their sights on at the border. Before they pressed on, they were inclined to visit the first of Liyue’s Statues of the Seven they were on course to encounter. Standing tall amidst a field of golden petals, it was crowned by a signature beam of light and an aura of power that radiated from within, as all traditional Statues of the Seven did.
She stared up into the blank, ill-defined features of stone that were shrouded by an expertly sculpted hood. Carefully shaped to give the impression of loose, flowing fabric…Nova had to admit, the craftsmanship was quite impressive. It was hard to make out the bangs swept across the statue’s forehead from this distance, and further details were obscured as a result of the stone cube resting in one of the figure’s hands. Judging by the pose, it almost seemed as if the Archon was attempting to hide his face, yet the remaining details of the sculpture likewise seemed to contradict such an interpretation. As for its initial impression…was there even a word for it? Well, Nova was sure there was, but she struggled to think of one that wouldn’t come off as obscenely ignorant or disrespectful.
The statue’s surprisingly detailed, chiseled torso and leisurely, lounging posture were on display as clear as day. Nova decided to just keep her potentially rude observations to herself. The statue appeared quite casual, reflecting an apathetic air, or perhaps lethargic was a more accurate assessment. Regardless of the syntactical nuances, the details of Liyue’s venerated Statue of the Seven didn’t seem to exude the regal visage of a god in her eyes, but to each their own. If that was how the citizens chose to portray their Archon—the Lord of Geo, Morax—or how he chose to portray himself, it wasn’t really any of her business.
But there was more going on beneath the surface, something more ominous, more desperate that could almost be heard crying out from within its cold stone prison. Fighting, struggling to connect to something, anything. Except, it wasn’t reaching out for just anything. Nova winced as her head pulsed uncomfortably. The statue stared her down, or at least it appeared to, piercing her with its empty gaze and a sense that it had something to say, something to communicate. Not just in general, but to her, to Nova, because she was here. Because this thing had some kind of business with her. In a way, it felt like its gaze passed right through her, simultaneously picking apart the jumbled mess of thoughts and feelings that had suddenly descended to run rampant through her psyche.
“Nova, is everything al—?”
“Just give me a second.”
She was getting tired of Mona checking on her, asking if she was okay. Her friend had been doting on her more frequently ever since they’d encountered that little hiccup at the border. Nova didn’t want to remember. It wasn’t that she was perturbed or put off by her friend’s concern—in fact, she couldn’t have been more grateful for it—however, she also couldn’t quell the frustration that was intensifying within, growing beyond words and stemming from the fact that Mona had anything to be concerned about in the first place.
This was supposed to be a fun, straightforward affair, just two young adventurers doing what they did best as they explored all this region had to offer. It was the first time Nova had ever had the opportunity to visit one of Mondstadt’s most well known neighbors, and she was lucky Mona had agreed to tag along. Then again, it was likely Mona’s finances wouldn’t have lasted very long in the absence of her impulse control—the most reliable method the hasty Hydromancer had found to keep her money from hemorrhaging unchecked.
The bright beam of light that encompassed and ascended from the statue was familiar yet inherently foreign, a visual representation of the new and prosperous era the current Seven had taken it upon themselves to establish. Such sacred sites could be found dotted across every nation of Teyvat, statues that doubled as shrines dedicated to the Archons that ruled over their respective regions. Whether or not each Archon was sufficiently worthy of the appreciation and allegiance their divinity demanded was a debate for the populaces they presided over, one that wasn’t likely to end with a neat and tidy answer any time soon. There was no point in dragging it out. Growing impatient, Nova steeled her nerves and approached the statue, although whether or not her decision proved wise was yet to be seen.
She raised a trembling hand despite her better judgment, deciding that if she didn’t face or at least try to get to the bottom of whatever was bothering her, it would only get worse. She didn’t want to be a burden, she didn’t want to be someone Mona had to chaperon like a child. They looked out for each other, as friends tend to do, but that didn’t mean either party was completely free of the anxiety of being an inconvenience.
Perhaps she should have asked Mona to do some kind of reading or astral analysis of the statue—as well as Nova’s own mysterious condition—before she made the mistake of touching it directly. By the time the thought had entered her head, it was too late. She hadn’t anticipated any of these strange occurrences or obstacles when she’d initially planned this expedition, she couldn’t possibly have accounted for them, and part of her was just desperate to uncover the truth behind the bizarre affliction that continued to plague her so.
The soft flesh of her finger met the stone’s smooth, unyielding surface, and before she could even finish placing her palm flat against it everything changed. She wasn’t in the present, or the past, or the future…as far as Nova could tell, she wasn’t anywhere. And then, she was everywhere all at once. Her mind was enveloped in a chaotic storm of sights and sounds, thoughts and memories that faded and twisted and swirled together like a churning sea, crashing like a tsunami on the shore of her mind and simultaneously drowning her in its bottomless depths. She saw herself, a lot of herself, swept up amongst a contorted tapestry of vague and blurry images and voices that threatened to smother her. But, much to her surprise, it wasn’t all bad.
She never would have described the overall experience as good, but there were moments, gaps in the barrage where something faint and pleasant actually managed to reach her. Unfortunately, she couldn’t pinpoint precisely what this positive energy was, couldn’t reach out and grasp it, or keep it isolated long enough to properly examine it. In a way, it felt like home, or like a tangible version of the warmth and comfort that usually accompanies the idea of home. How she was supposed to analyze and interpret anything else in her current state, she didn’t know, but she wasn’t coherent enough to bother with such sensible questions. Right now, she wanted to find that feeling, wanted to capture it, to make it part of herself.
Unbeknownst to her, that feeling desired nothing more than to be a proper part of her again, too. But that time had yet to come.
Following the thread of Nova’s unregulated thoughts, she started to think maybe it was already part of her, maybe she’d finally figured out something useful. A voice, a face, a feeling…this sensation was similar to whatever had been haunting her dreams, permeating her innermost being, possibly even the source of her hardships. The way her mind raced and veins burned was too familiar, too specific to be a coincidence. But how was that possible? How could she have developed such an intrinsic connection to something from some land she’d never even set foot in? Really, though, nothing about this incorporeal nonsense made sense. She struggled to clear her vision despite the ruthless bombardment of information, and in the next second she was saved by an unwitting bystander that she needed another moment to recognize properly.
“Nova, Nova, calm down, you’re okay,” the voice that counseled her in such a composed manner belonged to none other than Mona, of course. The astute Hydromancer had yanked her friend’s grip from the statue as soon as she’d noticed the blank look on her face and the rigid stiffness that’d seized her body. Presently, she was cradling said confused friend in her arms. Nova’s own limbs failed to respond as she shook off her dizzy stupor, and before she could return to a state of full fledged panic, Mona quickly and calmly attempted to put her at ease. “You’re alright, everything’s fine. I know you’re flustered, but just relax. Your limbs and other senses will come back to you if you just calm down.”
Tears summoned by her acute distress stung her eyes, but Nova blinked them back with experienced obstinacy. She sat up with Mona’s help, pushing to get back on her feet sooner than was advisable, but she didn’t want to rest. She didn’t want to recoup. She didn’t want to risk any moment of idleness presenting another opportunity for whatever had overtaken her to capitalize on her weakness and strike again. So far, this trip had provided her with nothing but further questions and intensifying apprehension. Sure, the views were nice, but it was kind of hard to appreciate them when she was also having a breakdown at every new landmark they reached.
First there was the incident at the border, and now this…Nova was at a loss. How was she supposed to deal with something she didn’t understand? How could she expand her understanding if she didn’t even know where to start? She clenched her fists and wiped her eyes again, turning to appraise the vibrant, massive structure that was going to be their next stop, if she remembered correctly. Honestly, after that little ordeal, she didn’t know if she’d be able to think straight for the rest of the day.
“…I’m sorry,” the words tasted sour and she barely managed to hiss them through gritted teeth. Her feline ears were pinned flat against her sparkling locks, and Mona knew her friend was taking all of this harder than she needed to. Then again, it wasn’t as if Mona knew much of anything regarding her friend’s situation. Maybe it was time to rectify that. Maybe it was past time. “I’m sure you’re going to suggest we turn back. But we can’t. I can’t. I know the Stone Gate is still in sight, I know there’s still time to give up, to quit pushing my luck with whatever’s happening to me. And if you’re sick of traveling with me, if you’re afraid of having to deal with more incidents like this, I understand.” Nova couldn’t completely free herself of that fear, either. “But I’m not going back. Not until I see that harbor. I won’t let this trip fall through just because I can’t figure out—”
“Nova, it’s fine,” Mona reassured, her smile accented with hints of both sympathy and unease. “I’d never make you do something like this alone. I wouldn’t let you. We’re in this together, and I do sincerely hope you’re more than aware of that by now.”
Nova exhaled a dejected sigh. “Yeah, I know. I feel the same way when it comes to you. Maybe I’ll have you do a session with me once we reach the inn and get settled for the night, see if there’s any light your omnipotent cosmic connections can shed on what’s wrong with me.”
Mona’s smile didn’t waver. “It’s worth a try. But, regardless of whether or not my divining abilities yield any viable information, I know we’ll get to the bottom of this. Somehow. I wish you’d confided in me sooner, but what’s done is done. All we can do now is move forward, and I promise I won’t let your first visit to Liyue be entirely for naught.”
It’d all happened so fast, but to Nova it still felt like she was twisting aimlessly in the void, a helpless victim ensnared by the invisible, greedy threads that bound her like a curse.