Chapter Text
“Zhongli-xiansheng, are you going off to meet Fatui-boy on a date?”
“Not today, I have other matters to attend to, Director Hu.”
“Shame, I was hoping he’d bring in a body or two. Alright then, see you tomorrow old man!”
Closing the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour’s door behind him, Zhongli heaves a slight sigh after a tiring day.
It has been weeks since the event with Osial, and while everything had gone smoothly for Liyue, the older generation apparently had such a massive scare from Osial’s revival that some of them had their hearts failing on them on the spot. Others managed to hold out, but the fear and anxiety from the God’s power eventually weakened their already frail bodies even further. Hence his full few days at the parlour and why Hu Tao had wanted to see Childe so bad. He’s not sure whether she wants to thank him for the business boom, or to give him a piece of her mind for what he did, but he’s not willing to find out.
Childe; he’s not seen the Harbinger ever since he handed his Gnosis to La Signora at the Northland Bank. Zhongli isn’t sure if Childe is angry at him, but he won’t be surprised if he is. Zhongli has never been a fan of withholding truths, but this had been a necessary step for Liyue’s sake, and the Traveller had been a massive help even if she hadn’t been part of the plan.
Lumine had looked at him with slight disapproval after he explained to her his plan, but her interest lies in travelling through the seven nations, so she mainly had kept her thoughts to herself whatever they may be.
He would have searched for the ginger and ask him to join for dinner at Third-Round Knockout, but unfortunately that’s not possible for now.
Ever since he gave away his Gnosis, Zhongli has felt a slight anxiety prickling at the back of his head. Initially, he attributed it to the lack of Celestian power thrumming in his chest, but after a few days he’s starting to realize that that is not the case.
After living with the Gnosis for almost four millennium, Zhongli almost forgets the feeling of being a simple Geo God as opposed to being the Geo Archon. The anxiety is definitely not caused by the lack of Gnosis and his return to a simple immortal Adeptus, but rather the weight of Celestia that is now hung above his head like the Sword of Damocles. For so long, he had kept an amicable relationship with the Heavenly Thrones, but now that he had directly opposed them, he knows that they will go after his throat.
How Celestia truly works is a mystery even to him, but he dare not voice out his curiosity knowing how strict the Thrones are in terms of keeping things orderly. After all, he had seen their wrath five hundred years ago.
Because of that heavy feeling, Zhongli ignores the night market and the sellers calling out for his attention at Chihu Rock. Normally he would take the time to leisurely walk from one end of the market to the other, checking out the wares and even bargaining with the sellers before letting the funeral parlour to foot his bills. Tonight however, he has something much more pressing to attend to.
“Oh, it’s Zhongli-xiansheng!” a chipper voice suddenly calls out from amongst the sea of people.
Turning to where the voice came from, Zhongli sees Yanfei and Lumine waving at him, the latter munching on what seems to be a mantou and staring at him with a curious gaze.
“Good evening Traveller, Yanfei,” Zhongli greets with a polite smile as both girls jog over to him. “It would seem that you two are enjoying the night market today, though I don’t see Paimon anywhere with you.”
“I gave her a bag of Mora for her to spend on,” Lumine answers with a bored shrug. “I haven’t eaten anything since noon, and if I eat with Paimon, she’ll devour everything before I can even have a bite. Not to mention the amount of Mora I’ll have to spend for her stomach alone...”
The blonde’s gaze turns empty and faraway as though recalling horrors unknown. Both Zhongli and Yanfei can’t help but feel sorry for their friend and wonders if she’ll actually go further in her travels has Paimon not distract her at every turn.
“I just finished a difficult case and thought of treating myself, but then I saw Lumine by the mantou stand and decided to join her,” Yanfei exclaims whilst pointing to said blonde who once more stuffs her cheeks full of the bun. “What about you, Zhongli-xiansheng? Normally I’d see you going through one stall to the other, but you seem busy today. Did Hu Tao give you trouble again?”
Zhongli can’t help but chuckle at Yanfei’s not-so-hidden threat behind her concerned tone, but he shakes his head to brush off her irritation.
“I admit things have been busy at the funeral parlour, but it’s nothing concerning I assure you. I merely have other, personal matters to attend to today, hence why I am unable to stop by and enjoy today’s wares at the night market.”
His golden eyes immediately caught the shine of curiosity in Lumine’s own gaze, but the girl only bites into another mantou to keep her mouth occupied, though she does quirk an eyebrow a little at his words. If Yanfei isn’t present, Zhongli would have loved to tell her a polished version of what it is that he needs to do, or who he has to meet. But alas, such is not the case.
Yanfei hums in contemplation as a response, but doesn’t dwell on his words. “Well don’t let us keep you from whatever you need to do. But if you find yourself in a pinch, I’ll take care of things! So don’t be shy in coming to me for help.”
“Much obliged, Miss Yanfei,” chuckles the consultant as he walks away from the two. Lumine’s eyes are still trained on him, still curious, but even she knows better than to reveal Zhongli’s true identity to the young half-Adeptus.
Regardless, this is not something she wants to be part of least she tangles herself further into Teyvat’s troubles, especially when it involves Celestia who had commanded him to their court via a dream a few nights ago.
As Zhongli, he has no obligations to listen to the Thrones, but unfortunately he is also Morax, former Geo Archon and eldest of The Seven who still has a contract with Celestia whether he wants to or not. The Heavenly Thrones certainly knew how to manipulate him into following their whims, but then again he only has himself to blame for such rigidity.
Arriving at the top of Mount Tianheng, Zhongli then proceeds to craft a labyrinth around his mortal vessel to keep any curious mortals out. Should they step within the labyrinth, they’ll simply see a ledge by their feet which will plunge them straight to the bottom of the mountain if they take another step further.
Once the labyrinth is crafted, Zhongli sheds out of his mortal vessel into his Archon form, his divine spear ready in his hands if things get too heated within Celestia’s court. And without looking back, Zhongli, now Morax, flies upwards like a shooting star enshrouded in gold to where the Heavenly Throne is waiting for him with their imposing white gates and massive pillars.
He had heard mortals talk about the gates of Celestia and how wonderful it is to cross through it, but Morax knew better.
Compared to Teyvat, the air has never been heavier anywhere else. It’s thick, foul, and reeks of hypocritical power. The courtyard, decorated with immaculate white marbles and golden tresses as they are, is soulless and barren as though everything is merely for show for when the humans somehow manage to cross their gates. Or if they manage to cross their gates that is.
Morax paid no heed to the garden of apple trees as he nears the tower’s grand entrance. He had heard from Barbatos that the fruits tasted vile, and that the red sheen of their shiny skin is merely a hoax, a bait for some foolish soul to try and take a bite before being utterly disappointed.
All the giant white marbles, the golden decors, the lavish and immaculate view of Celestia itself, Morax hates all of it. It’s devoid of soul, of life, of vitality; it merely exists because it can.
“Morax, you have finally made your presence known to us.”
The Geo God had to suppress a shudder at the cold, emotionless tone of the Goddess before him upon entering Celestia’s doors. Before this, he had no trouble standing before her without batting an eyelid, but now, things had changed.
Stepping down from her throne, the immaculate Heavenly Sustainer hovers in front of Morax with a disdainful frown on her lips. Her gaze hard and calculative as Morax kneels in front of her per courtesy while her court watches from the surrounding without a word. She had thought that Morax would dally even further in meeting her, but she’s pleasantly surprised to see him obediently still following the orders he was given.
“You are aware of your transgressions.” she says bluntly. Not a question, not an inquiry, but a direct statement.
Morax can’t help but grit his teeth at her monotonous tone, but he truly does know what he did. Ever since putting his plan into motion, he knew that he’s not about to walk out of this without some form of repercussions from Celestia. Not even the quiet, kind-hearted Snake God of Watatsumi was spared simply from reading a mere forbidden book. Of course, Celestia would never outright bring down their retribution; they prefer to hide it behind strife and sins.
First with the civil war between Watatsumi and Narukami, then with the alchemical sin of creation.
“The clause within our contract had not been breached, I merely handed the Gnosis to another potential owner.” he answers without lifting his head, knowing that the Sustainer will bring down her wrath on him if he does meet her eyes.
She says nothing for a good long while, and Morax can’t help but feel the trepidation slithering down his spine the longer she remains wordless. Eventually however, she returns to her throne, and Morax finally lifts his gaze to see her playing with a little cube within her hand. Said cube, while small, is almost bursting with a bright light from within.
“You’re quite the brave soul, Morax,” she huffs with a cold smile. Her gaze flickers between Morax and the little cube idly spinning around her fingers. “Willing to gamble for the sake of those humans despite knowing the risks. I do wonder which creature is more arrogant; mortals, or Gods?”
Without missing a beat, she crushes the cube and the power that was stored within it immediately shoots forward towards Morax who barely had time to dodge the assault. The force from the power sends him a good few feet back and slamming him against the massive entrance doors, cracks forming where he’s pinned only to be repaired almost instantaneously. Morax merely lets out a breath to cover the groan that tries to force itself out of his throat; he blearily blinks up at the Sustainer who continues to smile coldly at him.
“You, who have committed treason, will be punished by the Heavens.”
Pointing a finger at him, red cubes of various sizes surround Morax as he tentatively gets to his feet using his spear as a crutch, his defiant gaze never letting off from the Goddess or her court staring at him.
“That soul now residing in your womb was that of a dragon who once dwelt in your heart, and its body will be from the flesh of a mortal whose soul is trapped in the Abyss. This world is not unknown to us; neither your sins nor transgressions will be left unpunished. Thus shall be your punishment, or you shall find both souls within my grasp for eternity.”
Before Morax can inquire further, the cubes had swallowed him whole and he finds himself staring at the night skies of Teyvat.
He doesn’t know how long he’s on his back as he regains his breath, but Morax, now Zhongli, feels an emotion he has not felt in a very long time; fear. Fear for what the Sustainer had said, fear for the future of Liyue if he fails his punishment, and fear for his friends who have nothing to do with his problem.
Tentatively, Zhongli rests a hand on his belly just beneath his navel. If what the Sustainer said is true, then there is a soul resting within him just ready to obtain a body. There is no mistaking it, though miniscule and weak, he feels a thrum of divine power that he was once highly familiar with; Azhdaha’s.