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The day that Tartaglia died was the day that Liyue fell.
Earthquakes wracked the land, fissures forming in stone that had remained stable since before time had a name. Buildings toppled as if they were toys.
The last time Liyue had felt tremors such as these had been when the Guili Assembly had lost one of its leaders and namesakes. But even then it had only been the area surrounding the Guili Plains that was affected by the quakes.
The death of Guizhong had spelled the end for the Guili Assembly, but the survivors had gone on to settle in Liyue Harbor.
To make the most prosperous nation in Teyvat fall to its knees in mere moments would have taken a loss far greater than any mortal could comprehend.
The battle raged around Zhongli. Creatures of the Abyss surged up from the ground, more appearing to take the places of their fallen members. No matter how many monsters Zhongli slayed, the tide of foes did not seem to be weakening.
Zhongli had once said that he would like to let mortals deal with threats to the nation on their own, rather than relying on their archon. This was different. Liyue was strong, but there was no way that it would survive the threat that lay before it.
The monsters didn’t even want to destroy the nation. It was one person that they were after, and they would not stop until their vengeance was fulfilled.
That one person happened to be Tartaglia, who Zhongli had vowed to protect.
Out of the corner of his eye, Zhongli could see Tartaglia fighting alongside him. The Harbinger’s form was twisted by Abyssal energy, and he floated more than a foot above the ground. A billowing cape flickered behind him, appearing to be made out of the night sky itself.
They attacked in tandem, powers of the Abyss working with powers of earth and stone. Zhongli called upon magic that he hadn’t used since the cataclysm, forming spires of rock around him. He summoned stone spears in the air, crashing them down on his foes.
A particularly large rifthound lunged at him, its corrosive claws stretched out before it. Zhongli called up a shield around him, deflecting the attack moments before it struck. He gripped his spear in his hands, throwing it out to pierce the skull of the monster.
The rifthound dodged, the spear missing its mark by mere inches. Zhongli swung his spear up, hitting the rifthound flat in the chest. It was stunned for a moment, which Zhongli used to deal the finishing blow.
He yanked his spear from the creature’s armored flesh just as the rifthound began to disintegrate. His keen ears detected his next opponent that was just to his left, and he whirled around to face it.
The monster seemed to be made of floating chunks of stone, centered around an orb made from a deep-purple substance. Zhongli had never encountered something like this before, but he had heard of similar creatures that were found in Fontaine.
Zhongli summoned a spire of rock beneath the monster, effortlessly piercing its core. He turned to send a wave of similar spires over the battlefield, impaling several enemies around him.
He could feel himself beginning to weaken. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could continue like this. One glance at Tartaglia was all it took to realize that the Harbinger wasn’t doing much better than he was.
The mask that covered Tartaglia’s face had cracked, exposing the left side of his face. His eyes had changed, the scleras blending with the irises and pupils. They had turned a shade of deep-blue, becoming inky wells of darkness. His mouth was full of sharpened teeth, and he bared them at his enemies with a loud hiss.
His hair was pushed away from his face, flowing upwards like a raging fire. He moved like lightning, darting across the battlefield in seconds. He swung a spear of pure electro, killing multiple enemies at a time.
Even so, he was beginning to slow. His body couldn’t keep up with the powers of the Abyss that were warping him. Zhongli feared that his mind may not even be fully intact.
“Tartaglia!” Zhongli’s call echoed over the battle, and Tartaglia immediately returned to his side, appearing in a zap of electricity.
Zhongli threw a shield over both of them, creating a translucent golden dome that protected them from the battle. Zhongli held his hands up, as if supporting the shield. He channeled his power into it, though the tide of monsters pushed against it with all their force.
“Zhongli, what are you doing?” Tartaglia cried. His voice was warped by the Abyssal powers that surrounded him. “The battle isn’t over yet!”
“I cannot allow you to continue without rest, my dear,” Zhongli shouted, fighting to be heard above the monsters that clawed at the outside of the shield. “Neither of us will last very much longer like this.”
“You’re wasting all your strength on this shield! If you keep this up, you won’t be able to protect yourself.”
“You forget that I am a god, my dear. It will take more than this to kill me,” Zhongli assured. “You, however, are a mere human, and the powers that you are using are causing more harm to you than the enemies that we face.”
Tartaglia was silent for a moment. He jolted his head to the side, almost as if trying to take back control of himself. “Zhongli, do you trust me?”
“Of course.”
“Take down the shield in exactly thirty seconds. I have a plan.”
Zhongli nodded. He prepared to loosen his grasp on the magic that kept the shield up.
“Fifteen seconds,” Tartaglia recited.
Zhongli locked eyes with Tartaglia.
“Ten.”
Zhongli tightened his grasp on his spear.
“Five.”
Zhongli locked eyes with Tartaglia. “I love you.”
“Now!” Tartaglia shouted.
Zhongli let the shield fall. Tartaglia swung his spear. Abyssal power spread out around him, a wave traveling over the battlefield. The monsters closest to him were instantly vaporized, and the ones a bit farther away were launched backwards.
The creatures that weren’t affected surged forward, while dark clouds of mist seeped up from the ground, forming into new enemies, replacing those that Tartaglia had killed.
Zhongli launched himself at the new wave of monsters. He fought more fiercely than he had in over two thousand years. The last time he had fought like this had been during the Archon War.
His spear spun through the air, flashing in the light of the sun above. He could hear his pulse, loud and steady, though the beat of his heart sounded more similar to stone pounding against stone.
He felt a sharp pain on his side, where a rifthound had managed to get a hit on him. Zhongli cursed under his breath. That had been the first time he had been injured in the battle.
He could already feel the corrosive poison seeping over his skin. It worked quicker on him than it would on a mortal, both because Abyssal powers did not mix well with Celestial ones, and also because he was, in many ways, quite similar to stone, which melted easily under the corrosion.
Zhongli summoned a shower of spears above the enemies, giving him a moment before more would come for him. He pressed a hand to the wound on his side, wincing when it came away wet with the golden blood of a god.
He looked up just as more monsters arrived. He threw himself back into the battle, trying to ignore the wound on his side. He would not die of blood loss, but it certainly would slow him down a bit.
Catching sight of another rifthound charging at him at full speed, Zhongli instinctually summoned a wall of stone in front of him. In his weakened state, the wall was imperfect, and Zhongli noticed the cracks in the rock a moment too late.
The rifthound slammed into the wall, sending chunks of stone in all directions. One small shard hit Zhongli directly above his right eye, and he could already feel golden blood dripping down his face.
The rifthound barreled into him, clamping its jaws around his upper body, its sharp teeth piercing his skin. It swept him into the air, shaking him from side to side violently. It began ascending, flying high above the battlefield.
Zhongli raised his spear, bringing it down on the rifthound’s skull. The monster began falling, disintegrating in mere seconds. Zhongli braced for the impact that the landing would bring, hitting the ground with a wave of force that destroyed the nearby monsters.
He forced himself up, shaking off the dust that had covered his clothing. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could last.
Zhongli searched the battlefield for Tartaglia, his eyes landing on the Harbinger. Tartaglia was locked in battle with a monster that appeared humanoid. Zhongli recognized it as a knight of the Abyss, a mortal that had been tainted by a Celestial curse.
Tartaglia seemed to be losing control of himself, his form flickering between his usual Foul-Legacy self and a slightly more monstrous version of it. He faltered, giving the knight an opportunity to attack.
Zhongli started running towards Tartaglia, dodging the monsters that lunged at him. Tartaglia was a strong fighter, but he had been in his Foul-Legacy form for far too long. His mortal body couldn’t take much more, and it was quickly weakening him. Zhongli wasn’t even confident that Tartaglia could win the battle against the knight.
“Ajax! I’m on my way!” Zhongli called, using Tartaglia’s true name, rather than the one given to him by the Fatui.
Zhongli pushed himself to go faster. He had to get to Tartaglia before —
The knight’s spear flew through the air. It hit Tartaglia in the chest, shattering his armor. He lost his concentration on his Foul Legacy, returning to his human form as he fell to the ground.
A draconic keen was ripped from somewhere deep within Zhongli’s core.
The knight retrieved its spear from Tartaglia’s chest. It glared at Zhongli from across the battlefield, before disappearing in a cloud of dark mist. The rest of the monsters followed suit, returning to the Abyss after completing what they had been sent to do.
Zhongli stumbled to Tartaglia’s side. The Harbinger’s blood was already pooling beneath him. Zhongli collapsed to the ground. He placed Tartaglia’s head in his lap, gently cradling his face.
“Ajax,” Zhongli whispered. He removed his coat, pressing it to the wound on Tartaglia’s chest, as if that would be enough to stop the flow of blood. His hands were coated in gold, which fell into the wound. “No, no, no, no, no. Please, no.”
Tartaglia looked up at Zhongli with his lightless eyes that were blue enough to rival the most picturesque ocean. “Zhongli…”
“Yes, my dear. I’m here.” Zhongli’s own injuries dripped with golden blood. His blood ran down his face, welling up from the gash in his side, oozing from the puncture wounds that had been left by the rifthound’s teeth. His blood mixed with Tartaglia’s, making it shimmer in the sunlight.
“Zhongli…I think…I think I’m dying.”
“No, Ajax. It’s going to be alright.” Zhongli desperately tried to stop the bleeding on Tartaglia’s chest. “Stay with me, please.”
“I’m tired,” Tartaglia whispered. “I’m really tired.”
“Please, do not close your eyes. Ajax, don’t you dare close your eyes,” Zhongli pleaded. “Don’t leave me. I don’t want to be alone.”
“I’m not leaving…I just…I need to rest for a bit.” Tartaglia’s eyes began to flutter closed. “I’ll see you…when I wake up…”
“No, no, no! Ajax, don’t leave!” Zhongli screamed. “Come back, my love! Don’t leave me!”
Tartaglia remained silent, his chest unmoving.
Zhongli roared, his draconic call morphing into sobs. He leaned his head down, pressing it to Tartaglia’s chest.
Zhongli placed a hand on the side of his beloved’s face, before pressing a kiss to Tartaglia’s lips. They were still warm, though all life had left his body.
It was then that the ground began to shake.
Though Liyue witnessed its greatest loss that day, a miracle was also performed. When the sun set on the ruins that had once been Liyue Harbor, only one person had perished. His name had been Ajax.
The years passed by in a blur. It may have been centuries. It may have been millennia.
Liyue Harbor was rebuilt, though it never returned to what it once had been. In the mountains, the Prime of the Adepti had completely disappeared.
He hadn’t been seen since the destruction of his nation. The other adepti knew where he was, though they had long since accepted that they would never be able to convince him to leave his abode.
One particular adeptus sat in the garden outside of her own abode, which was perched so high on a mountain that she rarely had to worry about mortals stumbling across her home.
She was known by many names. Cloud Retainer to some, Xianyun to others. She was known for her talent in engineering, which was what she was working on at the moment.
It was a small compass, with an arrow that was shaped like a miniature crane. If it worked as intended, it would aid her in locating the source of certain adeptal power.
She had been sensing a new power for several weeks now. It was different from the power of any of her fellow adepti, which she had grown accustomed to over the many millennia that they had lived in the mountains together.
It was different enough that it often distracted her, and some part of her really wanted to meet this newcomer. It had been ages since a new adeptus had been welcomed.
Yet, when she had flown down to the base of the mountains, following the power to the best of her ability, her search had come up empty. The power seemed to come from an entire valley, and traces of Abyssal energy still lingered there, interfering with the signal of the new adeptus.
She had tried again another day, this time narrowing down the source of the power to a specific field. The Abyssal taint was even more noticeable there, clinging to the remains of what appeared to be an ancient battlefield.
She recognized large pillars of rock that she knew to be the work of the Prime of the Adepti. Mixed in with the Abyssal power and the new adeptal power, she recognized some of Morax’s power, though only small traces of it.
She had searched the field many times over, even flying overhead to get a better view, but there was no sign of life. She was sure that the new adeptus was residing there, yet she could not locate them.
So she had turned to her tried and true method of engineering. There weren’t many things that could not be solved through a bit of tinkering, and Cloud Retainer was constantly trying to think up new solutions to problems that hadn’t yet arisen.
The design for the compass had actually been one that she had created several thousand years earlier, with the original purpose of finding a certain half-adeptus child that had a habit of rolling down mountains.
With a few tweaks to the design, she was able to adjust the compass to only locate the new adeptus that she had struggled to find.
Cloud Retainer brought the compass back to the ancient battlefield. As soon as she landed, the compass whirred to life. The crane-shaped arrow pointed in the direction that the power came from.
She followed the compass, taking in the sights of the battlefield as she walked. There was a large depression in the earth, almost as if something had crashed down from above. The area around the crater was teeming with Morax’s power, and Cloud Retainer had a feeling that it had been Morax himself that had created it.
As she followed the compass, the traces of Morax’s power began to grow stronger, along with the power of the new adeptus. She came to a place that seemed to be the epicenter of an earthquake, with thin fissures and cracks extending around the area.
The ground glistened with an odd sheen. Cloud Retainer bent down to inspect it. It almost appeared like…blood. Golden blood, shed by Morax. There was quite a bit of it, and even millennia of being exposed to the elements had not washed it away.
She continued on, following the compass to a nearby cliff side. The new adeptus was around here somewhere.
A faint sound caught her attention. It sounded like a small waterfall, and she followed the faint traces of hydro energy to a miniature stream, tucked away in a narrow canyon. The compass pointed up the stream, so Cloud Retainer summoned a bit of her own power to allow her to cross it without getting her shoes wet.
The stream went on for longer than she had expected, but she eventually found the source. There was a waterfall that splashed into a decently sized pool at its base, which then fed into the stream that she had been following.
The stones at the base of the waterfall glittered like precious jewels, all in different shades of gold and silver. Cloud Retainer spotted several starconches at the base of the pool, though she had no idea how they had made it here, of all places.
The compass pointed forward, though the only way forward was over the waterfall. Cloud Retainer called on her power once more, vaulting herself up into the air. She landed gracefully at the top of the cliff, taking a few steps forward, before looking down at the compass again.
That was odd.
The compass was now pointing behind her. She walked to the side a bit, though the compass continued to point at…the waterfall.
Cloud Retainer jumped down the cliff again, returning to the base of the waterfall. She looked at it intently, Evidently, the waterfall did not feel like revealing its secrets.
She reached out with her power and — there!
How had she missed it?
Concealed behind the waterfall was the abode of the new adeptus, hidden in plain sight.
Zhongli was awoken from a three-hundred-year nap by someone knocking very loudly at the door of his abode.
“Morax! One must speak to you with utmost urgency!”
Zhongli grumbled, raising his large draconic head from where it had been resting on the stone floor of his abode. He had taken to using a form that resembled his exuvia, partially qilin and partially dragon.
“One knows that you are awake! One has heard you moving with one’s heightened senses.”
Zhongli stood up with a sigh, stretching out his body to its full length, which nearly took up the entire cavern. He shuffled over to the entrance, opening the magical door that concealed his home.
He could see Cloud Retainer in a human form, standing on what was essentially the front porch of his abode. She looked quite impatient.
He popped his head out of the cave opening, gave Cloud Retainer an annoyed huff, and promptly returned to the safety of his abode.
“You have left the door open, so one assumes that one is welcome. You have not said anything to deny one permission to enter, so one will now be entering,” Cloud Retainer said. “One hopes that one does not cause any offense.”
Cloud Retainer followed Zhongli inside, tilting her head in confusion when she saw the interior of his home. It was but a simple cavern, with nothing to signify that it belonged to someone who had once been an archon.
“Is this what you call an abode, Morax? This is hardly fit for the Prime of the Adepti. Was it not you who imparted a great quantity of interior decorating knowledge onto one when one first moved to Liyue Harbor?” Cloud Retainer scoffed. “This place is so…cold and empty.”
Zhongli nodded, settling back down in the center of the cave. He liked things that were cold and empty. They reminded him of his heart.
“Morax, one would be quite pleased if you could spare a moment to listen to what one has to say.”
Zhongli placed his tail over his face, as if to say that he didn’t want to listen. He sighed again, closing his eyes.
“One presumed that you would be interested in the arrival of a new adeptus. Has one presumed wrongly?”
Zhongli opened one of his eyes, his ears swiveling upwards so that he could hear Cloud Retainer better.
“One had a feeling that you would wish to hear more,” Cloud Retainer hummed. “A few weeks ago, one detected the presence of adeptal power that one had never noticed before. One searched for the adeptus, and was eventually successful in locating them. One has now come to request your presence when one departs to officially introduce oneself.”
Zhongli was silent for a long moment. It had been ages since a new adeptus had joined their ranks. The last had been one of Cloud Retainer’s disciples. He supposed that the occasion of welcoming a new adeptus would be quite important, possibly enough so to warrant him leaving his abode for the first time in…he wasn’t actually sure how long.
Finally, he relented, standing up and walking to the door of the abode. He flicked his tail towards the entrance, as if to communicate that he was ready to go.
A smug smile passed over Cloud Retainer’s face. She followed Zhongli out of the abode, shifting into the form of a crane. She flapped her wings a few times, before taking to the skies.
Zhongli leapt into the air, following Cloud Retainer. She led him over the mountains, and he took a moment to see how much the land had changed.
Great fissures ran through the landscape, and mountains that had once stood tall and proud had crumbled into dust. Nature had reclaimed ruins of ancient towns, the only sign that people had once resided there being the stone foundations that had withstood the test of time.
“At first, one had presumed the new adeptus to be quite young. Their power only became evident a few weeks ago,” Cloud Retainer explained. “But one now believes that this adeptus may be older — and, by extension, much more powerful — than one had originally thought.
“It took one quite a while to locate the adeptus, and one believes this to be because the adeptus was actually within an abode of their own creation.”
Zhongli tilted his head in confusion. Abodes weren’t the easiest things to create, and it would take a very powerful adeptus to make one.
“One was very surprised when one first discovered it,” Cloud Retainer continued. “It was also hidden incredibly well, so one believes that we may be about to meet an adeptus that has been alive for more than a millennium.”
They continued flying over the landscape together. A hill rose up ahead of them, and Zhongli began to ascend higher into the sky so that he could pass over it. Cloud Retainer followed suit, catching the wind on her large wings.
Zhongli crested the hill, watching a valley spread out before him. He took in the sight of the valley. It looked familiar —
No. Not this place. Not here. Abyssal energy surged up to greet him, filling his mind with memories of that day.
Panicking, Zhongli doubled back, darting away from the valley. He felt himself faltering, throwing his flight path off course. He crashed down into a dense forest, tearing massive branches from trees as he barreled into them. He landed on the forest floor in a cloud of dust.
Zhongli stood up, shifting into a more humanoid form, though he retained a pair of curling horns on his head. He stumbled a bit, not quite used to this form yet.
He wore a simple robe of white linen, similar to what he used to wear during the Archon War. The suit that he had owned during those short years that he lived in Liyue Harbor had been burnt the night that he retreated into his abode, too weighed down by emotion to continue his current way of life.
He leaned against a tree to catch his breath, focusing his attention towards the grass beneath him. He tried to divert his thoughts away from the painful memories that the valley had summoned.
Zhongli had thought that he was beyond the pain that Tartaglia’s death had brought. It had been thousands of years, yet the thought of him still brought tears to Zhongli’s eyes.
There was a strong gust of wind from behind, accompanied by the sound of flapping wings as Cloud Retainer landed in the forest.
“Morax, what is the matter? Has one offended you?”
“No,” Zhongli whispered. His voice was weak and fragile after not having been used for millennia.
“Then…what is it that has caused your distress?”
“That valley…it was there that I lost someone very dear to me.” Zhongli took a deep breath. “That was the day that the earthquakes destroyed our nation.”
Cloud Retainer nodded in understanding. “One knows your sorrow. If you would wish it, one can continue by oneself to find the adeptus. One can bring the adeptus to your abode so that one may introduce you.”
Zhongli shook his head. “No. I feel that it is my duty as Prime of the Adepti to welcome this newcomer.”
“If this is what you want, then one will honor that. The abode is on the other side of the valley, so one can guide you around the battlefield.”
“Thank you, Cloud Retainer.” Zhongli shifted back into his draconic form, leaping into the sky. He floated above the treetops, waiting there until Cloud Retainer emerged from the forest.
The crane soared ahead, leading Zhongli around the valley. She made sure to keep her flight path relatively far away from the ancient battlefield, not wanting to distress Zhongli further.
Zhongli followed, keeping his gaze trained on the sky. He was determined not to look at the battlefield.
After several minutes, Cloud Retainer began descending towards the ground. She took a sharp dive, tucking her wings close to her body, before disappearing into a narrow canyon.
Zhongli lowered himself down onto the ground above the canyon, peering down into it cautiously. Cloud Retainer waited for him at the bottom of the canyon, standing beside a small stream.
After taking a moment to shift into his humanoid form, Zhongli jumped down into the canyon, landing in the stream with a splash.
“Can you feel the power of the adeptus?” Cloud Retainer asked.
Zhongli nodded. The air was thick with adeptal energy, easily overpowering the Abyssal taint from the battlefield. The power of the new adeptus felt welcoming, and filled Zhongli’s mind with images of ocean waves lapping softly against a sandy beach, with a setting sun painting everything in a golden light.
“Has this canyon always been here?” Zhongli said, looking up the stream. “I do not remember it.”
“It may have been created during the earthquake, though one suspects that it is the work of this adeptus,” Cloud Retainer mused. “The abode is nearby. We should make haste in reaching it.”
Zhongli nodded, following Cloud Retainer farther up the stream. He could feel the adeptal power running through the water, floating in the air, permeating the stone that the canyon was carved into.
The stream eventually led to a shallow pool, where a waterfall disturbed the calm surface, sending a cloud of fine mist into the air. Starconches glistened in the depths of the pool, and the area smelled of the sea.
The entrance to the abode was easy to miss, and Zhongli understood how Cloud Retainer had failed to notice it. Just behind the waterfall, Zhongli could sense a large amount of adeptal energy, though it was concealed in such a way that kept it hidden from all but the most powerful adepti.
This was definitely not the work of a young adeptus, perhaps not even one that had lived a millennium. To amass this much power took thousands of years. To conceal that much power was an even greater feat.
“Who is this adeptus?” Zhongli wondered aloud.
“One does not know, though there is a very simple way to discover their identity. Would you like to do the honors?”
Zhongli nodded, stepping forward into the pool so that the water reached past his ankles.
“To the adeptus who dwells here,” Zhongli began, “I wish to offer you welcome. I am the one known as Morax, Prime of the Adepti. My friend is Cloud Retainer. We apologize for not noticing your presence sooner. If you have the time, we would like to meet you, and welcome you to join our community of adepti that dwell upon these mountains.”
Zhongli looked to Cloud Retainer, unsure if he had done a good job. His friend nodded curtly, showing her approval.
Turning his gaze back to the entrance of the abode, Zhongli waited for a sign that the adeptus that lived there had heard his message. He was beginning to think that the adeptus had not heard, when his ears picked up on the subtle sound of grinding stone.
The waterfall split down the middle, like a curtain that was parted to allow passage. Behind the torrent of water, a stone archway materialized in the rock. Thick vines hung down over it, and the ground that led into the opening was covered in sand, with small seashells peppering it like stars. A coastal breeze blew out through the doorway, carrying the scent of the ocean, along with a surge of adeptal power.
“One assumes that this means we are allowed entry,” Cloud Retainer commented.
Zhongli nodded, and the two of them passed through the waterfall. They stopped in front of the archway for a moment. They looked at each other, before stepping into the abode.
The rocky walls of the canyon fell away, dissolving into mist. When the mist dissipated, Zhongli found himself standing on a beach.
The sun was setting over the ocean, the waves becoming golden in the light. The sand was beautiful, with small shells hiding in the grains. Two trails of footprints led off into the distance, disappearing on the horizon.
Zhongli was reminded of a scene not unlike this one. He and Tartaglia had walked down a similar beach, collecting starconches as they went.
“This is an incredible abode, if one does say so oneself,” Cloud Retainer exclaimed. “The amount of power required to create something such as this would be monumental.”
“Yet there is no sign of the adeptus who resides here,” Zhongli pointed out. “And judging by how much power surrounds this domain, I believe we have not even scratched the surface of what lies within.”
Cloud Retainer nodded, looking around the domain. “One has already expressed this, but one is utterly awed by this abode. It is unlike any abode one has ever seen.”
“I’m sure that your sentiments will only grow as we explore more of this place, though we cannot do that until we have found a way to the next area.”
“Perhaps we could follow the trail of footprints,” Cloud Retainer suggested. She took a closer look at the trail, adjusting her glasses so that they would not fall from her face. “How interesting! These footprints cannot be altered. They are a fixed feature of the domain. And look! One does not leave one’s own footprints where one walks!”
“So it is a decorative choice?” Zhongli asked as they began following the trail of footprints.
“One assumes so. This adeptus has much better taste than you when it comes to the decoration of an abode,” Cloud Retainer teased. “Though, now that one has thought it over, the footprints could symbolize something. Perhaps the creator’s memory, or perhaps a wish for the future.”
Zhongli nodded, and was about to respond, when something in the distance caught his eye. It appeared to be a distortion in space, a spot where the world seemed to skip. The area shimmered, and Zhongli was almost certain that he had seen the silhouettes of two figures walking together, hand in hand.
“Did you see that?” He asked suddenly.
“No, one did not see anything. What was it?”
“I believe it is the gateway to the next area, but I could have sworn…never mind,” Zhongli muttered. “Come, we shouldn’t waste time.”
Zhongli led Cloud Retainer to where he had seen the distortion. As he approached it, the air grew a bit colder, and the area was flooded with even more adeptal energy.
“This is it,” Zhongli said, gesturing at the open air before him. “I believe we just step through, and —“
The scene changed, the sunny beach giving way to snowy plains. A cold wind blew snow flurries through the air. They stood next to a frozen lake, with a circular hole cut out from the ice several meters away from the shore. A chair had been set next to the hole, a fishing rod propped against it. On the far lakeshore, a forest of pines stood tall and proud. If one were to listen closely, they might even hear the sound of wolves howling within. In the opposite direction, a small log cabin could be seen in the distance. Golden light spilled from its windows, and smoke rose steadily from the chimney.
“One is not fond of snow,” Cloud Retainer complained, her teeth chattering as she spoke. “Shall we head to that cabin? Perhaps the new adeptus is within.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” Zhongli said, looking up at the overcast sky. The clouds were steadily darkening, snow beginning to fall faster. “A storm seems to be brewing.”
Cloud Retainer nodded her agreement. They began the long and arduous trek through the snow, which was so deep that it reached their knees.
When they had made it about half of the way, Cloud Retainer let out an annoyed sigh.
“One believes that flying would be much faster than walking.” She shifted into her crane form, before leaping into the skies.
Zhongli followed a moment later, slipping effortlessly into the form of a dragon. He bounded through the sky, catching up with the crane in mere moments.
Cloud Retainer caught the wind in her large wings, though the stray gusts from the oncoming storm threatened to veer her off course. Zhongli flew up beside her, lending some of his power to keep her from getting blown away.
“You are lucky that you fly without wings,” Cloud Retainer said. “And, for future reference, one is only struggling because this wind is created by a particularly powerful adeptus.”
Zhongli chuckled, though it sounded more like a growling huff in his draconic form.
“One would lecture you about teasing your friends, but one has noticed that we have arrived,” Cloud Retainer pointed out, beginning her descent towards the cabin.
Zhongli followed her down, shifting into a humanoid form as he landed on the front porch. The storm was beginning to pick up, snow swirling wildly around the cabin. It was nearly strong enough to be considered a blizzard.
Quickly opening the door, Zhongli ushered Cloud Retainer inside, closing it behind him. The snow that had stuck to his hair and clothes immediately disappeared, and Zhongli felt a warmth fill his chest.
The cabin, small though it was, felt incredibly cozy and welcoming. The main room appeared to be a common space, with a couch and several chairs arranged in front of a roaring fireplace. Warm blankets and furs were draped across the furniture, giving the room a very lived-in feel.
An open doorway to the right led to what appeared to be a bedroom, a large bed partially visible through the door. It was covered in similar blankets and furs, much like the sitting room.
The other door, to the left of the chamber, opened into a kitchen, with a long dining table at the far end.
“One does not detect any traces of the adeptus within this cabin,” Cloud Retainer said. “Though one believes they may be in the next area, wherever that may be.”
“Perhaps we should search for another distorted area. That seems to be what the gateways to other places appear as.”
“Yes, one noticed that. One does not see such an area here, but one can sense that it is close. One will search the kitchen, and you can search the bedchamber.”
Zhongli nodded, turning to the open doorway to his right. He entered the bedroom, getting a better look at the chamber.
The bed was large, big enough for two people to sleep incredibly comfortably. The blankets and furs had been arranged in such a way that made the bed appear to have been used recently.
The bed had posts at each corner, and an intricately carved headboard. Zhongli reached out to run his hand over the wood, tracing designs of foxes running through a forest.
He wandered over to a desk in the far corner, peering over the documents on the surface. They were written in a language that Zhongli did not recognize, though it looked like a cross between several languages that he did know. A Liyuean character here, a Snezhnayan letter there, and some symbols that were complete nonsense.
The only thing that Zhongli could read was the signature at the bottom of each page. It was written in scratchy penmanship, but the name was legible. It read ‘Tide Charmer.’ That must be the name of the adeptus that resided here.
There were several photographs hanging on the walls, though they all seemed blurred. Zhongli could discern the silhouettes of two people, though not much else.
Making his way back to the bed, Zhongli noticed something that he had missed. The bedside table was very cluttered, with a lamp, several starconches, a dagger, a stack of books with bookmarks in various places, and…a framed photograph.
Zhongli’s eyes had passed over it the first time, perhaps because it was slightly distorted.
“I’ve found it,” Zhongli called. Cloud Retainer entered the room a moment later, her eyes quickly scanning the room.
“One is pleased that you have found the gateway. One was beginning to think that our search was all for naught.”
“I have also discovered the name of the adeptus who lives within this domain. They are called Tide Charmer,” Zhongli explained.
“Very interesting. One finds this name to be quite illustrious. Well, what do we wait upon? Shall we go meet this ‘Tide Charmer?’”
Zhongli nodded, and then reached out to touch the photograph, but hesitated before his hand grazed the frame.
“I feel like I am missing something,” Zhongli mumbled. “There is a crucial detail that I have failed to notice. Perhaps my mind is more eroded than I had thought.”
“No, Morax. Do not say such things. Your mind is the most powerful in these mountains. You simply feel as if you have missed something because this domain is similar to a puzzle. One has felt that feeling before, when one created new machines and devices. There was never anything that had been missed, only worries produced by one’s own mind.”
Zhongli sighed, only slightly reassured by Cloud Retainer’s speech. He shook off his anxieties, reaching out to touch the photograph.
The cabin melted away, the warmth of the fire being replaced by the warmth of golden sunlight. The light passed through the sparse canopy of a deciduous forest, leaving dappled shadows on the grassy earth beneath. A gentle breeze swayed the branches, upon which birds chirped out a woodland symphony. A small trail was carved through the forest, weaving around trees and shrubbery.
“The being known as Tide Charmer is within this space,” Cloud Retainer said. “One can feel their presence.”
“We should follow this trail. I have a feeling that it will lead us to them,” Zhongli suggested. Cloud Retainer nodded, following him as he started down the trail.
As he walked, Zhongli took a moment to bask in the calmness of the forest. It was beautiful, perfect, unchanging. The ephemeral quality that many forests had was absent, freeing the mind to enjoy the preserved moment without fear of it falling prey to time. The creator of this abode had chosen this exact moment to sculpt, a moment that housed their favorite parts of forest life, as well as all their wishes and hopes.
The quiet atmosphere of the forest was interrupted by an ethereal bark, seeming to come from everywhere all at once. A trail of glowing blue light wound its way around Zhongli and Cloud Retainer, stopping a few meters ahead of them.
The light shifted forms, becoming what appeared to be a fox. Its body was slightly translucent, being no more than an apparition. It barked again, before bounding off down the path, leaving a trail of blue light for the two adepti to follow.
“Do one’s eyes deceive one, or did you also witness that?” Cloud Retainer asked.
“I saw it,” Zhongli confirmed. “It seems to be a guide, of sorts. Perhaps it serves the purpose of leading us to Tide Charmer. Come, let us follow it.”
Zhongli took off down the path, ushering Cloud Retainer to follow. He quickened his pace, not wanting to lose the trail that the fox had left.
He rounded a bend, stopping when he caught sight of the fox once more. It sat atop a stone table that had two chairs set across from each other. The fox let out a loud yip, before leaping into the air. As it reached the peak of its leap, it began to descend, its front paws stretched out before it, ready to pounce.
Before it hit the ground, the fox began to glow brighter. Its form expanded, morphing into that of a humanoid figure. The figure was devoid of any detail, only a simple silhouette. The figure had a pair of pointed ears upon its head, and a tail that swished back and forth behind it, not unlike the fox.
The apparition turned to sit at the table, waving a hand down the path, urging Zhongli to continue forward.
“Morax, wait!” Cloud Retainer called from behind, chastising Zhongli for running ahead. “One is taking the time to enjoy the scenery. Such a rush is unnecessary — oh, is this Tide Charmer?”
Zhongli shook his head. “No, it is only an image of them. They are still further up the path.”
The two adepti continued forward. As they turned around another bend in the trail, Zhongli paused to look back at the fox spirit.
Another apparition had joined it at the table, the new spirit possessing even less detail than the fox. It was made up of golden light, and its form appeared as a cloud of mist, rather than a defined shape.
“Morax, as much as one encourages taking in the scenery, one requests that you do not dawdle,” Cloud Retainer called.
“My apologies,” Zhongli huffed, hurrying to catch up with Cloud Retainer. When he looked back at the two spirits again, he noticed that they had both taken on a bit more detail, though Zhongli was too far away to see.
“One couldn’t help but notice that Tide Charmer seems to be related to foxes. They have many fox-like characteristics, even in human form,” Cloud Retainer commented. “One does not believe that one has ever met a fox adeptus.”
“Yes, that is very interesting. I also noticed that the carvings on the headboard of the bed included foxes.” Zhongli paused for a moment. “I can feel Tide Charmer’s presence just up ahead.”
“One can also feel their power.”
Zhongli picked up his pace a bit, coming to a stop when the trail opened up into a large clearing.
The clearing was circular, with tall grass covering the ground. Butterflies fluttered between large flowers, dancing through the air. They were accompanied by motes of blue light, small sprites that floated above the foliage.
In the center of the clearing, a figure dozed in the grass, lying on his back so that the sun shone on his face. Tide Charmer took the form of a young man, appearing no older than twenty-five. A pair of fox-like ears sat upon his head, twitching softly when a butterfly tried to land on them. His tail sat beside him in the grass, the long fur on its tip swaying in the breeze. He wore a simple outfit of white linen, which appeared more like sleepwear than actual clothes.
When Zhongli’s gaze passed over Tide Charmer’s face, his heart nearly skipped a beat. He recognized that face, with its delicate features and beautiful freckles. He recognized the familiar mess that was Tide Charmer’s hair, a wild mop of orange with a single blond streak.
Zhongli knew that if Tide Charmer were to open his eyes, they would be a blue so deep and beautiful that it could rival the most picturesque ocean.
A tear slid down Zhongli’s cheek. He blinked a few times, yet the figure in the grass remained unchanged. Zhongli was so sure that his eyes were playing tricks on him. This wasn’t real. There was no way that this was real. Tartaglia — Ajax, his beloved — had been dead for thousands of years.
“Go to him,” Cloud Retainer said, understanding the emotions that washed over Zhongli’s face. “One will wait in the forest for you.”
Zhongli stumbled into the clearing, kneeling down before Tide Charmer. He watched the chest of the sleeping figure rise and fall, so full of life that it made his heart sing.
He reached out to cup his beloved’s freckled face in his hand, feeling the warmth of Tide Charmer’s skin against his own. Alive.
“Ajax,” Zhongli whispered. “Wake up, my dear.”
Ajax stirred, a soft purr emanating from his chest. His eyes opened slowly, revealing the blue of archaic oceans. They were full of light.
“Zhongli?” Ajax breathed, savoring the name.
“Yes, my dear. I’m here,” Zhongli said. He never thought that he would say that again.
“I told you that I would see you when I woke up,” Ajax said, his voice still a whisper.
His dying words echoed through Zhongli’s mind. A promise. A contract. He had said that he would return, and he had made good on his word.
“I can’t believe…that you are alive,” Zhongli said, tears welling up in his eyes. “But look at you now, my dear. You are beautiful. And an adeptus, no less!”
Zhongli swept Ajax into his arms. It felt so good to hold his beloved once again, to feel the life within him. He ran a hand through Ajax’s hair, brushing over his fox-like ears.
“Ajax, how I’ve missed you so.”
“How long has it been?”
Zhongli paused, looking down at Ajax with concern. “Over three-thousand years, my dear.”
Ajax was silent for a long moment. “That’s…longer than I thought. I’ve been asleep for a while, but I’ve made this abode for us, and I…oh, Zhongli. I’m so sorry.”
Ajax pulled Zhongli closer, embracing him tightly, as if trying to make up for all the embraces that were missed during the past three millennia.
Zhongli breathed in his lover’s scent, which now carried notes of the sea and the forest. He clung to Ajax like a lifeline, almost as if he was afraid that he would lose his beloved again. They stayed like that for many moments before they separated, gazing longingly into each other’s eyes.
They shared a long kiss. Ajax’s lips were warm, and he was full of life.