Chapter Text
*Zhongli*
Morax had lived for far too long. He was one of the oldest of all the known gods in Teyvat. He had been around even before first blood was shed in the Archon War. However, like all the gods, he was dragged into the War to ensure his own survival as well as his people’s. Fortunately, he was one of the few who emerged victorious, earning himself a Celestial throne. When all was said and done, he found himself branded as Rex Lapis, the Geo Archon of Liyue as the dust of the Archon War settled.
Rex Lapis remembered the day Barbatos had first descended upon Liyue on a breeze so clearly as if it had happened yesterday. He remembered grabbing his polearm, thinking that his fellow Archon must have run into some crisis in Mondstadt for him to seek the help of his colleague. Why else would Barbatos have come here? The Seven did not congregate; they were all off in their own nations, shouldering the burden of guiding their people. Rex Lapis opened his mouth to ask what help Barbatos required, but before he could, the Anemo Archon threw a bottle of wine at him. As the Geo Archon scrambled to catch it, Barbatos smiled and asked, “Here’s some wine from Mondstadt. Care for a taste?”
Rex Lapis stared at the other god, completely dumbfounded. Had Barbatos seriously forsaken his duty to Mondstadt to… deliver a bottle of wine?! What a preposterous notion! Rex Lapis made a point to tell him as such. “Do you not take your duties seriously???”
Barbatos just smiled impishly. “I’m the God of Freedom, silly. Of course I’ll help my people if they need it, but it’d go against my principles to boss them around or helicopter parent them.”
Rex Lapis frowned, not quite agreeing with that. But then again, he supposed there was no point arguing, since neither was likely to change their mind. “So… Mondstadt isn’t in trouble?”
“Nope!”
“Then why did you come here???”
“What, are you a blockhead or something?” Barbatos snorted. “I already said I came here to let you taste Mondstadt’s wine. Besides, I’m curious about Liyue. And you. Can’t I just want to get to know my fellow Archons better?”
It was at that moment that Rex Lapis was grateful for his hood; he could feel his face getting warm and the hood obscured his red ears from Barbatos’s view. “Hmph, well unlike you , I'm busy running my nation.”
“Hey, the Archon War's over! No need to be so abrasive!” huffed Barbatos. “Your people seem to be getting on just fine without you right now, so it'd hardly hurt to have a few drinks with me. But if you're gonna be a boring blockhead, maybe I'll just go to Snezhnaya instead!”
Morax had to admit, he wasn't totally against having a drink with his fellow Archon. Despite Barbatos's impish nature that was totally opposite to his own, he was intrigued. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to forge an alliance , he reasoned. This peace likely won't last forever, so it would be good to have someone else protect Liyue. And Mondstadt, I suppose, if I am to be his ally. “Forgive me. I'll have a drink with you Barbatos. But not too many! I can't go getting drunk and doing something stupid!”
And so, they sat and drank while Barbatos asked him questions. Of course, the time came where Rex Lapis had to bid Barbatos goodbye, but that was hardly the last time he saw his divine neighbor; Barbatos kept coming back to the Harbor, exploring it and asking Rex Lapis even more questions, which knew as little limits as the wine he brought. Strangely enough, he did not find himself bothered by it. He found himself enjoying the Anemo Archon's visits. Though, one day Barbatos brought some of the other Archons to visit as well. Originally, Rex Lapis was quite chagrined at Barbatos inviting the other Seven to a nation that was not his, but his chagrin was eventually forgotten– he ended up having a nice conversation with Baal and her sister, Beelzebul, over some sake. Thus started the tradition of the Seven gathering in Liyue, discussing their nations and people, sharing food, and making merry.
But these times were not to last. The seven seats were changed and changed again until he and Barbatos were the only two of the original Seven who remained. This caused Rex Lapis to gravitate towards Barbatos more and more, as all that was once familiar was beginning to be forgotten. Despite the inconstancy of wind, Barbatos was now one of the few consistent things in his life. And at times, it felt as if the new Archons did not honor their duty of guiding humanity. It was because of these things that he found great comfort in his meetings and drinks with Barbatos. But eventually, even the wind did not return to Liyue Harbor again and Rex Lapis realized no matter how hard or mighty a rock was, it would still be worn down after many years.
He was thinking of this, remembering the taste of the wines during the Seven's gatherings during his walk on a particularly gray, drizzly day. As he meandered around the harbor, he heard a merchant call out to a worker, “You've finished your duties, go ahead and call it a day.”
Rex Lapis stood for a long while amongst the crowd, in the rain. “…Have I finished my duties?”
Over the years, he had gone by many names over his long life; Morax, the Geo Archon, the God of History, the God of Contracts, Groundbreaker, Rex Lapis, Lord of Geo, God of the Stove, God of Commerce, Prime of the Adepti, the Warrior God… and many more. But in that moment, he decided he would now only go by one name: Zhongli.