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Dark clouds were floating over Liyue, threatening to shower the nation with rain, thunder and lightning. Yet not a drop of water has left the clouds. As if waiting for something. A cue of sorts for the storm to start raging.
Most people have already hidden away in their homes, anticipating the storm, which would soon come. Those, who didn't, were busy closing their stores or binding their ship tightly to the harbour.
If any of them had looked up, they would have seen the dragon-adeptus Rex Lapis flying over the harbour, the plains, Mt. Aocang, the chasm, over all of Liyue, seemingly searching for someone.
Meanwhile, people of the Huaguang stone forest could hear a eerie melody of an avian-adeptus, which they have never heard before echo through the lands.
It was a sad, ominous melody and nobody could tell where it was comming from.
Had they sent their gaze towards the great mountains instead of the trees, they would have seen the figure of an avian adeptus calling for someone.
The adeptus was what one could only describe as a majestic killer. Feathers of dark teal graced its wings and had the sun been shining, one could have seen their beautiful golden shimmer in the light.
And yet, even if people had seen him, nobody would have dared to approach the beautiful creature as the sharp, curved beak and the big talons of a predator promised certain death, should they come too close.
Only the geo archon seemed courageous enough to fly to the top of the mountains, where the avian stood.
Rex Lapis shifted back to his human form as he landed. The strong breeze blew the pristine white hood off his head and let his long hair whip around in the wind, immediately revealing his face.
"We have been searching for you, Xiao.", he called out to the avian, while approaching closer,"It is very unusual for you not to appear, when called upon. Your fellow adepti were worried. I was worried."
It almost sounded like a father scolding his son.
Xiao seemingly ignored him, starting the sorrowful melody once more.
"General Alatus.", Rex Lapis now stood beside the avian, trying to get his attention.
The bird-like adeptus shifted his weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably as he took an audible breath.
Rex Lapis could sense Xiao's karmic debt raging wildly within the adeptus. It pierced straight through his muscles, into the avian's very bones. He has never seen the evil remains of dead gods so aggressive before. It made the archon worry just how long he could let this continue until he was forced to take more drastic measures.
Xiao had began to search for Bosacius, ever since the older yaksha had disappeared without any greater result.
Considering Bosacius already lost part of his sanity, Xiao wasn't worried at first. He simply excused himself to find his brother, who probably had gotten lost in his poor memory and just needed Xiao's help to find home again.
Xiao searched for a week, two weeks, three...
The longer he searched, the more desperate his calls for Bosacius became.
It was as if the electro yaksha had been swallowed up by the earth. There were no remains of his to be found, but there was also no sign of his survival.
Soon, Xiao wasn't seen at his post at Wangshu Inn anymore. He also began to avoid speaking to any of his fellow adepti.
All that Rex Lapis could excuse, knowing that in Xiao's case, grief usually manifested in isolation, which shall not be disturbed until Xiao permits it so.
It was when Xiao stopped reporting to him, that he got worried.
The yaksha had always put his duties first, remaining fiercely loyal in attempt to pay the archon back for freeing him of the rule of his former master.
Him neglecting these duties was a bad sign.
And seeing how bad the karma affected him, Rex Lapis was glad to have decided to search for him.
Xiao still repeated the call for his brother, not letting himself be stopped by the presence of his god.
"Xiao...I fear your efforts are in vain.", Rex Lapis uttered.
Xiao stilled for a second, his claws digged into the ground beneath him. Then, the avian shook his head vigorously and started to call out again. The pain in the birds call was now unmistakable.
Rex Lapis' brows furrowed in sympathy of his pain. However, he had to stop this madness. For Xiao's own well-being.
"Xiao-", he attempted to guide him to reason. However, Xiao broke his silence in that same moment.
Feathers turned to skin, talons turned into fingers, beak turned into a mouth that cried out misery:"I am trying to make him hear me!"
Xiao seemed to want to say more, but his voice broke and he had staggered as he returned into his human form so much, that he stumbled to his knees.
Zhongli never saw Xiao stumble before. Not even when he defeated Xiao, back when he was still under the rule of another god. He accepted defeat with grace even back then.
To see him grip onto the ground so desperately as thick tears dropped onto the grass, broke Rex Lapis' heart.
Xiao's whole body shook with every hiccup, every sob he made. Gone was the fiercely loyal warrior, Xiao was known for. All that remained was a young adeptus grieving his siblings.
Rex Lapis kneeled next to him and hesitantly put a warm hand on Xiao's back, trying to calm him.
The yaksha was not one to react well to physical affection in the past, so Rex Lapis stayed careful as not to worsen the situation.
"I understand your pain. I know it is hard to accept... but you are exhausting both your mind and body at an unreasonably quick rate for somebody that will not return.", his voice was soft, but took on a more firm tone, when he uttered the last part,"I need you to put an end to your search. Now."
"No!", Xiao immediately denied," No. That is- I cannot- Bosacius is still alive. I know he is. He might be half-mad but he doesn't die so easily. And even if the karma did kill him, he doesn't just vanish."
Thunder could be heard in the distance.
Rex Lapis wanted to wince at the despair in the yaksha's voice. Loosing one of his brother and sister yaksha was horrible as is, but loosing all four of them? Xiao would rather face his former master again and again before letting his last brother go.
Desperation is misery's eldest son. Powerful and well-known by many. Xiao took a hold of his spear and used it as a crutch to help him stand up again.
"I must find him.", he insisted, finding new determination in his despair.
Zhongli stood up as well and took hold of his arm, before he could run off again.
"Xiao...you have been searching for Bosacius for many weeks now, without finding even a hint of him. I have used my control over the geo element to search the entirety of Liyue's grounds, without sensing his presence even once. I think you know what that means, do you not?", he reasoned. Rex Lapis voice was gentle and calm, but his words felt like daggers burying themselves in Xiao's gut.
The hands of the younger adeptus balled into fists and he hung his head low in defeat.
"Please, do not say it.", Xiao begged him, already knowing, where this was going. He could not bare to hear it. In fact, he refused to.
There was no way Bosacius left to find a place to die without saying a word to Xiao.
Rex Lapis tried his best to reword what he had intended to say:"This search is senseless... And I fear you will follow Bosacius' path if you don't stop this."
"I have sworn to find out about the other yakshas' fate. This, too, is my duty.", Xiao insisted, but he didn't dare to fight Rex Lapis' hold on him. Xiao was strong, but Rex Lapis was a god.
Said god tried to find a way to convince Xiao to turn back to his post and rest there instead of letting desperation slowly kill him. However, it was hard to use Xiao's health to reason, when the yaksha had no care for it himself.
"Is duty more important than direct orders from your god?", he asked him.
The order of his god was final and of highest priority to Xiao. Rex Lapis knew this.
Naturally, Xiao didn't hesitate, when answering:"No, of course not."
Ah.
He found a way to get the adeptus back home.
"In that case I order you...to return to your post and stop your search.", the authority of a ruler manifested back into Rex Lapis' voice.
Xiao opened his mouth to protest again, but then the order caught up in his mind. His breath hitched and he snapped his mouth shut.
This was an order. A direct order from his god. He cannot refuse an order from him, since Xiao had sworn his loyalty to him. He has to listen to him. He cannot disrespect orders. He simply can't!
Raindrops started to fall from the dark skies. They should seek shelter soon...
The way Xiao starred up at him completely stunned, face still stained with tears, made Rex Lapis' stomach turn.
He knew, it was cruel to use the power he had over Xiao in this way, but the young adeptus was as stubborn as Rex Lapis himself was. This was the only way he could think of, to get Xiao to return.
Eventually, Xiao snapped out of his frozen state and inclined his head to show respect.
"As you wish.", he uttered quietly.
"I shall accompany you.", Zhongli hesitated,"...If you allow it."
Xiao nodded silently.
"We shall head to my domain first, where you will rest. Returning to your duties immediately will do you no good.", the god decided, turning back into his dragon-form.
Xiao followed in suit, no longer using his energy to protest, though it was clear that he would have, had it been anyone else but his archon.
Xiao was always insistent that he had no need for sleep. Yet, eventhough he had no need for it the way normal mortals did, his energy levels had to replenished in one way or another. And Zhongli has decided sleep to be the easiest way for Xiao to recover.
It was clear that Xiao was extremely exhausted. He didn't even decline the offer once, eventhough Xiao usually would think it to be disrespectful to enter someone else's domain, least of all his god's personal domain, for something so simple as resting.
In Rex Lapis' domain, the sun was always shining, so he decided to sit against a big ginko tree, which offered them plenty of shade, so Xiao could rest easy.
The yaksha didn't speak a word, while in the domain. Grief struck his eyes until they finally closed, sending his mind to a peaceful realm of dreams.
His head rested now on Zhongli's lap, body curled into himself. It was a rarity to see the yaksha without a small frown on his face, but during sleep he really did look peaceful. That peacefulness would not last long. The ever vigilant yakasha would rise within a few hours again, disliking long periods of idleness. But for now, he was at peace. Free from the karmic debt eating at his sanity and free of his grief.
There were only few people, in whose presence he is allowing himself to sleep. His yaksha brothers and sisters...and his god. No other. To see his face so relaxed could almost be called a privilege. Yet, that peacefulness was distorted by the tear stains on the young adeptus' face.
Zhongli let out a saddened sigh. This was the yakshas' chosen fate. Even so, it is a tragic one. Rex Lapis had really hoped for more yakshas to survive their duties. Yet, only one remained. And only the heavens knew for how long he could keep this up.
The geo archon sensed a familiar presence asking for entry into his domain.
Cloud Retainer.
He supposed there was no harm in inviting her in. Only a few moments later he could hear the flap of his old friend's wings approaching.
"One sees you have found him.", the avian adeptus observed as she gracefully landed beside him.
"He will need rest. He has exhausted his adeptal powers as well as his physical and mental strength.", he informed her.
"One is surprised to find Alatus outlasted any other yaksha of Liyue. His karma was already outweighting most others others, when he joined the yaksha's duties."
Rex Lapis looked back down to the sleeping Xiao, gently petting over his head with a sad smile.
"Life has a strange way of keeping us on our toes, it seems", he answered, looking back up at Cloud Retainer.
"He has found marshall Vitras' remains, one assumes?", the avian tilted her head in question.
Rex Lapis averted his eyes and shook his head.
"I can't explain it to myself. Bosacius is nowhere to be found. The only possibility is that he left Liyue's grounds and perished somwhere, where I cannot reach him with my powers. Either way, I don't believe him to be alive anymore. It's saddening that we cannot bury him porperly..."
"Indeed, it is.", Cloud Retainer agreed with a sorrowful tone in her voice.
Rex Lapis returned his attention back to the sleeping adeptus. His last yaksha...
"I hope that, one day, he can overcome his need to fight and lay down his spear to live contented.", Rex Lapis confessed,"It would make me happy for at least him to find peace."
"That would be asking for quite a lot.", Cloud Retainer remarked.
Even if Xiao ever decides to lay down his spear, he will not be free of the karma that binds him like shackles at his wrist. Xiao will never truly find peace in this life. Not anymore.
Rex Lapis hummed in sad agreement:"Perhaps... I might never be able to change his mind or give him peace, but maybe, one day, he might find someone, who will... one can only hope."