#seven prayers to seven archons

[canonical-transformation]

I still headcanon the main conceit of Archons as Vibe Checks — that the criteria for Vision elements are "mindless" AI pattern matching based on how Archons make sense of the world.

(see also Seven Prayers to Seven Archons, a vignette collection all about Visions 😇)

And now for something completely different (click for pt 2)

[shomixremix]

THE ALTAR OF ADORATION ♥︎

recently i've been getting more and more into my zhongli brainrot (even though he's been one of my fav characters since forever lol) so here you all go!!

oh also tysm for over 1k notes, 100+ reblogs and 50 new followers!! you guys are the best <3 i really didn't expect that kind of support on my last post - turns out everyone likes some dragon men!! so i decided to write some more, here you lovelies go!!

tags: Zhongli, female! reader, dragon! zhongli, religious themes, sacrificial offering, smut, fluff, mating, breeding, creampie, monsterfucking

-> you have been chosen as a sacrifice to the great geo lord rex lapis, during a period where everyone believed he was mad at mortals. scared for your life and trembling, you now realize there was another problem troubling lord morax.

reqs open ♡︎ | minors DNI

great lord rex lapis roamed the earths and heavens for centuries, ruling the land of geo and its people through the thick and thin. they were very devoted followers, obeying his every wish.

however, the height of his reign has long passed, and people simply stopped caring about their archon. until recently.

crops began to wither, mines dried out, contracts were getting broken left and right - rex lapis has had enough of their careless behavior. his people have disappointed him, and this was a sign of his fury. if something wasn't to change, he would abandon them completely.

the people of liyue decided to recommit to their religion, prepared to offer the geo lord a sacrifice of any kind, just so he'd once again bless them. you, even though born in a time where people lost their respect for the geo lord, have always been a devoted follower, praying to him each day and leaving flowers and beautiful crystals under his statue of the seven.

already being a believer of the geo archon, you were chosen as the ceremonial sacrifice.

while nobody knew where rex lapis resided, the site of the ceremony was chosen to be on mt. hulao. as the crowds of people gathered from all over liyue around the lake on the top of the mountain, you stood in front of them, shaking. while you were a follower of morax, you didn't feel it was right to die for the sins of your people.

"it's time to pay our sacrifise!" yelled one of the townsfolk, holding your wrist in an iron grip as he he slit your palm with a sharp knife. you screamed out in pain as maroon blood dripped down your hand. the man who slit your hand placed a valuable cor lapis stone in it, watching as the orange stone quickly became stained with your red blood.

you held your breath as they placed you on the highest point of the mountain and pushed you off, chanting morax's name over and over.

falling seemed to last centuries, even though it was just seconds. you waited and waited for your body to hit the ground, tightening your hold on the cor lapis and in your head praying:

"rex lapis, if you're here, if you hear my prayer, please, i beg you, save me!"

suddenly, your feel onto something, tightly closing your eyes. was this... death?

you open your eyes and realize this wasn't any kind of afterlife - in fact, you were very much still alive, spread on top of the back of a large dragon. your mortality was confirmed by the sharp pain you still felt in your left hand.

"..r-rex l-lapis..?"

the dragon stayed quiet as you clutched his mane, holding on to him for dear life. he only let you get down once you were inside a large cave, seeming like it wasn't a part of the human world - no, this had to be an adepti realm.

an uneducated mortal maybe wouldn't be certain just who was standing between them, but you knew oh so very well. his goldenish brown scales, the big, honey-colored eyes and the tail which ended in a mosaic of clouds all gave him away. standing before you was the geo archon, the adeptus who saved your life even though you were a peace offering.

he stayed quiet, removing you from his back like it was nothing and moving to a completely different side of the cave, laying down on the cold ground with his back turned to you.

he was in no mood to talk, you knew, but you had to thank him for saving your life.

"lord morax..?"

he grumbled in response, steam coming out of his large nostrils.

"i cinserely thank you for saving my life... i was supposed to be a mere sacrifise, yet you still showed me mercy.. i.. just, thank you so much.."

the second the word "sacrifise" leaves your lips rex lapis perks up, turning to you with frantic eyes. he grabs your hand to inspect the still slightly bleeding cut, tearing a piece of your skirt to wrap around your wound as a bandage. morax tightly ties it, then quickly moves from you.

"it should stop the bleeding," he grumbled low, never turning to look at you, almost as if he was completely uninterested, "i will bring you to the villege tomorrow, little mortal. now sleep. your body needs rest"

how could you rest after such a traumatic experience? after almost having your life, all your hopes and dreams, unfairly thorn from you?

"no, i.. i can't return! they will all know that i failed, that i wasn't the sacrifise they all needed to save liyue from your punishment!"

morax huffs, his tail hitting the ground with a loud thump.

"then you can tell them all that i do not wish for a sacrifise. spilling innocent human blood is not only unecessary but also completely repulsive to me."

your eyes widen as he says this, your body instinctively moving a little closer to him: "you.. do not wish for a sacrifise, my lord? then how should we repay you for our sins? how can we ever make you forgive us for losing our faith in you..?"

rex lapis growls lowly, his body tightening like he was in some kind of discomfort or pain.

"the lack of my blessing isn't for the reasons your kind believes," he growled, "i'm not upset at you humans. now sleep." you knew well that that was an order, and an order coming from an archon must always be obeyed. yet, you didn't, scooting closer to him.

"the only thing to be upset about is that they sent you as the offering. how unfair it is to send one of my most devoted followers to die for my amusement.."

you hold your breath, afraid that he was actually considering killing you.

"i've recieved all the little treasures you leave out for me and have heard your every word. you're a persistant little one, aren't you?" even though you couldn't see him, you could feel the smirk on his face.

the knowledge that he has seen and heard how you worship him makes your heart thump loudly in your chest, a pool of pride and flusterness swirling in your belly.

suddenly, morax smells the air sharply, then started writhing on the ground in pain, cursing out a deep yet broken"fuck..!".

"are you in pain, my lord? can i do something to help?" you ask eagerly, wishing to help your saviour.

"move away!" he roared, steam coming out of his mouth. "go to sleep and stop talking to me when i ask, mortal!"

you frigtenedly to as told, laying down on the ground and turning away from him, squeezing your eyes shut. suddenly, you hear little muffled whines and cries coming from him, which immediately makes you look at him again.

his large head is completely flushed red, his lungs heaving up and down quickly. he panted out short little puffs of air, his eyes bloodshot ready and his body trembling slightly. you didn't know what was wrong with him, he acted like some kind of a wild animal in a rut-

"lord morax, are you.. in a rut..?" it was a shameful question to ask the archon, yet your curiosity got the better of you.

he huffed out, more and more in pain with every passing minute. "i haven't... hah... i haven't been in centuries... it's inevitable i go through it every couple of hundred years..."

morax groans, visibly in a lot of discomfort.

"and of course that when i'm in a rut they just have to send me a gorgeous woman as a sacrifice to worsen my state..."

your cheeks darken as he murmurs this, blood rushing to your head.

"how do i worsen your state..?"

"your arousal" he rasps, "i can smell it, little mortal. i can smell you, and it's torture. it pains every muscle in my body to resist you, but i have to; it's my duty"

your heart aches at his words.

"i can help" you breathe, unsure what you were even offering. his sharp eyes turn to you, piercing you with his gaze.

"no", his answer is short but stern, "i could kill you, i could harm you and leave you not remembering your own name. i cannot do that to my most devoted follower. not to you, y/n"

your heart stops, dropping to your feet.

"how do you know my name...?"

he groans as he explains: "i often wander around the mortal world in my human form, to feel closer to your kind... i have met you a couple of times during your prayer at the statue of the seven. i cannot use your pure body to breed when i know how much respect and hope you have in me. it would be betrayal to you, and you would never see me, nor my human form, the same"

"it pains me to see my archon in pain" you whisper as you get closer to the large dragon, your stomach stirring. you gently touch the scales down his back and feel how he shivers under your touches.

"i want... i want to help you, if i can... i want to help you through this.. you have helped me through the darkest points in my life, and even though i don't know who your human form is, i have a feeling i'm close to you even then... i just desire to help you, lord morax..."

"do you even understand what kind of help i need? what i will do to you if you allow me?"

you smile, running your hands through his shiny mane.

"yes, i understand. use me however you like, my lord."

his self control snaps, big paws pinning you down on the ground. he's panting like a dog as he nuzzles his head against your neck, tearing the rest of your skirt off. only left in a pair of underwear and a thin shirt, you tremble under the archon's touches.

"hm.. such a beautiful mortal..." he hums as he tears the rest of your cloth from your body, leaving you completely bare. you try to cover yourself with your arms, yet morax grabs them and pins them by your sides.

his large mouth comes in contact with your skin, licking, kissing and biting as he moved down. morax grazes your skin with his teeth, never biting down hard enough to draw blood from your veins. you had already done your sacrifice, more blood wasn't needed. his tounge moves from your neck to your exposed breast, swirling around your hard nipples, earning a little whimper from you.

then, he moves even lower, nipping at your stomach. he forces your tighs apart, burying his large head to your folds and forcing you to hold on to him by his horns. rex lapis tastes you eagerly, lapping up any slick your body oh so willingly gave him. you moaned and whined as he fucked you with his tounge, making you come almost instantly.

"ohhhh!! m-morax~ ahh..." you moan as he helps you through it, sharply tugging on your sensitive clit with his sharp teeth, always careful not to hurt you.

"celestia" he sighs into your slick folds, earning a tremble from you. "you taste devine, my dear. i haven't enjoyed such a sweet taste in centuries"

he shows you no mercy and continues to eat you out as if you were his last meal, one paw holding down your wrists and the other secured on your hips, not allowing you to move at all. after about three delicious highs he pulls from your frail body with his tounge, you start begging for the real thing. you knew his rut wouldn't be over unless he fucked you, and you were kinda hoping this torterous foreplay would be over soon...

"m-morax... please.." you whimper, squeezing your legs around his snout. he grumbles low, giving one final lick to your greedy pussy.

"i have to loosen you as much as possible so you could even try to take me. preperations can take up to days."

your eyes open wide and your mouth partens. you couldn't wait days to get him to fuck you, and you certainly didn't know how you'd survive days worth of eating out!

"but i cannot wait that long" he smirks, rubbing your outter tighs and ass. in one swift motion he flips you over so you were on your knees, face down and ass up. you feel his length rubbing up on you; even though you couldn't see him, your eyes went wide in shock. you felt how impossibly large he was, both in size and girth, almost being comparable to your legs.

but another thing surprises you - the head of his cock is poking at your tight entrance, but another thing is poking at your ass! you turn your head in shock, and he reassures you.

"i am different than a mortal, my dear"

you let out a loud scream of his name as he harshly thrusts both of his heavy cocks into you. he thrusts as far as he can, entering your cushy womb from how big he is and almost ripping your ass apart. you scream and cry and writhe yet he doesn't budge, letting you get used to him inside you for a few moments before he starts thrusting.

he starts moving without a warning, dragging you back on his cocks. you turn into a sobbing mess as each one of his thrusts so pleasantly tease your g-spot, bullying your tight walls.

"ahh.. ahhh! mphhh! mmphshs! m- mor... ah! ohhh!"

you cry and cry, not even knowing your own name out of so much pleasure. you feel like your holes are completely loose and yet, clamping down on him greedily. he tugs your head back by your hair, snuggling his nuzzle in your neck so you'd hear him better.

"shh, don't cry... you've asked me for this, little mortal. you asked to be fucked like this, hm? look at you, so pretty like this. so no need to cry, you will be fine. i allow you as much pleasure as you need. "

you couldn't stop yourself from coming, squirting your juices all over his cock. he watches this in amusement, fucking into you harder and faster. in one moment, he threw his head back in pleasure, making a loud roar.

"fuck, y/n..." he groaned as you hiccupped your sobs, finally giving a harsh, last thrust and stilling inside. you felt an impossible amount of warmth spread through your body as he filled you with seed, spilling a wave after wave of cum in your womb. he had filled you so much that it spilled from you, leaving you entirely breathless.

as soon as he's done he pulls out, letting you fall to the floor. he picks up your limp body, curling himself around you and cuddling you close.

"it's alright, my dear... you did perfect. you were just devine, and you've felt better than anything i've ever felt in all my years. rest, now. i will take care of the rest tomorrow."

your head hazy, your mind fuzzy with pleasure and your eyes heavy, you lay curled against him and finally get the much needed sleep.

the next morning, you wake up with a human, veined arm around your bare waist.

"there you are... you are too adorable in your sleep" a deep voice said from behind you, and you turned around, expecting to see the geo archon.

yet, you were faced with a man you knew all to well - the man you had deep feelings for ever since he first arrived in liyue harbour.

"mr. zhongli?!"

he hums out a laugh, tightening his hold on you.

"yes, if i'm correct, we've met in my human form a couple of times?"

you blush deeply, reminiscing on the few blissful times you talked to him. he was a very handsome, successful young man, with great wisdom and a clever mind - and you admired him very much, so much that you couldn't help but fall in love.

"you look dissapointed... are you not fond of me after finding out who i am?"

he asks, his gaze softening and looking almost saddened. you quickly reassure him:

"no, no, i'm not dissapointed! more like stunned.." you blush and he notices, twirling a strand of your hair between his fingers.

"oh? why is that? i have always assumed we had a fairly good relationship, y/n. you have always been so nice to me"

"i.. i've had feelings for you for quite a while..." you say shyly, almost embarassed of the fact.

his lips curl into a genuinely happy smile, his arms pressing you closer to his bare chest.

"then everything turned out alright"

you smile, but everything suddenly dawns on you - that zhongli seemed to be okay with your feelings for him, that you almost died yesterday as a sacrifice, that zhongli is morax and most importantly, that oh, you fucked the geo archon, in his dragon form no less!

"am i pregnant now..?" you ask quietly, reminded that the act of a rut is mainly to breed and create off-spring. zhongli laughs at your question, leaving a quick peck on your forehead.

"no, most likely not. but you will be, in a few hundred years, once i have to go through this all over again" you almost choke on your own spit as he says this.

"but... i won't be alive in a few hundred years... you will have to find another to help you through this.."

as soon as you mention him sleeping with another woman his face turns into one of disgust, his strong arms gathering your entire body in his hold.

"as my mate, you will live as long as i do, and i'm immortal, my dear."

"your mate?!"

"yes. by helping me through my rut, you have become my mate. of course, only if that's what you wish" he says, pressing a loving kiss to your eyelid. "and do not worry, my dear, dragons mate for life"

he almost purrs into your warm skin, making a referance to what you said about him sleeping with another woman.

"...being your mate.." you sigh, cuddling into his chest.

"it's like what you humans call "relationship" except a stronger bond, sort of an unbreakable contract between the two of us. a forever promise of care, love and loyalty."

"i think i would like that" you humm into his chest, "but, let's take it a little slow?"

he kisses you full of warmth, his hands soothing your sides.

"of course, my dear. i will take you on a proper date when we get back. for now, just lay there and let me thank you properly for your help last evening..." he sighs as he kisses your shoulder over and over again.

yesterday at this time of day you were supposed to be nothing but a sacrifice to the geo lord, and now here you were, getting your body worshiped by him, forever safe and secure in his arms as his mate.

[madam-kumo]

Hold Me Again

Sagau Dainslief x Female Creator Reader

"What... Stop!" Aether screamed and kicked at the ice holding him away as Lumine handed the final gnosis to the Cryo Archon, the final key to unlocking Celestia. Aether felt betrayed, like his sister stabbed him in the heart herself, but the ice shackles on his arms and ankles kept him from moving. "Please, she'll-" Aether was interrupted by his sister staring at him with pity or was it sympathy? "Trust me. Just this once." Lumine stated, but it sounded more like a beg than a command, her voice cracking and her expression saddened.

"I did not want to awaken Celestia this way with you, Aether, but it must be done." The tsaritsa said, standing from her throne and descending down the stairs, the line of the fatui harbingers lined along the long carpet that spanned across the room. The Tsaritsa, all seven gnosis's in hand, let them all float in her palm, all of them forming a circle of elemental symbols around her feet.

Every element in teyvat, even the long forgotten ones, created gliffs around her before expanding into pillars, each glowing their signature color. Aether knew he had to trust his sister with the look in her eyes alone, but he didn't want to. Gods, all that work for nothing. Every fatui and abyssal he fought- was all for nothing.

The pillars around the Tsaritsa then let out beams of light through the transparent roof of the palace, illuminating the heavens. Soon, as if an image dispersed, the once old- no, the true- Teyvat began to slowly mend and combine with the world around them. Kheanri'ahn symbols began to appear on the palace as the spirits of Kheanri'ah's forgotten people began appearing with bright smiles on their faces, some on their knees in prayer around the palace. They smiled as their home began molding to the new Teyvat around them. Mixes of both world combined into a beautiful display.

Books and letters in Kheanri'ahn lined the walls of the Cryo palace, like a mystical library. Astrology tools and stars glimmered even in the snowing skies of Snezhnaya. The harbingers too looked around in awe, even the stoic Arlecchino couldn't keep the wonder and amazement off her face.

The Tsaritsa's magic finally let go of Aether as her concentrations was focused on the place that was once her throne. A large, crystal structure was placed in the center of it all. The light blue casted a translucent haze over the figure of a woman inside. The Tsaritsa, as if touching glass, wiped the frost off the glass, revealing the face she had seen in her dreams so many times, begging the archon to release her from her slumber. Aether was seated on the floor looking around the place he thought was going to be his final battle; now turned into the place he once called a home. Lumine hugged him with tears of joy in her eyes, thanking him between laughs for trusting her again. Aether was speechless; what could he say?

His thoughts were interrupted when the doors to the palace and library slammed open, revealing a disheveled and beaten Dainslief. Lumine looked at the man in pity, but he didn't even look at them. The Tsaritsa, surprisingly so, moved aside from the crystal structure, allowing the Kheanri'ahn man to approach with wide eyes and his mouth agape. The diamond shaped jewel on his suit, one akin to a vision, for the first time in centuries, pulsed with a deep blue glow. Dainslief, without missing a beat, placed his hand on the crystal, right above the figure's heart. His palm began to glow and the crystal began to fade away. The woman's finger twitched as it was revealed to everyone in the room. Even the Kheanri'ahn spirits looked on in awe as the crystal slowly recede.

Simultaneously, the twins' eyes widened as the face of the woman was revealed. They rushed over, hand in hand, to help Dainslief hold the collapsing woman and guide her onto the cold floor. A quick snap of the Tsaritsa and Tartaglia was already rushing to grab a pillow and some blankets while Columbina grabbed food and water.

The woman's eyes slowly opened to be greeted by two golden pairs and another pair of blue, all of them with blonde hair. Her mind was in a daze, her vision still hazy. she was propped up on Dainslief lap as his tears began dripping onto her face. As if by instinct, her shaky, cold hands reached up to wipe the tears from his face. "Why... are you crying, my love?" She asked, her voice hoarse from centuries of not using it.

"Do not fret my dear, my goddess, my light, the air I breathe... how am I not to cry when I have missed you so?" Dainslief wept, before biting his lip and holding the hand on his face, he knew she would weep for centuries over the loss of her beloved city, but he needed her touch right now. That's all it took for the twins to join in, Lumine on one side of her while Aether cried into the other. "Do not cry... This is a time to celebrate... Not to drown in tears..." she murmured to them, retracting her hand from Dainslief to run her nails through the twins' hair. Lumine wept into her chest, her shoulders shaking, while Aether shook his head while covering his face in her stomach. "You were gone for so long... How could be not be to the point of tears?" Dainslief said, taking the words right out of Aether's mouth.

She laughed hoarsely, resting the back of her head against Dainslief's chest. "Yes... But if you are to weep, please... Let me hold you all, even if I run out of arms to do so..."

[narumi-gens]

yandere!morax/zhongli x adeptus gn!reader

morax finds you where he always does on the few occasions he allows you time to yourself, kneeling in the garden with your hands folded in your lap and your head respectfully tilted down. it's been only a few decades since he took you for his own, a self-reward of sorts for a still freshly won war.

and what are a few decades to the immortal?

he supposes you spend so much time here because the gardens are so wide and open that they make the high, stone walls that keep you caged within his grasp seem slightly smaller by perspective.

there's a soft, spring breeze in the air, which picks up for just a moment as he chooses to sit on the grass directly in front of you with his legs crossed before him and his wrists casually resting on his knees.

your head remains down and your eyes stay closed, choosing not to acknowledge his presence.

"have you not grown bored after spending so much time alone with nothing but your thoughts?" his deep voice and teasing tone shatter the garden's tranquility, yet still you refuse to look at him. "I'm happy to provide you with whatever book you would like. all you need to do is ask."

"my prayers keep me occupied."

it's a dangerous admission on your part. as liyue's archon, he hears every prayer his people make yet he's never once heard yours. which means that your prayers aren't to him.

but he'll indulge you and play your game – for now at least.

"what do you pray for?"

"for liberation." your answer isn't a surprise. what else could you pray for?

"oh? and to whom do you pray?"

finally, you open your eyes and lift your chin to meet his gaze. there's a hardness in them that reminds him of the jewels the people of liyue put so much time and effort into mining. even the warm, gentle wind and the smell of blooming flowers it brings are incapable of softening your demeanor.

"the archons."

any trace of amusement immediately vanishes as his eyes flash dangerously. his pupils morph into the slits of his true, draconic form.

"I am your archon."

he doesn't mention the contract you signed during the archon war in concert with the other adepti, agreeing to protect liyue. he doesn't need to.

although with your powers now sealed away through his own means, there's little protection that you would be able to provide should you ever actually be called upon to do so. the only part of the contract that still pertains to you as you are now, as he's made you now, is the provision accepting morax as liyue's archon.

it's a provision that he worded carefully in the specific contract he offered you, where you not only accepted him as the prime of adepti, but also swore eternal subservience to him as part of it.

"you are one archon," you remind him coldly, raising an eyebrow in challenge, daring him to contradict what is fact. "one of seven."

he offers you a patronizing smile in return.

"tell me, then. which of the remaining six do you think would be foolish enough to answer you?"

he only decides to humor you because he knows the answer is none of them. no archon would risk upsetting the peaceful but precarious balance they had just spent centuries, more than a millennium, fighting for.

and to break this unspoken contract amongst the seven in order to steal his greatest treasure right out from under him wouldn't just be foolish. it would be reckless.

but then his sight turns a pure, blood red that he hasn't experienced since the final days of the archon war. his fingers begin to elongate as they transform into claws. his horns make a grotesque cracking sound as they emerge from his skull. his teeth sharpen as he bares his fangs openly.

because a sudden divine energy has appeared between you and you open your clasped hands to reveal a glowing, teal-colored gem bearing a pair of spread wings.

"the god of freedom, it would seem."

[m1d-45]

second chances

summary: baizhu knows he isn’t your favorite, but he still finds himself hoping for the impossible. maybe, with enough prayer, he’ll get it.

word count: ~2k

-> warnings: major spoilers for baizhu story quest + lore + liyue archon quest, based on me and my experience (vaguely disliked baizhu at first due to partial information, immediately changed my mind w his quest and now adores him, doesn’t have kirara)

-> gn reader (you/yours) and unspecified traveller (they/them)

taglist: @samarill || @thenyxsky || @valeriele3 || @shizunxie || @boba-is-a-soup || @yuus3n || @esthelily || @turningfrogsgay || @cupandtea24 || @genshin-impacts-me || @chaoticfivesworld || @raaawwwr

< masterlist >

baizhu knows he isn’t the most favored.

from the first moment the traveller set foot in his office, he knew. he wasn’t met with anything special, no big flair from his god when you first saw him. it was to be expected, with how much time he spent praying—could gods have regulars?

it was simple. a quick ‘oh, the snake talks?’ thrown his way, a comment or two about his choice of outfit or the jade pendant hanging off his vision, and that was that. mostly, you seemed preoccupied with qiqi and the funeral parlor’s consultant, something to be expected. he was a quick stop on your journey, a note in the margins about the doctor you met at the pharmacy. it made sense, of course, that you’d be occupied with the death of rex lapis during the failed rite of descension, and the return of osial and beisht surely took priority over him. he offered little, only a dialogue or two actually shared between him and the traveller when you were present. he’d gathered as much of his energy, saved it for your arrival to make a good impression, so… it made sense you’d fret over qiqi, constantly forgetful as she was.

it made sense. he’d… made his peace. he had more to worry about, surely, what with orders to fulfill and his own condition to manage. maybe not more important—never, not maybe, what was he thinking?—but certainly more.

when your attention on qiqi flared, spurred by some unknown whim, he delighted a bit in being close to her, even if your thoughts on him weren’t entirely positive.

it was fair. you liked qiqi, and were concerned. it made sense you didn’t know every detail of teyvat, and since he’s never had the chance to come to you and spell out his story directly, it made sense you’d make some assumptions.

“i guess that makes sense, but still… qiqi deserves better.”

she probably did, in truth, but hearing it from you…

he’s had his vision for years by this point. he’s hd it for as long as he’d had changsheng, to be exact, and she was always able to remind him of exactly how long that had been.

“ssseven yearsss, four monthsss, thirteen daysss, and counting…”

“ah… thank you, changsheng.”

he knew he wasn’t special. out of the thousands of vision wielders across teyvat, only a handful have started having their constellations appear in the sky. just under a hundred, by his approximation, but he tried not to count. if he sought out the proper numbers, tried to pin down a percentage of those with a vision that had a chance to hold their god’s attention, then he’d start trying to find patterns. he was a doctor, patterns and rhythms were his literal job, but he knew that wouldn’t end well.

(a librarian, an alchemist, a lawyer: did you perhaps favor more studious types? a bartender, an exorcist, a detective: or those with a drive in their lives? a nobody, a traveller, a wandering samurai: or those seeking one out for themselves?)

there wasn’t a pattern. it was random. and part of him hated it.

baizhu had had his vision for seven years, eight months, and thirteen (was it fourteen? the sky was growing dark) days, and had never once seen his stars in the sky.

he had one. he had a constellation, something he knew was rare among vision wielders, but it didn’t guarantee him a spot in the sky any time soon. kirara had hers long before she had her chance in the heavens—they’d spoken about that, both hesitant to show the other their divine gift, but willing to speak of its existence.

and now kirara’s turn had passed. though her vision didn’t shine any brighter, he could see the pride in her smile when she dropped off another delivery at the pharmacy. sign here, check these, make sure this is what you ordered, goodbye have a good day, pretend like yours doesn’t weigh more after seeing hers.

it wasn’t as if he was unremarkable. a perfectly healthy man who had thrown himself into illness to find the cure for all of them? surely that was interesting, wasn’t it? but it wasn’t his time, he was being impatient, slipping back to the same mindset he condemned his patients for.

“patience. medicine doesn’t work in an instant, and you’ll need to be taking this for the next week at minimum.”

“but it’s so bitter!”

“then tell me, what tastes worse: bile, or this pill? if you want to stop being sick, you need to take it.”

patience.

qiqi was blessed with a place in the stars near instantly after she’d gotten her vision, but she was not the norm. perhaps his expectations were weighted, then? or maybe you disliked his work entirely? he didn’t like entertaining what ifs, but when various aches kept him up, there was little else he could do while he waited for his medication to take effect. patience, he tried to remind himself, counting his breaths. be patient. wait, be calm, don’t agitate yourself. count in, count out, are your breaths getting shorter? just stay calm, be patient…

the first time he saw you, he knew you were coming. he’d saved as much energy as he could, doing his best to make a good impression. but now, with changsheng nudging him awake urgently, pushing him into his shoes and putting his glasses on for him, the first thing he’d expected was the millelith, maybe, or perhaps the ministry of civil affairs. maybe he was needed urgently, maybe something had happened to qiqi, maybe he was late for his medication and he’d get terrible headaches if he wasn’t quick- oh, but then why would she bother to coil around his shoulders?

and yet, out of all those possibilities, none were correct.

“hey! who’s talking about me behind my back?”

“changsheng, qiqi meant that as a compliment. there’s no need to be upset.”

it had been so long since he’d felt your light, far longer since he’d been properly healthy. he’d forgotten how it felt to walk without the dull ache in his joints, and yet here he was. standing by gui and a familiar looking child, speaking with your traveller. it was easy to say words he didn’t choose, his throat not getting dry despite the lack of his morning tea.

the quest was long, and by the end he should have been exhausted. between taking on jialiang’s sickness to turning him into a zombie, he should have been out of commission for the next few days. as it was he had a nasty cough, his breath coming shorter than typical… but that was it. he took his regular medication at the dinner with your traveller, the linger of your aura on them still seeming to dull his pains. how curious, that you could cure ailments even he couldn’t name anymore…

“baizhu, are you alright?” idly, he wondered if the traveller noticed the change in their voice when they were speaking for you. it always sounded a bit lighter, a bit of your emotions bleeding through… a pity he’d never know why. “today must have been taxing for you…”

all eyes were on him now, even qiqi’s. “i’m doing fine,” he said simply, taking another sip of his tea. “better than normal, if anything, which i have to owe to our guest.”

paimon still seemed nervous. “but what about when we leave? what if everything hits you all at once? normally you stay at the pharmacy, and using your power so much…”

a fair assessment. while he was no stranger to combat, to be thrown in the middle of a pack of such vicious hilichurls was a shock. still, he had made it through—even if, privately, he doubted it would have been so clean without you there. “i will be fine. even if my condition declines, i am well equipped to handle flare ups.”

it seemed the whole group was hesitant to let him go. changsheng insisted he stay up until three hours had past since the traveller left, when his limbs again felt heavy and his head began to hurt. something odd was stirring in his chest, and he was eager to get to bed before it sparked into anything more. it was reasonable, he knew, but there were only so many prescriptions to prepare before he had nothing left to do. gui had long since went to bed, leaving just him in the lobby of the pharmacy, quietly double checking his stock of herbs.

eventually, he stood from his seat, returning the sweet flowers to their proper place. he held up an hand to let changsheng climb up his arm, closing up the pharmacy. she curled around his shoulders twice, a familiar weight. the night was cool, a slight breeze bumping the chain of his glasses against his cheek. it had been a long few days, and he was happy that everything was settled. he’d done all he could for jialiang, and he and his family hopefully wouldn’t be coming back for quite some time. back to routine…

“…baizhu?”

he checked the lock with a quick tug, “yes? what is it?”

“the ssstarsss… they’re due, aren’t they?”

ah. the cycles of constellations, switching through the sky. if he thought about it.. yes, they were, weren’t they?

“by my memory, they are. why?”

her head was turned, looking off to the part of the sky not obscured by the roof of the pharmacy.

“…changsheng-“

“look.”

“it’s late.” his heart began to pick up, false hopes being raised. patience, he chided himself, but what follower did not wish for acknowledgment from their god? “we should go to sleep before we fall too far out of schedule.”

“baizhu! i know you have better sssenses than that.”

perhaps he did. his vision burned where it was clipped to his side, invisible vines creeping up toward his heart. “don’t be too hasty,” he said quietly, the words tasting as bitter as his pills.

don’t be too hasty. you could still be wrong. don’t get your hopes up. be patient.

one hand went to his hip, undoing the clasp of his vision, the other settling on the railing. a few clouds dotted the sky, but he lifted his vision anyway, searching for any stars tinted green.

everything happened at once. the terrace was replaced with an ocean of skies, the slight mumble of “i do have a guaranteed…” getting lost in the whirlwind around him. he was weightless, trapped in by an invisible box, only dimly aware of the fact that his pain had once again disappeared. he was floating, dressed in the attire he normally saved for formal events—dressed in what he’d put on when you’d first arrived—with no sight of the pharmacy below him. it was just him and changsheng, him and changsheng and the bright light that came from everywhere, lifting him from his unseen prison.

a laugh, a smile, a rush of power flooding through him, and when he next set foot in front of the pharmacy, he did so with a new gleam to his vision. he could hear a door open behind him—qiqi, if he had to guess, as why wouldn’t she be drawn to the power the adepti could only hope to imitate?—but couldn’t turn, breathless.

“welcome home, doc.. it’s good to see you.”

it had taken seven years, four months, and 25 days, but he was here. and it was more than he could have ever asked for.

[genshinluvr]

The Lonely God

Pairings: Various Genshin Men x Isekai'd!Reader/Creator!Reader

Summary: You're the creator of all things! Everyone in Teyvat worships you; even their ancestors worship you! You answer prayers and make miracles happen. But you know what's ironic, though? Despite you being worshipped by many, you couldn't help but feel lonely. You yearn for friendship and attempt to bond with the twenty-five men who are tasked to protect you while you're in Teyvat. Oh, and you're also not the best at expressing your feelings.

Note: This is most likely the first and last time I'll make a creator/God!Reader AU because this is not my thing 💀 I have no idea how this idea popped up in my head, so I might as well type it and get it out. This isn't the typical God!reader/Creator!reader fanfics you see on Tumblr; they're amazing! I ended up realizing that it was not my thing and switched to my style of writing. So instead of the gut-wrenching angst you all see for SAGAU fics, you're just going to get my typical Isekai'd!reader interaction. Kind of. Please keep in mind that I don't post anywhere else but on Tumblr (Genshinluvr) and on AO3 (Aaliah_exo).

Warnings: None that I know of, other than it being somewhat religious-themed?

Word Count: 10.9k

Want to read another SAGAU fic? Read Our Dear Creator!

The day you have descended to Teyvat is the day people of Teyvat throw a huge celebration to welcome you to earth. All seven regions of Teyvat celebrated for two weeks. The first week consists of feasts, game stalls that are related to your divine presence, a performance dedicated to you, your creation, and your impact on Teyvat. You would visit the nations and witness how each of the seven regions and its people celebrate you and all of the things you have done for Teyvat and the inhabitants of Teyvat. Your visitation is a huge deal, and it's highly anticipated. Who doesn’t want to witness a higher power visiting their nation? Someone who has more power than a government entity and an archon that rules the country.

When you step foot in each nation, everyone can feel the immense power oozing from you. Dressed in beautiful, expensive, and exotic clothing from each region that is tailored just for you, people are almost intimidated by your mere presence. While you have high-leveled military personnel escorting you around the city while you visit, it doesn’t stop your most loyal followers from approaching you and proclaiming their love and admiration for you. I mean, how could they not? You have done so much for their nations and for the people of Teyvat. You have answered prayers and have performed so many miracles.

The second you step foot into the seven nations, silence will fall over the mass crowd of people who are anticipating your appearance. You are the epitome of beauty and grace. Everyone’s breath is taken away when you look in their direction. You have this glowing presence that catches everyone’s attention wherever you go— literally. Wherever you go, you have this warm gold glow, no matter what the lighting is. Some might even claim to see specks of stars and glitter shining in the said warm glow. 

After the first week of celebrating your presence on Teyvat, the second week consists of people from all over the region visiting you and the shrine that is dedicated to you. At the grand shrine, people leave offerings to you in hopes of a great year, successful marriage, business, wealth, fertility, good health, and many more. While people are offering fruits, food, Mora, flowers, fragrances, incense, and alcohol at your shrine, you are sitting on a throne in the next building over, speaking to your followers. At the same time, your most loyal acolytes stand guard in the same room as you and the line of your worshippers. 

“Thank you for answering my prayers, your grace. With your blessings, my husband and I have conceived seven children. We are currently expecting baby number eight,” the tearful woman says, kneeling in front of you while holding your hand.

Itto and Childe’s eyes widen as they look over at each other.

“Seven?!” Itto mouths to Childe.

“I know, right?!” Childe mouths back. 

You smile at the woman and wipe her tears away, helping her up from the ground. The heavily pregnant woman clutches onto your arms and continues to thank you for blessing her and her husband with many children. 

Diluc sighs and takes a step forward. “I believe we should cut the meeting for today. Today has been a long day for them, and I believe they would like some privacy now,” Diluc says.

“What?! I-I’m not finished speaking,” the pregnant woman gasps, holding onto you tightly.

You smile at the woman and gently rub her back. “It has been a long day, Xinyi. I do not know how long you have been waiting in line to be able to speak to me, but we can continue our conversation tomorrow. After all, you are pregnant. You need to rest. I believe your husband has been watching you from afar worriedly. You wouldn’t want to make your husband worry even more now, would you?” You ask softly.

The tearful woman looks behind her and locks gazes with her husband, who is watching her like a hawk. Xinyi looks at you and nods her head sadly, wiping the tears from her cheeks. The people around you grumble under their breath and comply. You give Xinyi a light squeeze on the shoulders before she turns around and exits the throne room with the others. From there on, Dainsleif escorts the line of people out of the building, and you sit down on the throne, letting out a quiet sigh. Today was a long day, and you’re glad that Diluc has stepped in to end the meeting with your worshippers. 

“How are you feeling, your grace? Are you hungry? We can get you something to eat if you’d like for us to do that,” Thoma speaks up, standing in front of you.

You sigh and give Thoma a smile. “I am feeling a little bit famished. Perhaps go fetch me a small snack and a drink?” You suggest. 

Thoma bows and turns to leave, but Thoma stops in his tracks when you call his name. Thoma turns around and looks at you curiously. “Yes, your grace?” Thoma asks.

“Please, just call me [Y/N],” you plead. You look at the other men in the room and gesture to everyone. “All of you, please, just call me [Y/N]. You can call me ‘your grace’ when other people are present, but when it’s just us, you can call me [Y/N],” you said.

Aether’s eyes light up, and he nudges Xiao and Heizou. “Does that mean we get special treatment from the deity?!” Aether whispers loudly, shaking both men beside him by their arms.

“Uh….” you laugh nervously, scratching the back of your neck. “Sorry to interrupt, but please treat me like how you all would treat other people. I know I’m a God, and I’m widely worshipped by the people of Teyvat, but I don’t know how to act like a God,” You said, scratching your cheek awkwardly. 

“What are your thoughts, Venti and Mister Zhongli?” Kaeya asks, turning to look at the two archons.

Venti shrugs his shoulders. “There are no specific rules on how a God is supposed to act and speak to others,” Venti says, giving you a big smile. 

“If that is what [Y/N] wishes, then it shall be granted. After all, it is their decision on how they want others to view them and how they want to interact with those around them,” Zhongli replies. 

“So, we can speak informally to them, right? Someone won’t smite me if I give [Y/N] a nickname and crack jokes with them?” Itto asks excitedly. Itto’s eyes shine almost as bright as the sun, and a big smile stretches across his face. 

“I don’t know, Itto. Do you want to test it out?” Dainsleif asks, entering the throne room with his arms over his chest. Itto laughs nervously and shakes his head, backing away the closer Dainsleif gets. 

Itto hides behind you, both of his hands on your shoulders as he cowers away from the blond man. Dainsleif stands in front of you, staring down at Itto behind you. Itto lightly pushes you towards Dainsleif, making you stumble into his chest. Dainsleif places his right hand on your lower back and glares daggers at Itto for lightly shoving you in his direction. 

“Did you just push [Y/N]?!” Xiao demands, his polearm materializing in his hands as he marches in Itto’s direction.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let’s calm down now! Itto didn’t mean to push me,” you said, grabbing onto Xiao’s bicep to stop him from smiting Itto for pushing you into Dainsleif’s arms. 

Xiao freezes in his spot when he feels your hand grabbing his bare bicep. You notice his reaction and slowly retract your hand. You clear your throat and give Xiao a small smile and look at the others in the room, making sure that they’re not as tense as Dainsleif, Itto, and Xiao. Luckily, they weren’t tense; they seemed entertained.

“It’s okay, Xiao. I’m sure Itto didn’t mean to do it. As grateful as I am for you and your readiness to protect me, let’s calm down. I’m okay; I’m not hurt,” you reassure the Yaksha.

Xiao lets out a huff of breath and glares at Itto. Xiao looks at you, and his gaze softens. He nods his head and lets his polearm evaporate in the air. You smile at Xiao and pat his back as he goes back to where he was previously standing.

Without another word, the men give you a bow before exiting the throne room, leaving you alone. You watch everyone go before walking back to the throne. You collapse on the seat and slump down in your chair, propping your head up on your elbow, and stare at absolutely nothing. With the number of people in Teyvat worshipping you, you have never felt so lonely. Yes, you get endless gifts and offerings, and you listen to people’s prayers and perform miracles. But that still doesn’t cure your loneliness. 

You did not want any of your acolytes, er the men, to be formal with you because you wanted to form a friendship with them. Yes, they are your most loyal followers who will not hesitate to kill for you if they have to, but you don’t want that at the same time. You want them to treat you like you’re not a God; you want them to see you as a person instead of a divine being. Just like how they view Zhongli and Venti.

You see how they interact with each other when they’re not on duty to protect you and make sure that people don’t step out of line. The way they bicker with each other, laugh at each other’s lame jokes, or act like typical men, makes you yearn to form a friendship with them. The door to the throne room opens about thirty minutes later, and the men file into the throne room.

“Your grace— I mean [Y/N]— lunch is ready! I hope you’re hungry because there’s a lot of food out there,” Gorou says, approaching your throne.

You look at the men with wide eyes and slowly get up from the throne. Their eyes follow your every move as you walk down the steps.

“A lot, you say?” You murmur, approaching Gorou while stroking your chin. “I’m sure it’s enough to fill my stomach up! Please, lead the way,” you said, gesturing for the men to show you the way to the dining room.

The building is filled with staff; from cooking staff to cleaning staff, they all stop what they’re doing when you walk by them with the men surrounding you in a circle. They all bow to you as you’re passing by, and you smile and wave at them when you get the chance. Upon entering the dining room, there is a large dining table in the center of the room with multiple chairs pushed underneath the table. 

Your eyes widen when you see the kitchen staff bring in more food and set them on the table with so much food lined up with it. You turn to look at the men, who are watching you with amusement. You point at the table, speechless. Your hand falls to your side, and you clear your throat.

“You weren’t kidding when you said there’s a lot of food,” you laugh lightly. 

Scaramouche crosses his arms over his chest and sighs. “We told the kitchen staff not to make too much food because we don’t know how hungry you are, but at the same time, we don’t know what you want to eat,” Scaramouche says.

“Do you think you’ll be able to finish all of this? It would be a waste if you’re not able to finish the rest,” Ayato says, looking at each dish on the table.

You shake your head. “I will not be able to finish all of these on my own,” you said. You approach the table and turn to the men. “If you all would like, would any of you want to join me for dinner?” You ask.

Heizou smiles brightly and raises his right hand in the air. “I would love to join you for dinner, your grace! The food looks delicious, and just smelling the food makes my stomach growl!” Heizou says, rubbing his stomach.

Tighnari nudges Heizou. “Didn’t [Y/N] tell you to call them by their name? Why are you calling them by their title?” Tighnari mutters to Heizou.

“That’s because there are kitchen staff entering and exiting the dining room. We wouldn’t want anyone to hear us call [Y/N] by their name other than their title. It can stir something,” Cyno whispers, popping up between Tighnari and Heizou. 

Al Haitham sighs. “Let’s not keep them waiting any longer, shall we?” Al Haitham says, walking towards where you’re standing and begin conversing with you. 

Everyone begins to sit at a random chair at the dining table. You sit at the end of the dining table, picking the food you want to eat while the others do the same. The kitchen staff emerges from the entrance and places teacups in front of each person, pouring hot tea into the ceramic teacup for each person.

“The food smells amazing,” Kaveh says, almost letting out a moan when the food touches his tongue. 

Kazuha nods his head. “If this is the food a divine being gets every day, then sign me up,” Kazuha smiles, taking a bite out of his onigiri while talking to the men beside him. 

The dining room is filled with laughter and joyous chatter; the sound of cutlery clanking against the porcelain plates and bowls fills the dining room. Then there’s you, eating food while occasionally looking up from your food to watch how they communicate with each other. You’re in a dining room filled with almost thirty other people, and yet you still feel alone. You’re on your second plate of food, but you’re starting to lose your appetite.

They didn’t seem to notice it, but you’re glad they weren’t paying close attention to you and your lack of appetite. You wish you could form a bond with them and speak to them easily without feeling like you’re interrupting something or butting into a conversation. Plus, what’s there to talk about when you’re a divine being above all, and they’re all your loyal acolytes? They know everything about you, but you know so little about them other than what regions they’re from and what visions they have.

“Maybe it was a mistake to invite them to join me. I thought inviting them to join me would make me feel less lonely, but I feel even lonelier in a room with twenty-five people.” You think to yourself. You let out a silent sigh, resting your chin in the palm of your hands, propping your head on your arm while twirling the noodles with your fork.

“Your grace?” A soft voice calls out to you.

You look up from your plate and make eye contact with Baizhu. You give him a small smile. “Yes, Baizhu?” You murmur.

“Are you alright? You’ve been quiet since the beginning of dinner,” Baizhu says.

You clear your throat and nod your head. “Yes, Baizhu. I’m fine, just feeling drained from today. After all, I did speak to about two hundred people. It was a long day today,” you said, fixing your posture and continuing to give Baizhu a fake smile.

“It has been a long day. I can’t imagine having to sit in one spot while listening to two hundred people praise you and the miracles you have performed and prayers you have answered,” Pantalone says, gazing at you with interest. 

You laugh softly and tuck your hair behind your ear. “It’s new to me. I’m shocked to see that there are people who still believe in me despite my vague presence,” you confessed. 

“Your stories have been told throughout Teyvat. Everyone worships you, and even their ancestors worship you. I have yet to come across a nonbeliever,” Pierro says, dabbing his lips with the cloth napkin.

You slightly shrunk in your seat. “It’s weird having people worship me, especially when it’s the entirety of Teyvat,” you said. You let out a humorless laugh and begin messing with the fabric of your expensive attire. “It’s weird how I’m worshipped by many, and yet I still feel lonely,” you mutter to yourself.

Albedo leans in your direction, looking at you quizzically. “Pardon?” He asks.

You shake your head and wave him off. “It’s nothing. I was talking about how I should finish my food before going to bed. It’s starting to get late,” you said, looking over at the grandfather clock, ticking away.

Dottore tilts his head to the side, pressing his lips into a thin line, contemplating whether he should ask you the question or not. After debating for some time, Dottore decides to ask, “Do gods sleep?”

You shrug your shoulders. “That is usually up to the god. I’m not sure about Zhongli and Venti, but I sleep even though it’s not needed. I sleep to regenerate my energy like every person on Teyvat, even though I do not need to do that. Whenever I feel stressed, I go to sleep in hopes that it will clear and ease my thoughts. I go to sleep to pass the time if there’s nothing for me to do, but as a God of all beings, I’m always busy,” you said.

“Since you are a God worshipped by the entirety of Teyvat, how do you find the time to sleep?” Capitano asks.

“I don’t. As I’ve stated earlier, Gods don’t need sleep like mortals need sleep. I’m always working around the clock, but it’s what I do, and it’s something that I’m used to. It’s not a foreign concept for me,” you reply. 

Venti hums and leans back in his seat. “Your grace, have you ever had a vacation before?” Venti asks, leaning forward and propping his arms on the table in front of him.

You blink at Venti. “A vacation? How does one go on a vacation when there are many things that need attention?” You ask, crossing your arms over your chest. “I don’t think I have time for a vacation. After all, a lot of people are relying on me for many, many things. I don’t want to let them down,” you said.

Childe lets out a long sigh and leans in his seat, resting his head on the chair’s top rail, and turns his head to look in your direction. “You know, it’s not a bad thing to take a break from your God duties. You’re a God, yes, but you still need to take a break once in a while,” Childe says.

“And where do you think I should be vacationing then? I hear that mortals like to travel far for vacations or stay home and sleep in,” You said.

Aether smiles at you and shrugs his shoulders. “Your choice of vacation is up to you, your grace. Do you have a place in mind?” Aether asks.

You shake your head. “Not that I know of, Aether,” you sigh.

Aether’s eyes widen, and his cheeks flush pink when he hears you say his name. The color pink slowly travels up to Aether’s ears as he tries to act like it didn’t faze him at all. Aether looks over at the person next to him and smirks triumphantly, his smile so wide that it hurts his cheeks. The men around Aether grumble to themselves and roll their eyes at Aether’s reaction. 

“Although, I do want to visit an island and check up on one of my creations….” you trailed off, bringing the fork up to your lips and eating the spaghetti.

Tighnari’s ears perk up. “Oh? And what island would that be?” Tighnari asks.

You look over at the clock and shake your head. “I would like to go to the island tomorrow. As much as I would love to visit it right now, it’s getting late, and we all need to rest,” you said, grabbing your teacup and taking a sip of the warm herbal tea. 

Heizou’s eyes light up, and he leans forward. “Are you having a vacation day tomorrow?!” Heizou asks with excitement. 

You think for a moment. You’re planning on going to an island tomorrow to visit (well, check up) one of your creations tomorrow. You wouldn’t call it a vacation, technically. But it can be viewed as a vacation since you’re not going to be talking with the people that worship you. Plus, you don’t think the visitation is going to take long; it should take less than an hour or two before you head back to the mainland and continue your duties as a God of all.

“I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to call it. Perhaps maybe call it a reunion rather than a vacation,” you murmur, stroking your chin while in deep thought.

Al Haitham raises his eyebrows at you. “A reunion, you say?” Al Haitham mutters, turning to look at the others quizzically, who shrug their shoulders in response. 

“Well, whatever is planned tomorrow, we look forward to keeping you company while you reunite with your creations,” Cyno says, nodding his head.

Dinner continued like how it previously was, everyone conversing with one another while you were deep in your thoughts. You’re nervous about reuniting with your creation and the reactions of the men when they see the creation you want to reunite with. You have created it and released it onto this island, letting it roam around and serve its purpose. You know that people hunt the said creatures for the materials they drop, but the creatures that you create also harm the people that go near them.

Once dinner had ended, everyone went to their designated temporary homes, leaving you alone in your temporary home until the celebration ended. You walk to the bathroom and open the doors, revealing an expansive bathroom with a large skylight. You strip yourself of your robes and step into the bathtub filled with warm water, glaze lilies floating on top, and lit scented candles surrounding the porcelain bathtub.

You scrubbed your body, shampooed, and conditioned your hair. You rinsed your hair with warm water before sinking into the water up to your neck. You close your eyes and lean your head against the rim of the bathtub, taking deep breaths. It’s too quiet, and it feels unnerving to you. Before descending onto Teyvat, you enjoyed the quiet. Although, whenever you look down on Teyvat, the sound of bustling crowds from each region comforts you. 

Before the creation of Teyvat, you were lonely. You didn’t have a companion or a romantic partner; no one else existed except for you, and you didn’t want to feel lonely ever again. So, that’s how Teyvat came to be. You created the archons to rule their respective nations and citizens. You created land, the sea, and the creatures that roam Teyvat for the people to hunt. You give the people of Teyvat plenty of resources that will help them live and thrive on their own without depending on you. 

While they thrived on their own, they still rely on you for many things. You weren’t upset that they prayed to you every night at shrines and dinner tables, praying for a better day and better health. You love answering prayers and performing miracles; you want everyone to be happy, but some things are just out of your control despite you being a God. And now here you are, hoping that someone or something would keep you company.

After you get out of the bath, dry your body, and change into your nightwear, you lay in your bed and stare up at the ceiling. You feel tired from the events that have been going on for almost two weeks now, and yet you can barely get yourself to fall asleep in the comfort of your (temporary) bed. You sit up and rub your temples, begging your body to let you fall asleep so time can go by fast. You lay back down on your bed and close your eyes, hoping that you’ll fall asleep a few minutes or an hour later.

Nothing. You still can’t get yourself to fall asleep. Letting out a frustrated sigh, you toss the blanket off your body and get off your bed. You walk to the balcony of your bedroom, open the doors and step out into the night. You close the balcony door behind you and lean on the wooden railing that lets you gaze out at the beautiful scenery before you. The warm summer night air engulfs you in its arms; you close your eyes when you feel a gentle breeze caress your face. 

“The night is beautiful,” you whisper to yourself, slowly opening your eyes.

A face pops in front of yours from above. “The night is beautiful, isn’t it?” Venti asks, looking down at you with a big smile.

You let out a strained shriek and backed up against the balcony door, looking at Venti with wide eyes. “Venti! Why are you still up!?” You whisper, clutching your heart with your hand, feeling your heart race against your chest.

“Yeah, Venti! Why are you awake at a time like this?!” Kaeya exclaims from a distance.

You hear an annoyed voice calling from afar. “Why are you awake at a time like this, Kaeya?” You look over the balcony only to see Diluc standing beside a bush, glaring at his brother from a distance.

The more you look at your surrounding, the more you realize that every single man is awake and not asleep in their designated temporary home. You sigh and pinch the bridge of your nose, questioning yourself why these men are still awake when it’s almost midnight. Venti sits on the wooden railing of the balcony and smiles at you innocently while watching you intently. You prop your hands on your hips and press your lips into a thin line.

“Oh no. Why does [Y/N] look like a mother that’s about to give us a good scolding?” Kaveh asks.

You exhale through your nose slowly and shake your head. “Boys, it’s getting late out. Aren’t you all supposed to be asleep by now?” You ask, raising your eyebrows at the men.

Scaramouche lets out a scoff before interjecting, “Some of us don’t need sleep. In case you have forgotten, I am a puppet. Eating and sleeping isn’t a necessity for me like how it is for these feeble mortals around me.”

“No offense, little man, but you sound like those defiant children when it’s past their bedtime, and your parents are trying to get you to go to bed,” you hear Itto say.

“Well, if you’re not willing to go to bed, all of you might as well keep me company,” you said. You turn around without saying anything else and walk back into your bedroom, closing the door behind you. 

“Wait, keep you company where?” Gorou asks, his ears drooping when the balcony door closes shut.

A few minutes later, the front door of your “home” opens, and you step out into the night. You have on a thin silk robe. The color is bright red, with gold embellishments lining the hem of the robe. You close the door behind you and approach the men that are slowly making their way toward you.

Once everyone is standing around you, you gesture for them to follow you. “I discovered this lake in the forest the other day. Sometimes when I’m not able to rest, I go there to clear my mind and decompress,” you said, guiding the men to the lake deep in the woods. 

“Your grace, you shouldn’t be wandering off into the woods on your own. What if something happened to you, and we’re not able to protect you?” Zhongli asks, walking beside you.

You giggle softly and shake your head. “Oh, Zhongli. Did you forget that I’m a God myself? I’m sure nothing can harm me,” you said, thinking about the creation that you’ll meet in the morning the next day.

“Just because you’re a God, that doesn’t mean there are malicious people out there willing to hunt you down and hurt you,” Xiao huffs, walking on your left, sandwiching you between him and Zhongli as you continue to guide everyone into the woods.

You hum and nod your head. “You’re not wrong about that, but so far, nothing has happened,” you said.

About ten minutes later, you all arrive in the middle of the woods. In the center is a lake surrounded by little daisies and forget-me-nots. The moon is high in the sky, shining down on the lake. You walk to the giant slab of rock next to the lake and sit down, motioning for the others to come closer.

“What made you discover this place?” Albedo asks, standing beside the slab of rock you’re sitting on.

You snort. “Well, I did create Teyvat. I’m bound to forget what I made and what I didn’t make. This lake, in particular, is something I cannot recall making,” you said. You pull your knees to your chest and wrap your arms around your legs, resting your knees on your chin. “I accidentally discovered this lake while on a walk the other day. There was a lot on my mind, and I was feeling….” you trailed off.

“Feeling?” Ayato tilts his head to the side, his arms over his chest as he waits for you to finish your sentence. 

Lonely. You were feeling lonely, but would it even matter if you told the men about how you’ve been feeling for quite some time now? You’re surrounded by people, but that doesn’t make you feel any less lonely. You have no one to turn to when you want to talk to someone; you have a hard time building friendships with those around you because you don’t know what to say to strengthen these bonds. 

Not only that, people will continue to see you as a divine being instead of viewing you like you’re one of them. How can you form a friendship with people when you’re a God in their eyes, even though you tell them to look at you as if you’re human and to call you by your real name instead of your title?

You shake your head. “Never mind about that. Anyway! I ended up stumbling across this artificial lake, and I like how peaceful it is here. If any of you need a place to clear your mind or to relax and be away from people for a short amount of time, I recommend going here,” you said, patting the slab of rock you’re sitting on. 

“It’s a beautiful place, [Y/N]. I’m happy that you feel comfortable enough to show us this place,” Kazuha says, sitting down beside you and gazing at the moonlit lake.

Silence falls over you and the men; the sounds filling the silence are crickets and the sound of water splashing after a frog hops into the moonlit lake. You close your eyes and take a deep breath, letting your body unwind from the events that took place hours ago. You slowly doze off and lean to the left, your head landing on Kazuha’s shoulders. Your head landing on Kazuha’s shoulders startles you awake, making you sit up suddenly and rub your eyes. 

“If you’re tired, we can take you back to the house,” Dainsleif offers.

You shake your head stubbornly. “I don’t think I’ll be able to fall asleep in bed. For some reason, it’s easier for me to sleep out here than it is in the room,” you reply. 

You let go of your knees and stretch your legs and arms, letting out a yawn while doing so. You get off of the rock slab and walk over to the lake. The lake is full of life; frogs and tadpoles swimming around in the lake, fishes swimming by the tadpoles, and turtles floating idly by in the water. 

“Perhaps it's the ambiance and sound of crickets that are helping you fall asleep. Some people can’t sleep in silent bedrooms; they need some kind of noise to lull them to sleep,” Dottore says, approaching you from behind.

You slip your shoes off your feet and step into the lake; goosebumps appear on your arms when your feet are submerged in the cold water. You sit on the grass, continuing to let your feet soak in the water. The tadpoles, fishes, and turtles slowly make their way toward you. You dip your finger into the water and let the fishes gently nibble on your fingers; a smile ghosts over your lips.

Even though they’re merely animals, they still recognize you as their creator, and it’s fascinating to you. Capitano stands over you, watching you interact with the animals in the lake while you’re in your little world, completely unaware of how the men are watching you. The gentle breeze blows through your hair, making them flutter and twirl around you, and the goosebumps on your arms remain present. 

A giant coat is draped over your shoulders, bringing you out of your thoughts. You blink and turn to look at the jacket around your shoulders. You look up and see Capitano not wearing his coat and look at him curiously.

You give Capitano a small smile. “You didn’t have to lend me your jacket, Capitano. I’ll be okay; gods can’t get sick,” you reassure the tall Harbinger as you get ready to take the coat off and hand it back to him.

Capitano stops you by shaking his head and raising his hand. “Keep the jacket on. Despite gods not being able to get sick, they still get cold, no?” Capitano asks.

You can almost hear him raise his eyebrows at you after asking his question. You pursed your lips and sighed in defeat, letting your hand fall into your lap and nod your head at his question. You turn back to the lake and continue playing around with the tiny creatures in the lake, lightly petting a turtle’s head if it lets you do so (it almost bit your finger, causing Diluc to give you a lecture on touching animals that don’t want to be petted). 

“Oh, Diluc, there’s nothing to worry about,” you laugh softly, patting Diluc’s head with your left hand while your right hand is caressed in Diluc’s grasp. He looks at your hand closely, making sure that you didn’t get bitten anywhere.

Kaeya chuckles and shakes his head, propping his arm on Diluc’s shoulder with a smirk on his face. “Oh, Diluc. Acting like a mother hen to a God that has created everything in our universe?” Kaeya asks, raising an eyebrow at Diluc with a teasing smile on his face. 

Diluc releases your hand from his grasp, smacks Kaeya’s arm off his shoulders, and shoots a glare over in Kaeya’s direction. “Am I not allowed to worry over [Y/N]’s safety? What if they got hurt?” Diluc asks.

You pout and cup Diluc’s face in both of your hands. Diluc freezes and looks at you with wide eyes. Your pout quickly turns into a smile, and you squish his cheeks together. “You don’t need to worry about me, Diluc! I’ll be fine! Although I do appreciate that you care about my safety,” you said. Diluc continues to stare at you with wide eyes, his cheeks a faint pink under the moonlight. You slowly pull your hands away from his face and give him an awkward smile.

“Hey, [Y/N]! Check this out!” You hear Childe holler from a distance.

You turn your head and see him gesture for you to come over. You give Kaeya and Diluc a brief smile before excusing yourself to walk over to where Childe is standing. After you walk off, Kaeya turns to look at Diluc with a teasing smile on his face. Diluc bristles at Kaeya’s teasing smile before storming off to where the other men are standing, muttering under his breath about Kaeya being annoying and wanting to smack the smile off of Kaeya’s face. Kaeya chuckles and follows after Diluc, his hands propped on his hips, occasionally glancing over in your direction to see what you and Childe are up to. 

“What do you want to show me, Childe?” You ask, stopping beside him.

Childe gets on one knee and thrusts a bouquet of forget-me-nots and daisies in your direction with his head bowed down. “For you, my dear creator!” Childe announces dramatically. 

You giggle and take the bouquet from Childe’s hands. “Thank you, Ajax,” you said, bowing back to him dramatically. 

Childe’s eyes widen, and he looks up at you, his mouth agape, reminding you of a fish out of water. You snort softly and hold the flowers up to your face, shielding the bottom half of your face from his view. Childe begins to stutter as he stands up, his cheeks flushing to a bright pink that travels up to the tip of his ears. 

“What? Cat got your tongue?” You tease, poking him lightly in the chest.

Dainsleif and Zhongli approach you and Childe, looking at Childe with amusement. You smile at Dainsleif and Zhongli, waving at them before marveling at the flowers in your hands. 

Zhongli looks at Childe and tilts his head. “Why do you have that look on your face, Childe?” Zhongli asks, a faint smile appearing on his face.

“By that expression on his face, I’m assuming Childe may have a crush on our dear creator,” Dainsleif whispers to Zhongli, smirking when Childe snaps out of his thoughts and glares at the blond man with a beet-red face. 

You perk up and look at the three men curiously. “A crush, you say?” You ask, lightly rubbing the petals between your fingers.

Childe sputters for ten seconds before running off without saying another word. You, Dainsleif, and Zhongli watch him run off to where Ayato and Itto are talking, making sure to avoid eye contact and act as if nothing has happened. 

You chuckle and lightly nudge Dainsleif and Zhongli. “Don’t tease him, you two! I’m sure you two would do the same if Childe were to tease any of you for having a crush on someone,” you chide the two men beside you, clicking your tongue.

Albedo approaches you and shows you the time. You blink and look down at the small watch in his hands. “It’s getting late out. Are you sure you don’t want to get a few hours of sleep before going to the island you wanted to visit?” Albedo asks.

You sigh in defeat. As much as you want to stay up longer, which you can, the men around you are mortal (some are an exception and don’t need sleep as much as mortals do), and they need to get as much sleep as possible or else they’ll be exhausted when you all visit the island. 

“We should all go to bed now,” you announce, grabbing everyone’s attention.

Kazuha looks at you quizzically. “Are you sure? You did mention that you’re not able to fall asleep,” Kazuha says, crossing his arms over his chest and letting the leaf in his hand fly away.

You brush Kazuha’s worries away. “I’ll fall asleep eventually. The ones that need sleep the most are the ones that aren’t immortals. Although I can’t speak on Dainsleif,” you reply, stroking your chin. 

“You better get some sleep. We wouldn’t want to see you all exhausted because you chose to stay up and not go to sleep,” Scaramouche says, narrowing his eyes at you.

Ayato chuckles, shaking his head. “I don’t think you’re in the position to tell the creator of all things to get some sleep, Scaramouche,” Ayato says cooly. 

Baizhu chuckles and looks over at Ayato and then at Scaramouche. “I believe that Scaramouche is trying to show the creator that he cares about their health and doesn’t want them to feel tired when we go to the island in a few hours,” Baizhu says.

Thoma’s eyes widen. “A few hours?! What time is it?!” Thoma asks, walking over to Albedo and looking down at the watch in Albedo’s hands. 

When Thoma didn’t know what time it was, Thoma felt fine. He didn’t feel sleepy, and he felt like he could be awake for the next few hours. The minute Thoma looks at the watch in Albedo’s hand to see what time it is, exhaustion suddenly hits him like a sumpter beast. By the look on Thoma’s face, you can already tell that the blond man is on the verge of falling asleep after seeing what time it is.

You clap your hands to grab everyone’s attention. “Let’s all head back and get some rest before our trip in a few hours. Please make sure to get some sleep,” you said, guiding the men out of the woods with them following closely behind. 

“I don’t know about you guys, but that place that [Y/N] showed us would be a nice place to take a nap,” Aether says, pointing to the lake behind them as you all stray farther and farther away from the area. 

Heizou nods his head. “I agree! Hence why [Y/N] nearly fell asleep after we arrived there,” Heizou says, gazing at the back of your head while you converse with the others.

“Maybe that’s where they slept a few days ago after discovering the lake. After all, when Al Haitham tried to wake them up at their temporary home, Al Haitham discovered that they weren’t there and nearly went into a cardiac arrest,” Tighnari says casually. 

Kaveh snickers behind his hand. “I have never seen him so freaked out before. Al Haitham looked like he was going to cry,” Kaveh whispers loudly to the other men around him.

Al Haitham scoffs and glares at Kaveh. Al Haitham reaches over, grabs Kaveh by the ears, and pulls hard until Kaveh’s ears are a deep red and throbbing from the pain. Kaveh hisses and bats Al Haitham’s hands away from his ears.

“I was not going to cry! Of course, I would be worried if our creator just up and disappeared from the face of Teyvat! Wouldn’t you be worried?!” Al Haitham asks, crossing his arms over his chest after Kaveh successfully removes Al Haitham’s hand from his ear. 

Cyno scoffs and rolls his eyes at Al Haitham’s question. “Of course, we would be worried about [Y/N] if they suddenly disappeared. We wouldn’t burst into tears like you,” Cyno shrugs.

Kaveh and Cyno immediately start to snicker with each other, running to where you’re at to avoid Al Haitham’s wrath. Al Haitham sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, tempted to run after them to give those two a piece of his mind. Because Kaveh and Cyno are sticking by your side to avoid Al Haitham’s wrath, Al Haitham refrains himself from marching to them and smacking them with the keys to his and Kaveh’s shared apartment.

“You know, it’s okay to cry sometimes. It’s good for the soul, and it’s a great way to release some stress,” Gorou says casually, walking beside Al Haitham.

Xiao sighs and closes his eyes. “Not everyone is good at expressing their emotions, Gorou,” Xiao mutters.

“Some might even think that showing emotions makes you weak,” Pantalone interjects, looking over at Pierro from the corner of his eyes. The two lock gazes for a second before Pantalone looks away with a little smile on his face. 

Pierro narrows his eyes at Pantalone. “Why did you look at me when you said that?” Pierro asks, poking the inside of his cheek with his tongue.

Pantalone shakes his head and continues walking with his arms behind his back. The smile remains on his face. Pierro sighs and rolls his eyes at Pantalone, and continues to walk beside Pantalone. You all soon arrive at where your and everyone’s temporary homes are. Itto stretches his arms in the air and lets out a loud yawn, covering his mouth with his left hand and rubbing his eyes with the other.

“Man! I cannot wait to get some sleep! I just know I’m going to get an amazing sleep when my head hits the pillow,” Itto says, letting out a loud grunt.

Capitano sighs. “Please keep your voices down. You don’t want to wake up the nearest village by being loud,” Capitano says.

Itto grumbles and sticks his tongue out at Capitano when Capitano has his back turned toward Itto’s direction. You look down at your feet and cover your face with both hands after realizing that you completely forgot to put your shoes back on after dipping your feet into the lake. Great, just great! At least you have extra shoes in the temporary house.

“What’s wrong, [Y/N]?” Kazuha asks, placing his hand on your shoulders.

You laugh nervously and rub the back of your neck with a sheepish smile on your face. “I just realized that I left my shoes back at the lake, but it’s fine since I have extra shoes in the house,” you said. 

“Do you want us to go and get it for you? We’ll make it quick,” Diluc offers.

You shake your head. “No, it’s okay. As I said a second ago, I have extra shoes inside the house,” you said.

Diluc opens his mouth to protest, but Ayato places his hand on Diluc’s shoulder and shakes his head when the two of them make eye contact. Diluc sighs silently and drops the subject when he sees you cover your mouth while yawning. You rub the tears away and grumble under your breath.

“Alright! I will see you all in the morning, and we can take a trip down to the island together,” you said, giving the men a smile.

Dainsleif raises his hand. “You never specified what island we’re going to, [Y/N]. Do you want to tell us where we’re going in the morning, or are you going to keep it a secret until we arrive?” Dainsleif asks.

“Do you want me to tell you the name of the island, or do you want it to be a surprise?” You ask.

“Yes,” they all respond in unison, nodding their heads at your question.

You blink at the men in confusion and scratch your head. “You boys did not answer my question at all,” you deadpan. “Are you answering yes to the first question or my second question?” You ask, pursing your lips while waiting for one of the men to answer your question.

“I am assuming that some of them are saying yes to the first question while others are saying yes to your second question,” Baizhu says.

You let out a sharp sigh, prop your hands on your hips, and tap your right foot on the ground like a parent that is impatient with their indecisive children. “Well, since all of you can’t answer my question, I’ll make the decision for all of you,” you said.

“What?! I wanted to know what island we’ll be going to in the morning!” Itto exclaims, looking at you with disbelief.

Al Haitham huffs, crossing his arms in front of him and looking away. “Well, I wanted the island to be a surprise. I am not impatient like the others and can wait to see where we’ll be going in a few hours,” Al Haitham says.

Childe makes a face at Al Haitham. “No offense, Al Haitham, is it? But why do you act like you have a stick up your ass?” Childe smirks, raising an eyebrow at Al Haitham. 

Al Haitham glares at Childe while Kaveh howls with laughter, hunched over with his hands on his knees while cackling at Childe’s question and Al Haitham’s reaction.

Zhongli releases a long sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Please don’t start anything, Childe. Especially in front of [Y/N],” Zhongli mutters, glaring at Childe from the corner of his eyes.

You crack a smile and shake your head. You don’t think you’ll get tired of these men bickering with one another. You and the men bid each other goodnights before retreating to your respective temporary homes for the night. You collapse onto your bed and close your eyes, feeling yourself drift off to sleep. 

You wake up to the sound of something hitting the balcony window. You sit up on your bed and stare at the window with bleary eyes. You hear the clank again and something falling on the wooden balcony, clattering on the wood. You remove the blanket and walk to the patio, not thinking much of what’s hitting the glass. You assume the noise was an acorn or pinecone that fell from somewhere and landed on the balcony—no big deal.

You unlock the balcony doors and step outside. You look around, searching for the item that hit the balcony window, only to find nothing. You furrow your eyebrows and rub the sleep from your eyes with the heel of your hands. While trying to get yourself to wake up, you suddenly feel something hard hit your forehead, causing you to stumble back, and your hands fly up to touch the area that was hit. The object that hit your head clatters on the ground loudly after making contact with your forehead.

“Ow,” you hiss. “What was that?” You grumble, eyes scanning the balcony floor for the object that hit your forehead. 

“You idiot! You just hit [Y/N] in the head with the rock!” Kaveh hisses, smacking Itto upside of his head.

Itto grumbles and rubs the spot where Kaveh has struck him. You walk to the railing and lean on it, looking down at the men who are looking up at you. You sigh and lay your head on the wooden railing. You certainly did not expect to get hit in the forehead by a rock that is thrown by Itto, but you shouldn’t be surprised.

You prop your head up with your hand and look down at them from where you’re standing. “What a lovely way to wake me up, boys,” you snort.

“We didn’t know how to wake you up, so we went with this decision because it’s fun and romantic!” Venti says, smiling up at you innocently.

You raise your eyebrows at the men teasingly. As much as you wanted to tease them about the romantic gesture, you pointed at the door and chuckled. “So, instead of knocking on the door or ringing the doorbell, you guys chose to throw pebbles at the balcony window?” you ask.

“We told them to knock on the door, but they insisted on throwing pebbles at your balcony window. I’m not sure why other than it being a romantic gesture,” Cyno mutters, looking over at Venti and Itto, who smiles at him innocently. 

“You look like you just woke up,” Kaveh comments, looking at your bedhead with an amused look on his face.

You mumble and run your fingers through your hair to fix your hair. “That’s because I did! I was exhausted, but the pebble hitting me in the forehead definitely woke me up,” you reply.

“You should get ready! It’s almost nine in the morning, and we’re debating whether everyone should eat breakfast before going to the island or bring something with us to eat while we’re there,” said Tighnari.

You hum to yourself and tap on your chin. Since you’re going on an island devoid of human life, you think it's best to stop by somewhere to have breakfast before going to the island. “Let’s stop by Inazuma City for breakfast, then we’ll visit the island after,” you suggest.

“Alright, sounds good to me! We’ll wait for you to get ready, and then we’ll head off to Inazuma City for breakfast,” Aether smiles up at you.

You give Aether a smile before walking back into your bedroom, closing the balcony door behind you. You quickly got dressed, brushed your teeth, combed your hair, and walked down the stairs to the front door, where the men were waiting for you. You put on your shoes and walk out of the door, making sure that you don’t look like you are rushing (even though you are). 

“Ready for breakfast in Inazuma City?” Ayato asks.

You nod your head, trying to act like you aren’t breathless at all. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” you said, smiling at Ayato and the men around him. “So, any hints on where we’ll be having dinner?” You ask.

Heizou pokes you in the ribs lightly, making you jolt at the feeling. “That will be a surprise since you won’t tell us where what island we’re going to today,” Heizou says, smiling at you.

You scrunch your nose up and sigh. “Alright, fair enough,” you huff, ruffling Heizou’s hair and earning a laugh from Heizou.

At Inazuma City, the minute you step foot into the nation of eternity, you’re almost hounded by the citizens of Inazuma. Before the citizens could hound you, the men were quick to form a barrier around you to prevent the citizens of Inazuma from surrounding you and gazing at you like a child in a candy store. You smile at them shyly and wave at them while the men escort you to the restaurant where all of you will be having breakfast. Upon entering the small restaurant, you all sit at the back of the restaurant for privacy.

“I completely forgot that [Y/N] is a God that is worshipped by all,” Gorou says, slightly smacking his forehead with the palm of his hand.

Venti laughs and shakes his head. “Don’t worry, Gorou. You’re not the only one that forgot about that, too,” Venti reassures Gorou.

“I think we should eat our breakfasts quickly and then leave, or else the people of Inazuma will spread the word that [Y/N] is here, and it’ll make it harder for us to leave the restaurant and city,” said Thoma.

Breakfast went by fast, which you’re not surprised at all because while eating breakfast, the commotion outside of the restaurant was getting loud. You end up requesting a to-go box to pack the unfinished breakfast and take it to the island you and the men are about to visit. At first, the restaurant owner informed you that they typically don’t let customers take home the leftovers, but you’re able to convince the restaurant owners to let you take them. 

“Are you ready to go to the island? I would show the way, but I’m not sure what island we’re going to,” Kaeya says, walking beside you as you all walk to the nearest waypoint while trying not to be spotted by the citizens of Inazuma. 

You sigh dramatically. “Alright, I’ll tell you all what island we’re going to,” you said.

The men around you cheer, making you snort. You’re not entirely sure why they’re cheering, but it’s adorable! Although you’re not prepared to see the reactions on their faces when you tell them the name of the island you’re all going to visit once you reach the nearest waypoint.

“We’re going to visit Tsurumi Island for a few hours, then we’ll head back to the mainland to continue the day,” you said, turning your back to the men, not wanting to see the reactions on their faces.

Xiao stares at the back of your head. “Tsurumi Island?” Xiao mutters, looking over at the Inazuman men and Aether.

Aether looked like he was going to faint at any given moment. Aether has explored Tsurumi Island before, and he sure as hell did not want to return to that island ever again. But since it’s the island that you’re planning on visiting, Aether is mentally praying that nothing goes wrong and that everything is fine and dandy.

You turn to Aether and poke him lightly on the forehead. “You know I can hear your prayers, right?” You ask, smiling at Aether.

Scaramouche leans to Aether. “How could you forget about that?” Scaramouche whispers, snickering when Aether elbows him in the stomach.

“Something tells me that we might need to bring an emergency first aid kit, just in case,” Albedo says.

Baizhu chuckles and pulls out a large first aid kit. “I’m already ahead of you,” says Baizhu.

When you all arrive at Tsurumi Island, everyone expects to see an island full of fog and spirits; what they do not expect is to be taken to the lower part of Tsurumi Island. Itto’s eyes widen, and he looks around; the site is suddenly familiar to him other than Aether.

“Oh no,” Itto laughs nervously, his eyes darting around to look for the familiar creature that resides on the island.

“Why are you saying ‘oh no’ like that?” Al Haitham asks, narrowing his eyes at the oni, who continues to survey his surroundings nervously.

Aether makes a face and lets out a sharp exhale. “You’ll see,” Aether says, bobbing his head in your direction.

The men stop on the side and watch you approach the center, unsure whether they should stop you from walking any further or not. You’re a God, the creator of all things, and you’re untouchable! But are you really untouchable? You step closer to the strange black-yellow rift in the air; your heart is punching you in the ribs while your mind is racing. Would he still recognize you?

“[Y/N], I don’t think you should be walking any closer,” Cyno says, his polearm materializing in his hands.

Your eyes remain on the rift. “I’ll be fine, Cyno. He’s not going to hurt me,” you said.

“But how do you know that he won’t hurt you?” Dainsleif demands.

You reach your hand out to touch the rift, but before the tip of your fingers can touch the rift, the rift immediately opens in front of you. You slowly backed away and gazed at the Golden Wolflord emerging from the rift, your hair whipping around your face the more the Golden Wolflord flew around you.

“Why does [Y/N] want to see that thing in the first place? That thing almost killed me many times!” Aether exclaims, covering his ears as the wind howls around them.

Heizou laughs nervously. “Shouldn’t we warn them not to touch the Golden Wolflord?” Heizou asks, looking over at the others nervously.

“I think it’s too late for that,” Pierro mutters.

Heizou slowly turns around and sees you petting the Golden Wolflord and nuzzling your face against its snout. Heizou and the men blinked at what they were seeing in front of them. The way you’re treating the monstrous beast in front of you as if it’s some puppy was mind-boggling. Your hands caress the Golden Wolflord’s face, nuzzling your cheek against his face while talking to it like it’s a baby.

“I haven’t seen you in so long! Look how much you’ve grown! Oh, I’ve missed you so much!” You said.

The Golden Wolflord whimpers softly and licks your face. That is something you don’t see a Golden Wolflord do to those who dare to step foot in its territory. You laugh and hug his face, petting his head and running your fingers through his fur. 

“You’re still as cute as ever! I’m sorry I couldn’t visit you sooner; I was busy,” you said softly. You cup its face in your hands and look at it in the eyes with a small frown on your face. “I’ll try to visit you more often, okay? Maybe once a week; how does that sound?” You ask, smiling at the Golden Wolflord.

The Golden Wolflord rumbles and nuzzles his face against yours, closing its eyes in contentment. You smile and kiss the Golden Wolflord’s forehead. You turn around and gesture for the men to come closer, only for them to shake their heads in response and take another step back. You chuckle to yourself and continue to shower the beast’s head. While you did claim to have created the Golden Wolflord, you technically did, but at the same time, you didn’t. The Golden Wolflord is Gold’s creation, but you created Gold, and Gold created the Golden Wolflord. Therefore you had some kind of contribution to the Golden Wolflord’s existence. 

You sigh and rest the side of your head on its head. “You must have been so lonely without me, huh? I know how you feel. I was alone before I created Teyvat, and I continue to be alone. While I have people that worship me from all over Teyvat, I still feel lonely,” you whisper.

“Do you think that thing understands what [Y/N]’s saying?” Kaveh whispers to the others.

Tighnari nods his head. “Oh, he understands [Y/N],” Tighnari says.

Remember how you convinced the restaurant owner in Inazuma to let you take the leftovers? Well, you and the men ate the breakfast with the Golden Wolflord, keeping you all company. Well, they ate from a safe distance while you and the Golden Wolflord kept each other company. After the visitation with the Golden Wolflord, you and the men return to the mainland. When you all returned to the mainland, you couldn’t help but feel sad and lonelier than you did before.

You didn’t realize that you had stopped in your tracks when you heard Albedo call out to you.

Albedo walks up to you and stops in front of you, gazing at you worriedly. “Are you alright?” Albedo asks. You watch the men slowly approach you and Albedo, unsure whether they should join in or not.

You hesitate for a moment and purse your lips. Should you tell them what’s wrong? You’re a God, the creator of Teyvat, and everything in its existence. You should be strong and not like how you are right now. Would they shame you for feeling this way? For not being the God that they have been worshipping since the beginning of time? After all, you did want to form a friendship with everyone, and you didn’t like feeling lonely. It’s one of the reasons why you created Teyvat and everything that resides on it.

“You’re overthinking again,” you think to yourself.

Zhongli walks to you and places a hand on your shoulder. “You can tell us whatever is bothering you; there’s nothing to be afraid of or be ashamed of,” Zhongli says.

“You all may be wondering why I have decided to visit the Golden Wolflord,” you said. “I didn’t create the Golden Wolflord, but I did have some kind of contribution to its existence. He has been on that island for who knows how long, and it must’ve been really lonely for him, and I can relate to him,” you said.

“What are you trying to say exactly?” Pantalone asks, cocking his head to the side.

You let out a frustrated and embarrassed huff of breath. “Long story short: I am lonely like the Golden Wolflord. I am trying my best to form friendships with you all, and I feel like I am failing because every time I try to form a connection, I fail miserably,” you said.

“A God bad with words and feelings….” Venti says, stroking his chin. 

You hunch over and place your hands on your knees. “It’s so embarrassing! I created you all and everything around us, and here I am, struggling with expressing my emotions and inner thoughts,” you cover your hot face with your hands.

“It’s okay to struggle with that. I mean, have you seen Diluc? I think he’s way worst than you,” Kaeya says, smiling at you.

Diluc slowly turns to look at Kaeya, his eyebrows narrowing. You let out a weak laugh and sigh, rubbing your temples. For the past few days, you have been trying (and struggling) to form a friendship with these twenty-five men because of how bad you are when it comes to talking about your feelings and what’s going on in your mind.

“Hey, if you want to be friends with us, you don’t need to ask! The minute you told us to call you by your real name instead of ‘your grace,’ consider us as best friends!” Itto says, throwing his arms around your shoulders and hugging you.

Childe pushes Itto from you and gives you a suave smile. “Or, we can be more than that,” Childe wiggles his eyebrows at you. Zhongli, Venti, and Dainsleif deadpan at Childe’s suggestion. You stare at Childe cluelessly and look at the other men and back at Childe. 

“Super best friends?” You ask.

Diluc rolls his eyes, grabs Childe by the back of his head, and shoves him out of the way. Childe stumbles and shoots a glare in Diluc’s direction, steam coming from his ears.

“Let’s start as friends first, then we can decide on the rest. Therefore, please ignore whatever the ginger idiot was implying,” Diluc says, giving you a small smile.

You smile at Diluc and tackle him into a hug, catching the redhead off guard. Diluc looks down at you with wide eyes before awkwardly hugging you back. A soft smile appears on Diluc’s face while he rubs your back. You sigh in Diluc’s grasp, letting yourself relax in his arms. You finally won't feel alone for the first time in thousands of years.

Note: It's funny how I said that I don't know how I feel about writing this fic, and this story ends up being almost 11k words long. I don't count the words myself; I always type out my fanfics in Google Docs and transfer them over to Tumblr and AO3 (apparently, some people thought I counted the words myself 😭). My winter quarter starts on Monday, the 9th of January, and I have no idea how that'll affect my posting schedule. I hope it doesn't negatively impact it 🥲 For those who want to be on my new taglist, here is the link to the taglist [Genshinluvr Updated Taglist Form]! Please make sure that you allow people to mention you/tag you in posts, or else I won't be able to tag you in any future fanfics! Anyway, for those who are new here or are returning readers, I ONLY post on my Tumblr (Genshinluvr) and my AO3 (Aaliah_exo)! Nowhere else except Tumblr and AO3!

Taglist for my Isekai'd!Reader one-shot series and my overall taglist: @alhaitham-scribe, @xyji, @kazuhasmuse, @chirikoheina, @yoru-trash, @kaoyamamegami, @kwelibeeery, @yumakj, @deartoru, @luminarymoonlight, @toobytub, @ins4nebish, @bokuto-kinnie, @honeybedo, @exhaustedcommunist, @jadedist, @mompt2, @@living-my-best-life5, @chalksdreams, @rinswriting, @thelost-in-time, @mxn14, @ventisweetheart, @unwantedsleep, @kattythesimp, @hispasian-otaku, @Orah-s, @juuuuuj101010, @nxns3nse (If your name has been crossed out, it means that your account did not show up when I try to tag your account. Please make sure to allow people to mention you and tag you in posts and make sure the spelling, symbols and numbers are correct)

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[kaneaken]

can iI venti reacting to you giving them flower romantically dabble also I'd like if the character and reader are in an established relationship?

author's note; flower giving requests are always lots of fun since I think all genshin characters deserve flowers :D this is either my first or second time writing for venti, so hopefully I can write him accurately (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠)

content notes; gn!reader, non vision! reader, fluff, established relationship, short since it's a drabble, whopperflower jumpscare, flowers are given but I went a bit off request (my bad), possible ooc character

Despite knowing Venti already owns a bouquet of Cecilias in his home (you were the sender of said Cecilias), you noticed their petals wilting slightly and decided to fetch him new ones. Of course, as soon as you decide to buy him Cecilias, Flora informs you they've been sold out.

Therefore, you had to set out on a journey to pick them yourself. Flora was kind enough to mark a few locations on your map to ensure you would find the best ones.

How many Cecilias would be enough? Two, three? Perhaps four? You attempt to think back to the amount you got from Flora last time as you attempt to pick a Cecilia. It was definitely six? Or was it seven? It's not as if you had counted how many were in the bouquet at the time, especially since there were so many. You should be safe and grab a big bunch.

Your hand feels warm, so you look down and come face to face with a Pyro whopperflower. You immediately jump back, clutching the flowers you had already picked to your chest.

Since you thought the journey wasn't going to be very treacherous, you had left your weapon at home. Of course, without a vision, you had no other way to defend yourself.

You carefully take a step back, trying to not alert the Whopperflower. Silently praying to the Archons above, you take multiple steps back. Hopefully, this whopperflower would mind its own business and not attack you.

Despite your prayers, you see the whopperflower turn to you. You still, watching the whopperflower cautiously. Don't. Don't. Don't--

Your thoughts are interrupted by a large gust of wind blowing behind you. The gust becomes more aggressive as it reaches the whopperflower, sending it flying.

"Are you okay, my flower?" You hear Venti's voice behind you, causing you to turn around. You nod vigorously and thank him for saving you.

He chuckles in response. "What are you doing around here alone and without your weapon? It's dangerous."

You quickly explain how you wanted to buy flowers for him but ended up having no luck with Flora. That led you to Starsnatch Cliff, where you accidentally ran into a whopperflower. You finish off your explanation by extending the flowers in your grasp towards him.

Smiling softly, Venti takes the bunch from you. "I'll be sure to replace the ones you bought. These hold much more meaning, since you picked them yourself. Thank you."

"Now, what do you say to a little gliding? Let the winds guide us!" Venti cheerfully states, holding out a flower to tuck behind your ear. You quickly remind him that you still don't have your gliding license.

"Hehe, no one has to know!"

[talonabraxas]

Khamael , Archangel of Mars Talon Abraxas

Samael is the Archangel of Mars – prince of the fifth heaven, lord of war and pestilence, and angel of death and destruction. He is the Sathan (Adversary) who visited wrath upon Job, slew the firstborn in Egypt, and (as the Guardian Angel of Easu) wrestled with Jacob. As the Sathan he accuses men of their wrongdoings in the Divine Court. Samael should not be confused with the modern Christian concept of Lucifer or the Devil. Samael is not the source of all evil, nor did he ever wage war upon the Throne of God.

He was, however, cast down to Earth when he refused to bow to Adam as the Image of God. (He had previously sworn to never bow to anything less than God Himself.) Once here, he took Lilith as his wife and has acted as the Divine Accuser, Enforcer and Angel of Death ever since. While he is still very much in the employ of God, he persecutes and seduces mankind when he is ordered to do so.

(Some sources equate Samael with Shemyaza, the leader of the fallen Watchers from the Book of Enoch. This is likely due to both Samael and Shemyaza being punished for disobedience, yet each retaining their positions as celestial angels. However the angels share no other characteristics, and this similarity does not prove the two angels are one and the same.)

The ancient Gnostics elevated him to the position of Demiurgos (the Creator) and interpreted his name to mean “Blind God.” They also called him Ialdabaoth and Saklas. His form was described as a lion-headed serpent. He and his angels (called archons) had created the world as a prison where they could feed upon mankind’s suffering. Later forms of Gnosticism, however, did not equate Ialdabaoth with Samael.

Samael was at one point regarded as the Patron Angel of Rome – and it is likely in this aspect that we see him (as the Dragon with Seven Heads) engaging in single combat against Michael (the Patron Angel of Israel) in the Revelation of St. John.

More recent tradition has given him the name Khamael (Camael, Camuel, etc) – the result of mistranslating a Hebrew Samekh (S) as a Kaph (Kh). In this form he is regarded primarily as the Angel of War and Divine Severity.

Invitation to Samael

I invoke thee, Samael! Holy Archangel of the Martial sphere! I call upon thee within thy realm of Severity and Fear!

Samael, Powerful, Bloody, Sword-bearer, Bold, Untamed, Terrestrial Fire, against whom none can defend himself, thou who destroys the strong and powerful, Lord of fiery heat – and of the planet of blood!

Samael, who art the Adversary, accusing men of their wrongdoing. Fearsome warrior and divine enforcer! You who inflicted Job with sorrow, who slew the firstborn of Egypt, and wrestled with Jacob. It is you who bears the wrath of God unto the Earth! You who overthrow nations and cast kings down from their thrones!

O Samael, we have called upon you [here list the reasons you have called him in the past, if any, and the positive results that came from those workings]. For all of this we thank you!

Come thou forth and partake of these offerings, which we have prepared in thy honour and to the glory of Elohim Gibor. May you find them pleasing and empowering. I ask that you offer your blessings to my home and family, and bear our offerings and prayers of thanksgiving to the Divine Court. We petition thee for strength and protection in all of our undertakings, for defense of our home, and that the light of thy wisdom should guide and keep us at all times. In the name of Elohim Gibor. Amen.

[harusaki-hugo]

Rust Bow In Your Hand.

Synopsis;- You are the reason why Ajax start using bow and the one bestow him with Rust bow 

Characters;- Tartaglia x Gn!Reader 

Tags;- Angst ,hurt/no comfort , death , blood , crying , there’s no happiness in Childe,  dying in front of statue of seven [Rex lapis] , 

Reasons;- My fav character die and i want to make it everyone problem.

“ This bow not always mine.”  Tartaglia starts staring at the Geo Archon Statue, both he and the traveler are taking a rest near the statue after a day of hunting Hilichurls. Paimon and the Traveler look at each other before back at the Eleventh Harbinger deciding not to interrupt the male story, they both take a seat near the statue expecting him to continue his story. “ Believe it or not, I got this bow the first time I arrive at Liyue. I was not welcome at first, you know, as a Harbinger.”  

Then he meets someone who welcomes him, a young adult who is one of the Liyue Qixing, cheerful and full of energy you are, someone who makes Ajax's heart beat fast, someone who makes him forget who he is. The smile he receives from you when the other frowning at him is so warm, making him wonder if you actually exist or just his imagination.

You are so different from him, while he is one who never back away from a fight, you try your best to avoid one. You prefer to spread peace and love, never once does he see you hurt the other, all he sees is kindness and love. Even when you got hurt, you just smile and forgive. You never once cry in front of him, even when you receive hatred from anyone. Never once did you ever blame anyone for the pain you receive making him wonder how can you be so patient.

You don’t have the right to cry, you told him once as he frantically pressed the wound on your stomach, blood pooling down underneath you as you lay there on the Geo Archon statue, You don’t deserve to live at all, you laugh as your breath starts to shallow, “ No, no! You can’t leave me! You promise that you going to follow me back to Shneznaya! You going to meet my family!”  The pain he see in your eyes when he spoke those words made him wonder, have you ever been loved by anyone before?  

You hold out your bow, your weapon, the one you never use despite the death situation, “ Use this to protect yourself, I don’t deserve to protect myself but I hope this weapon can protect you..”  You say giving him the warm smile that he loved so much before the light in your eyes slowly dies out, Ajax feels his world once again shatter when he sees you stop breathing. His lips quivering leaning forward he presses a soft kiss on your forehead before pulling away, your bow in his hands he gives you a final prayer before fleeing from the scene.

He ignores the scream he hears as the Millelith found your corpse, he deaf himself from the announcement the Liyue Qixing make about your death, he doesn’t dare to show himself at your funeral, even when they burn your body, Tartaglia dares not to watch the smoke rising in the sky. 

The Eleventh Harbinger ignores the way Traveler looks at him nor the way Paimon start to cry from his story. Clutching the bow in his hand, he turns around giving the two a bright smile, “ Now, comrade! Shall we continue? You still need that material right?” He laughs even though both the Traveler and their companion can easily see how fake it is.

Just like how you don’t deserve happiness, Tartaglia decides that he too doesn’t deserve to love you.

I’m not going to apologize . 

[arlan-sd-hss]

With a small push, he opened the cathedral doors and stepped inside. Looking around a little, he did find a door to the left, which must've been the one Mika talked about. (Wonderful... Madam Herta, if you made these people, why did you make them like actual people....)

A small dejected sigh could be heard as he started walking towards it, thankful that his shoes were the quiet type. (Hopefully she's the type of person that just really doesn't care about others. oh who am I kidding... if she's the first person everyone here thinks about during a medical issue; then she probably cares a lot..)

Reluctantly, he gently knocked on the wooden door with his left hand, not wanting to make too much noise, before opening the door and going inside.

It barely even took a second to find out who Barbara is, since a.. sister? Of the cathedral was thanking her before leaving the room, passing a small blessing onto Arlan as she did so.

"Oh? Hello, are you hurt?"

Arlan sighed again, closing the door and walking over, fidgeting with his gloves.

Not really.. but people keep directing me to you. Uh.. (time to lie.) I woke up on a beach earlier, and don't seem to have any memory of anything aside from my name, age, and a few things of my childhood.. so...

"Oh no..! That's terrible... I'll see what I can do. Here, please sit down on this bed or chair, whichever you prefer. My name is Barbara, what about you?"

..Arlan. He sat down on the chair.

"Arlan..? That's a lovely name! Do you remember what allogenes are and how visions work, mister Arlan?"

He simply shook his head.

"I see.. well it's best I just show you. Look." With a small wave of her hand, she made little water bubbles float up; the lighting of the room making them quite a spectacle. She then grabbed her book and showed the vision on it. "Allogenes are people blessed with visions- these little gems. They let you use elemental powers, I use mine to heal people! Mine is a hydro vision.. there's seven elements in total."

Arlan let out a small hum, watching the bubbles float up before looking at the vision. (..should I make one and carry it around..? I don't know how I'd explain my powers otherwise.. is there even a lighting vision?)

Barbara sat down on the bed next to Arlan, holding out her hand in offering. It took him a moment to understand the gesture before he placed his hand on hers, making her smile.

"Please try to relax, it may feel strange at first."

Arlan nodded again, simply watching her as her vision began to glow. Barbara closed her eyes, whispering a small prayer to the Anemo archon before placing her other hand on top of Arlan's gloved one; Starting to sing. The melody was quite beautiful, and her elemental powers flowing along with her voice truly made this be a calming and safe moment, in which she would attempt to heal the boy's fragmented mind..

[canonical-transformation]

“The rules of War are woven in the womb.”

(or: a concept for what Pyro might be)

Length: under 1k words.

[im-daphne]

To the Christian Gnostics, who believed that magic had been brought to earth by fallen angels, Hekate represents on of the five Archons appointed to rule over the 360 demons of the "Middle," the aerial place below the zodiacal sphere or the circle of the sun, which fixes the Heimarmene. She has three faces and twenty-seven demons under her command. She occupies the third level in the hierarchy of the "Middle," between two female demons, long-haired Paraplex and Ariouth the Ethiopian, and two male demons, Typhon and Iachtanabas (Pisitis Sophia).

During the same period, this secondary figure of Gnostic daemonology is also an omnipresent personage in the pantheon of magical papyruses, because of the range of meanings attributed to her emblems and because of the system of associations which link her to, and even identify her with, other gods and goddesses.

Her three forms (trimorphos PGM XXXVI, 190) and her three faces (triposopos, IV, 2119, 2880) make her, as in classical Greek tradition, the goddess of crossroads (triodites) and the protectress of roads; but they express above all the "abundance of all magical signs" (XXXVI, 190-191), possessed by the "sovereign" goddess (kuria, IV, 1432) "of many names" (poluonumos, IV, 745). The three-faced Hekate of the love charm of Pitys, contained in the magical Greek codex of Paris, has the head of a cow on the right, the head of a female dog on the left, and the head of a girl in the center (IV, 2120-2123). The Hekate engraved in a magnetized rock (IV, 2881-2884) also shows three faces: a goat on the right, a female dog on the left, and in the middle a girl with horns.

Her mouth exhales fire (puripnoa, IV, 2727); her six hands brandish torches (IV, 2119-2120). Hence, engraving her name with a bronze stylus on an ostracon (XXXVI, 189) or on a lead tablet (IV, 2956) will have the effect of a fire "burning" and "consuming" the beloved woman, so that she is deprived of sleep forever. Furthermore, the fire that inhabits Hekate, as the most subtle of the four elements, characterizes her keen intelligence and the extreme sharpness of her perception (puriboulos, IV, 2751). Her whole being radiates with the brilliance of the fire from the stars and from the ether. The Chaldaean Oracles made this Hekate "of the breasts that welcome storms, of resplendent brilliance" into an entity "descended from the Father," associated with the "implacable thunderbolts" of the gods, with the "flower of fire," and with the "powerful breath" of the paternal Intellect. Because she caries and transmits fire from above, she is the supreme goddess of vivification. The reason Hekate's womb is so remarkably "fertile" (zoogonon) is that she is filled with the fire of paternal Intellect, the source of life or the strength of thought, which it is her duty to communicate and to disseminate.

Through her emblems and her triadic conception, Hekate is associated with another goddess o time and destiny, Mene or Selene, the goddess of the moon. A prayer to the moon invokes them as one and the same entity; epithets and attributes of the two goddesses are interchangeable. Hekate/Selene also has three heads, carries torches, presides over crossroads: "You who in the three forms of the three Charites dance and fly about with the stars . . . You who wield terrible black torches in your hands, you who shake your head with hair made of fearsome snakes, you who cause the bellowing of the bulls, you whose belly is covered with reptilian scales and who carry over your shoulder a woven bag of venomous snakes" (IV, 2793-2806). She has the eye of a bull, the voice of a pack of dogs, the calves of a lion, the ankles of a wolf, and she loves fierce bitches: "This is why you are called Hekate of many names, Mene you who split the air like Artemis, shooter of arrows" (IV, 2814-2817). She is the mother (geneteria) of gods and men, Nature the universal mother (Phusis panmetor): "You come and go on Olympus and visit the vast and immense Abys: you are the beginning and end, you alone rule over all things; it is in you that all originates, and in you, eternal, that all ends" (IV, 2832-2839). Another hymn in the Paris codex used as a love charm shows the same joy in piling up titles of the goddess, who has this time become Aphrodite, the universal procreator (pangenneteria) and mother of Eros (IV, 2556-2557), at once below and above, "in the Hells, the Abys, and the Aeon" (IV, 256-2564), chthonic, holding her feats in tombs, and associated with Ereskigal, the Babylonian queen of Hells (LXX, 4), but also the "celestial traveler among the stars" (IV, 2549-2550).

Her ring, scepter and crown represent the power of the one who, possessing the triad, embraces all. Above and below, to the right and to the left, at night as during the day, she is the one "Around whom the nature of the world turns" (IV, 2551-2552), the very Soul of the world, according to the Chaldaean Oracle "the center in the middle of the Fathers", occupying, according to Psellos, an intermediary position and playing the role of the center in relation to all the other powers: t her left the source of virtues, to her right the source of souls, inside, because she remains within her own substance, but also directed to the outside with a view to procreation.

Whether invoked in love charms to bring to oneself the woman one desires (the agogai of the magic papyruses) or theiodamoi anankai of the Chaldaean philosophers, Hekate is henceforth inscribed in a table of correspondences and combinations which go far beyond her proper function as a goddess of enchantment and magic. It is from this Hekate, the product of the syncretism of the papyri, that the tradition of the Hekate of the Neoplatonic commentators on the Oracles take shape.

[hellonoblesky]

Archon war and Khaenri'ah, do you have any thoughts?

I don't think Khaenri'ahn was meant to exist, at least according to the heavenly principals. And it just kinda... Happened without the god's knowledge. Because Idk, the whole seven archons for seven regions and stuff. Plus like, all the godless civilizations seem to be "outside" of the design of the heavens. Like they do happen and Celestia can't seem to prevent them, only punish them if the toe out of line.

Also, do you know the theory about Irmin, Odin and how Khaenri'ah may have had a god? If so, what are your thoughts on it? Do you think so? Why or why not?

By the ideals of the Heavenly Principals, yeah, Khaenri'ah wasn't meant to exist, but I don't think Celestia. Cared that much as long as Khaenri'ah stayed underground and out of the way most of the time? And I think that the main catalyst for the Cataclysm was Gold and the Sages of Khaenri'ah breaking through into the Abyss and likely/possibly "Forbidden Knowlege" and all it's. Weird disease behaviors.

(I mean hey, Enkanomiya/Watatsumi and Serai/Tsurumi islands alone in Inazuma are, while not godless nations, are starkly DIVERGENT nations, and were only cut down (to my knowledge) when they "overstepped boundaries" whatever that means (I'm rusty on Inazuma lore :p I do remember that Orobaxi died post-Archon War in the initial Civil War between the Shogunate and Watatsumi, give or take?? 1000 years pre-game, and I don't remember when the Thunderbird died).

And Watatsumi's still going strong!!! And as I see it, it counts as a godless nation, as in it's god, Orobaxi, the coral serpent of the depths, is dead. They have no god. They believe in him, and maybe he's even still around in some way (see: the final segment of Washizou's Prayers when the Outsider Shrine whispers a warning at the player), but they don't have a god who is fully Present and defending them.

Also I'm not a fan of the "Khaenri'ah had a god" theory I feel it takes away from the nation's origins in. Yk. Being a nation separate from the gods with the express purpose of being separate from the gods, founded on the idea of being separate from the gods. It just. Rubs me the wrong way. At the very least it would have the Scribe of Vindagnyer ROLLING in his grave, practically turned into a partial accelerator.

[astershere]

A deal with god

I have returned with the offering of brotherly angst featuring Diluc and Kaeya (I'm writing, a shocker, I know, writer's block is kicking my ass so hard)

So have this angst piece with a happy(?) ending that I bullshitted out in 3 hours, too scared to stop so the inspiration doesn't die.

This hasn't even been properly proofread so mistakes may have slipped in, it's 3am and I'm getting tired

CW: Talks about death, a mention of potentially killing someone (No killing actually happens)

Spoilers for Diluc and Kaeya's character stories

Summary: Kaeya goes to Mondstadt's archon with a rather unusual request and Diluc is not amused

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the citizens of Mondstadt slept peacefully in their homes, a lone hooded figure could be seen exiting the city. The figure slowly made its way to Windrise, dropping to its knees in front of the large tree and beginning to pray quietly. After finishing its prayer, the figure lifted its head, pulling the hood off of his face. He pulled out some offerings, setting them down at the foot of the Statue of the Seven before returning his prayers for the god of Anemo to appear.

Hours passed with no sign of the Archon, and the man began to grow desperate. Just as he was about to give up and head home, the wind picked up, forming a barrier around him and the tree. The man lifted his head to look at the tree in front of him, eyes filling with hope for the first time in years. Soon, a winged figure holding a lyre appeared in front of the man.

”Kaeya Alberich. What for, do you seek your Archon so desperately?”

Kaeya lowered his body in a bow, carefully thinking back to how he’s heard people address the Archons in the past ”O’ mighty god of Anemo, Barbatos, I endlessly thank you for gracing a mere Khaenri’ahn heathen like myself with your presence”

Barbatos nodded, gracefully motioning for Kaeya to stand up. ”Please, raise your head and share your woes, then let the wind carry them wherever it goes”

Kaeya warily stood up before Barbatos spoke up again.

”What do you seek, dear child?”

Kaeya’s face fell serious. He could feel the tiniest tug of hesitation in his heart. Is he really ready to let it all go? Perhaps if someone had stopped to talk to him on the way here, he’d have changed his mind, gone back home and moved on with his life... The hesitation subsided just as fast as it appeared and he looked up at the god in front of him

”I wish to make a deal”

The Archon sighed and closed his eyes ”Very well…”

There was a knock on Diluc’s door.

”Rise and shine, son! We have a long day ahead of us!”

Diluc heard his father’s hearty laugh outside the room and stretched.

”Coming!”

The redhead got out of bed and walked over to his wardrobe to get changed.

”I have work today so I should change straight into my… uniform…?”

Diluc shook his head.

”I must still be half-asleep, getting confused by my work uniform” he chuckled to himself, but couldn’t quite shake the uneasy feeling growing on the back of his head. The young knight shrugged, blaming it on still being groggy and headed down for breakfast.

The breakfast was unusually quiet. Both father and son were just silently eating until Crepus called out to his son.

”Hey Diluc?”

The young man was snapped out of his thoughts by the voice.

”Yes, father?”

”Is everything alright? You’re being uncharacteristically quiet”

Diluc looked surprised ”Oh, everything’s fine, I just have this odd feeling…” He trailed off before shrugging, brushing it off with a small smile ”I’m probably just tired”

Crepus smiled and nodded ”That’s good, as long as you’re okay”

Diluc’s uneasiness kept growing as the day progressed, reaching the point where he could no longer concentrate on his work. He was sitting in his office with his head in his hands, trying to figure out why he was so out of sorts today. He felt like his memories were wrong, like his father wasn’t supposed to be here, like he wasn’t supposed to be a knight.

The man was brought back out of his head by a knock on the door. He shook his head, tidying his clothes and straightening his back before calling out.

”Come in”

A worried Jean entered the room.

”Hello, Jean. What brings you here?”

The woman sighed before sitting down opposite of Diluc

”I just wanted to check in with you, you haven’t really been yourself today”

The blonde paused for a moment before carefully continuing

”...Are you missing sir Kaeya again?”

Diluc felt a stabbing pain in his head and winced. His thoughts were getting even more mixed up, a memory flashing in his mind.

Diluc was standing in pouring rain in front of the winery, glaring daggers at a crying Kaeya. He couldn’t tell why, but he was overwhelmed by pure wrath and betrayal coursing through him as he pulled out his weapon, ready to attack.

”Diluc!”

He was brought back to reality by Jean’s worried voice. Her hands were holding on to his arms, as if holding him stable.

”What happened? Are you okay?”

Diluc looked at her for a moment, gathering his thoughts.

”Where’s Kaeya?”

Jean stared at the man dumbfounded before her expression morphed into one of compassion and worry.

”Diluc… He died years ago, remember?”

Diluc felt his heart break at her words. That wasn’t right, Kaeya was alive and well, he didn’t- Realization struck him like lightning from clear skies. All these memories were wrong. It was his father who died, not Kaeya.

Diluc turned to Jean.

”Could I have the rest of the day off? I… have to take care of some business”

Jean looked at him with a worried expression and smiled softly.

”Of course”

Diluc was sprinting through the streets at full speed and busted into the Angel’s Share.

”Woah, Master Diluc, where’s the fire?” Charles chuckled from behind the bar.

Diluc completely ignored the bartender’s question and asked his own

”Where’s the bard?”

Charles pointed up and Diluc ran to the second floor, scanning the room with his eyes. As he spotted the familiar bard dressed in green, he made a beeline to his table.

Venti looked up as he noticed someone sit across him, swirling the fruit juice in his glass.

”Ah, master Diluc. What brings you to me?”

”What did you do?”

Venti fell serious at the question, looking down at his glass.

”So you’ve noticed... I have to say, you caught on much faster than expected”

”Just tell me what you did!”

The bard sighed heavily and looked up at Diluc again.

”Last night, Kaeya came to Windrise, praying for hours on end for Barbatos to appear. I eventually did, and he asked me to make a deal with him”

Diluc’s breath hitched in his throat.

”Wh- what kind of deal?”

”He wanted to switch places with master Crepus”

Tears welled up in the redhead’s eyes.

”You mean he..?”

”Yes. He asked me to alter history so that he was the one to die instead of your father on that day”

Diluc felt his heart shatter at those words, desperation filling him.

”But why? Why would he do that?”

Venti looked at Diluc empathetically.

”I take it you don’t remember much about the real past?”

Diluc shook his head.

”Please tell me…” his voice cracked as he choked down a sob. He just couldn’t understand why Kaeya would do that. Sure, he loved his father but that didn’t mean he’d rather have a dead brother.

Venti nodded solemnly.

”As you wish… As you already know, in the real past master Crepus was the one to die on your 18th birthday… That very same night Kaeya came clean, telling you he was from Khaenri’ah, and that he was sent to Mondstadt as a child to serve their interests''

Diluc’s face turned into shock as he realized what happened in the memory. He covered his mouth with one hand and closed his eyes as he began sobbing harder, realizing what he had done.

Venti smiled sadly and placed a hand on Diluc’s shoulder.

”I see you know what happened that night… You attacked him…”

Venti pulled a dull gray Vision from his pocket and placed it on the table.

”This is the only reason he survived… He received a Cryo Vision during that fight. If he hadn’t, you would’ve overpowered and likely killed him…”

”The two of you were never the same again. You treated each other coldly and never got along. You held onto that feeling of betrayal, not listening to his attempts to explain. Kaeya raised his guards, never letting anyone in again and fired back at you with just as bad an attitude… Despite all this, he still loved you dearly. All he wanted was his brother back”

Venti paused as Diluc broke down into sobs again, patting his shoulder and waiting for him to calm down.

”Just tell me when you’re ready if you want to hear more”

Diluc weakly nodded for Venti to continue, his shoulders shaking.

”You grew more and more distant, until yesterday Kaeya decided to ’fix everything’ as he phrased it”

Diluc looked at Venti with bloodshot eyes.

”You can fix it, right?”

His voice cracked as he sobbed.

”Please tell me you can fix it…”

The bard let out another sigh.

Diluc practically leaped out of bed the next morning, looking at the two Visions resting on his nightstand. His own Pyro one was glowing bright red as usual, and next to it was a Cryo one, glowing and cool to the touch as it should be. Tears welled up in his eyes as he grabbed the Visions and rushed to his brother’s old room.

Kaeya woke up to Diluc rushing into the room and tackling him in a hug.

”Woah, hey, what’s all this about?” The blue haired man chuckled, trying to figure out what happened. He wasn’t supposed to be here, he was supposed to be dead.

”You idiot!” Diluc shook Kaeya’s shoulders.

”Why would you do that?!”

Kaeya looked at him, confusion evident on his face.

”What do you mean why? To give you the life you want and deserve, obviously!”

”The life I want? Do you really think I want you dead?”

”Do you really think I don’t? You tried to kill me!”

Tears began streaming down Diluc’s face again.

”I’m sorry… I wasn’t thinking straight, but… I never hated you… I just didn’t know how to approach the subject anymore after the fight”

Diluc pulled Kaeya into a tight hug.

”Never do something like that again, okay?”

Kaeya smiled softly and hugged Diluc back, now crying himself.

”I promise”

Diluc pulled away from the hug to look at Kaeya, smiling.

”Welcome home, brother”

[m1d-45]

Heheehee would love to see venti post-imposter au like that one u did for zhongli...I love guilt >:)))) and thank u, u r amazing!!!!

unnamed poem, unnamed bard

a/n: wrote a whole poem for this. hope you enjoy <3

-> warnings: reader is dead. reader is a literal corpse and is described and referred to as such. major spoilers for mondstat archon quest, the most microscopic spoilers for liyue archon quest.

-> lowercase intended!

taglist: @samarill || @thenyxsky || @valeriele3 || @shizunxie

< masterlist >

‘the creator is the highest god across every nation.’

seven sets of eyes stared at the body in front of them, at the arrow shot through it’s throat. several other wounds crossed the body, but none were as lethal as the first.

‘they have created everything, from the clouds-‘

angry gray rippled across the sky, thunder crackling in the distance. the storm had been brewing all day, and now the reason why was clear.

‘-to the air-‘

wind howled and cried, whipping through hair and pulling at clothes. one of the ties around venti’s braids had been ripped away, the hair beginning to unravel in the gale. still, even as nahida clutched at focalor’s cloak to stay standing—poor girl, she’d been trying to convince her—the clothes on the corpse were still.

‘-to the earth beneath our feet.’

blood seeped into the ground below, shimmering even in the dim light filtering through the clouds. the brick pattern below had shining blue for grout, blood tracing a spiderweb out.

‘they are only to be adored with the highest of veneration.’

thin hands shook around the handle of a bow, painted nails digging into the grip. barbatos’ eyes are wide, teal, unblinking gaze staring at the body as if it would magically come back to life. as if it would reach, pull out the arrow, as if it would sit up and chide him for behaving so rashly. it doesn’t.

‘after all…’

amber eyes search for purple, then red, black gloves tightening around the geo lord’s weapon. he was not without sin, having also participated in the chase—none were truly pure, none truly deserved any form of forgiveness except for maybe nahida.

‘it is they to which we owe our lives.’

seven chests heaved with a variety of emotions—adrenaline, contrition, horror—but an eighth was oddly regular. blank, lifeless eyes, matching the color of the ones on the corpse, curved with a smile. well done! they cheered, silent pride shining in the dim light.

‘they are stronger than steel.’

“who are you?”

the gritted voice of the pyro archon shattered the fragile silence.

“me?”

‘brighter than the sun.’

the false god put a hand to their chest, the fake shock on their face not hiding their glee. “well, i’m your god, aren’t i?”

‘with their iron-strong will,’

six hands tightened on weapons. one set let go of cloth, small stature still brimming with anger.

‘eons long work begun.’

new blood stained the dirt, red instead of divine blue. the fake’s body jerked, elemental reactions dancing across their skin as their body fell to the floor. superconduct burned out their eyes, overload locked up their lungs, quicken sped up the rate at which blood flowed from their veins. frozen pinned their still-twitching body to floor as they slowly died.

the gods almost wished that it had taken them longer to die. they certainly didn’t deserve a quick death.

‘they forged the valleys and plains.’

seven voices united by the covered body of their god, undivided by worldly squabbles. grudges and bitterness fell away, if only for now, seven heads bowed on seven sets of knees. even nahida, innocent as she was, had knelt alongside them here. seven prayers were lifted on seven tongues, some wavering, all weak. the scenery did little to distract when they knew they had slaughtered it’s maker.

‘mountains shaped, clouds retained.’

the burial was silent, only the sound of dirt against dirt breaking the solemn air. shimmering jade rose from the earth, obsidian lettering carving out their sin. seven were too weak to continue standing, seven sets of tears beginning to fall. seven asked for forgiveness.

‘as night turned to day turned to night again,’

none would receive it.

‘their last creation made, to their own world they ascend.’

grass and flowers were quick to grow over the unsettled dirt, risking quick uprooting for the chance to get closer. seven hearts burned. seven souls screamed.

drinks hit their tables with loud bangs. ‘who are you, bard?” a man called. ‘where have you heard such things?’

barbatos was the first to flee, unable to bear feeling their aura so long after their death. his wide wings flapped erratically, all of his usual grace lost as tears blurred his vision. the cuffs of his shirt clung to his skin, droplets of blue already staining to matter how hard he tried to scrub it out. it refused to even smudge.

he tucked his wings in and dove, barely even trying to slow his fall once he got closer to the ground, not feeling the pain in his feet. he stumbled once, twice, then collapsed at the foot of his own anemo statue.

the boy laughed, the teal on his nails matching the mirth in his eyes.

barbatos’ chest heaved, the air he commands abandoning him in his time of need. the peaceful breeze of windrise couldn’t hide the uneven beats of his heart, the cool stone behind him not soothing the burn on his face. he could see them, the golden chains of his crimes, already encircling his arms. the fingers that pulled the string stiffened with shining rings, too tight to be comfortable, his opposite palm already beginning to glow. some scrap of his consciousness mourned how it would affect his ability to play, to drink, to move, the unforgiving chains binding his actions.

the larger majority mourned his god.

‘you can call me venti.’

[tummymoth]

Memoriam Amantis [1]

Chapter 1: Tears of an Archon (read on Ao3 here)

Chapter Summary: Fresh from the end of a bloody war, Rex Lapis finds himself frequenting a certain spot in Liyue to be alone with his thoughts. Here, he's free to reflect on past happenings and ponder the future. Here, he's free to grieve in total privacy. Well, maybe not total.

Additional Info: Angst, mentions of the Archon war, depictions of death and injury, sad!Zhongli, Zhongli is referred to as Rex Lapis in this

Word Count: 3525

<Previous

Liyue, some 2,000 years ago

There are many forms of worship, as Rex Lapis has observed from the thousands of years since his descension upon Teyvat. His personal favorite was prayer. Young or old, rich or poor, as long as there was intention for such a request to reach his ears, he would hear it. He had a contract to serve and guide this city, and his people’s prayers were an excellent means to ascertain what was needed of him to fulfill it.  

Worshippers left offerings at his statues scattered throughout Liyue in hopes of being granted protection as they ventured out into her untamed plains and mountains. Citizens of Liyue established certain rituals to venerate the Lord of Geo. In a way, Rex Lapis had begun some rituals of his own. 

When the bustling activity of Liyue Harbor reached a lull and there was nothing anyone required of him for the day, he found himself visiting Luhua Pool more often than not. 

On one such day, Rex Lapis trudged wearily to the shore and willed his legs to allow him at least some semblance of grace as he removed his robes and carefully set them on a nearby rock before lowering himself into one of the tiered pools of Luhua. 

A relieved sigh escaped him as he allowed the water’s heat to sink into fatigued muscle and sinew. He was a god, but that wasn’t to say he was immune to pain. 

Defending a territory against various gods and demons was not physically demanding work, not for an Archon of his strength. One thousand years of being entrapped in a fight-or-flight response and having little choice but to choose “fight” each and every time left him with an exhaustion that elixirs and medicinal teas would be hard-pressed to correct, but it was manageable. Drafting battle plans amidst the whirlwind of bureaucracy that comes with establishing a nation, however, was so mentally taxing that it left him with aching bones at the end of the day.

Seven Archons have taken seven seats of sovereignty. Seven nations have been born and between those seven nations, diplomacy was more important now than ever. 

The copper tang of bloodshed was still fresh in everyone’s minds. Hell, it tainted Rex Lapis’ very marrow at this point. Plans of rebuilding and establishing an era of peace occupied the minds of these new world leaders and left little room for much else. 

But once the scars of war fade into a distant legend in the people’s recollection and the comforts of peace lull them into complacency, what was stopping someone from starting the cycle of war all over again? The success of a nation rode on continued growth and expansion, and the easiest way to achieve that was to take land that belonged to another.

Treaties needed to be written. Contingency plans and considerations of the worst-case scenarios had to be brought to attention without offending the other party. Diplomatic relations and trade policies were just as crucial as the internal affairs of Liyue, especially when the main city was a port paramount to travel and commerce with other nations.

Rex Lapis’ head swam with logistics and the peace talks that were to come. The Seven often congregated in Liyue Harbor, but that was for pleasure rather than business. 

After the war, many sought to forget about its horrors by celebrating and making merry with those who survived. While there was sure to be a festival to welcome the six Archons who would be making their way here, there would be little opportunity to actually enjoy the festivities; much of that time was to be spent negotiating peace treaties and outlining expectations from these alliances via contract. 

As the God of Contracts, Rex Lapis knew it was his duty to commit each one to memory and be an upholder of fairness for everyone involved. He even looked forward to the drafting portion of the process. But the subtleties of diplomacy were never his forte. He loathed having to bite his tongue and pretend he didn’t quite comprehend icy jabs and deceivingly playful insults disguised as banter.

The sun began to cast an ochroid glow across Liyue’s horizon, and a sardonic smile made its way onto his face. 

“You would have been much more suited to this than I, my dear,” he said as he absentmindedly dug his fingers into the soft bottom of the pool. Silt unearthed itself and swirled about in the otherwise pristine water, temporarily clouding it. “I fear I’ve grown accustomed to bludgeoning my problems to death in your absence.” 

No one answered. He didn’t expect anyone to. 

Few have had the chance to hear the Archon’s innermost thoughts, and fewer still had the wherewithal to offer counsel. Being a leader in a bloody war left no room for showing weakness, both for the sake of his people’s morale and for his own well-being. 

There was only one who was able to wrestle with his brute force and hone it into a fearsome weapon with her razor-sharp intellect; she sat with him in his doubts and joys and shared her own in turn. There was only one with whom he entrusted everything. 

She made him useful. 

Perhaps he loved her.

She was long gone.

Rex Lapis let out a slow breath and closed his eyes. He told himself the wetness on his face was steam from the pool, and nothing else. It was a moment before he opened his eyes again. Flecks of liquid gold clung to his lashes and aside from blinking rapidly to clear his vision, he did little else to acknowledge them.  

Tension from the day’s work seeped from his limbs. It was tempting to sit here and let the world pass by him. Perhaps if enough years elapsed, the earth would allow his remains to sink into its depths and join the rock he so easily produced with nothing but his two bloodied, war-stricken hands. It would be almost poetic to fade into obscurity this way. Peaceful.

But he didn’t deserve peace. 

It wasn’t part of the agreement he codified with the people of Liyue. A city coming into its own in the wake of a chaotic power struggle needed guidance. They needed a reliable god to lead them into an age of stability, prosperity, and—hopefully—innovation. It was not his time to be at ease, not when there were so many obligations to fulfill. Not when he still has this restless energy thrumming in his veins.

Come nightfall, he was to meet with the yakshas and go about refining Liyue’s defenses as per their contract. He didn’t have time to languish about, caught in old rememberings when the bitterness of dead gods leeched into the ground and threatened to poison the land he’d lost so much to safeguard. 

After allowing himself a few more precious minutes of rest, Rex Lapis emerged from the pool and waved a hand to summon his robes. He pulled his hood over his head and granted himself one last indulgence by taking a moment to enjoy the softness of clay beneath his feet. 

Before long, he was off to return to Liyue Harbor. 

There was no one there to witness the stray glimmering tears dripping from his eyes into the water. No one saw the hairline cracks in his carefully constructed image of an unflappable and resolute Archon. But the springs of Luhua bubbled over that night from profound grief that could only be divine in origin. Cor lapis nodes and noctilucous jade emerged from the surrounding ground in clusters as if the gems themselves wanted to reach up and comfort their god.

Luhua Pool wept. 

Upon his next visit to the area, Rex Lapis was in no better spirits. Two yakshas had become afflicted with madness. Bonanus and Menogias were their names, and they were two of his five most trusted generals.

They had ripped each other to shreds.

When he received the report, he almost didn’t believe it. Or rather, he didn’t want to. What he wanted to do was deny the inevitable. He arrived at the scene to confirm it with his own two eyes, and the only sight that greeted him was bodies and blood.

One was gutted to the point of being unrecognizable—the only way he knew it was Menogias was the brilliant, bloodstained tatters of clothing barely covering his corpse. When Rex Lapis had ventured closer to examine the scraps of clothing, his fingers came away with blood. It was still warm.

Menogias was the more artistic one out of the five. When he wasn’t tasked with slaughtering the monsters infesting Liyue’s landscape, the same hands that emitted powerful blasts of Geo delicately held a needle and thread between their fingers. He had an eye that was good for both hunting down demons and design.

The other was calcified. What was previously flesh and blood had hardened to cold, unyielding stone. The remains of her face were forever twisted into a snarl, and half of her body had been blown to bits of stone scattered throughout the field. Rex Lapis had ordered that every fragment be collected for her burial. He held one in his hand and accidentally smeared blood on it. He had gotten blood on Bonanus.

Sweet, gentle Bonanus. With a voice clearer than the purest spring water. He could’ve sworn he felt a fissure forming in his chest at the thought of her. Her hands ended in fearsome claws, but she always tried to handle whatever was in them with the utmost care. Even with Rex Lapis, who was more durable than most, she took care to not accidentally graze his skin during their sparring lessons. Had it not been for him witnessing 4,000 years or so of peculiarities, the stark contrast between her benign disposition and relentless ferocity in battle would have unnerved him.

They knew this would happen eventually. Killing accrued karmic debt, even if it was for a noble cause. Spilling the blood of hundreds of thousands of monsters over the course of millennia exacted a heavy toll. This hindrance was outlined in their agreement, and it was one every yaksha—not just the foremost five—gladly took on for the sake of Liyue’s people. They vowed to maintain order through carnage and throw away their very lives if need be. 

This contract may as well have been penned with crimson. 

He sat on a cliff overlooking Luhua Pool and stared ahead bitterly. He was the eldest of The Seven. He lived through the rise and fall of empires and the wars that came with such change. Loss was no stranger to him. At the end of the day, seething hatred from the demons that plagued his yakshas overtook their humanity. This was what they agreed upon. All parties involved understood the ramifications of such an oath. Death was an inherent part of war, and the protection of peace demanded violence. Their deaths were for a cause with merit. Noble, even. In spite of this logic, the Archon still struggled to find justification for what he had witnessed today. 

By Celestia, the blood was still warm.

His generals had forged bonds with each other in the crucible of warfare and terror. They had become something of a family, trusting in each other and sometimes even coming to Rex Lapis for council. It started as queries about strategy and gradually evolved into some kind of mentorship. The Lord of Geo had become less of a commander and more of a… a caring figure to them. 

“My dear, I believe I may be ill-suited for peace.” His voice resounded in the quiet of Luhua Pool, hoarse as it was from unshed tears. As always, there was only the soft rustling of the tree beside him to answer. “I’m afraid the very idea will remain tainted with the blood of those who sought to accomplish it.”

It felt like an admission of guilt, but he pressed on.

“I have—had. I had five generals. As of today, only three remain. But they would have been endeared with you, and you with them. The two deceased were called Bonanus and Menogias.” 

Even now, his voice had a note of pride as he spoke of them. 

“All of them have come to excel in combat; they take instruction so well. But their creations are quite exquisite. I really do wish you were present to see them. 

“Bonanus would have been a songbird in another life. She led many a chorus when the nights grew long. I have heard from Millelith soldiers that her voice soothed the ache of homesickness, and I’m inclined to agree with them. Your flowers blossom when they hear her, did you know that? She loved them, but could never bear to hold them in fear of how delicate they are.” His voice wavered the slightest bit.

Rex Lapis found himself recounting stories of the two fallen yakshas to ears that would never hear them. As his lips moved around words of praise he had for his fallen generals, fond memories of their time under his command flashed in his mind’s eye. Over the years, his yakshas had grown comfortable enough to confide in him. Then they laughed with him. They cried to him. And in the end, they died at his behest.

“And Menogias,” he managed to press past the lump in his throat, “is such a clever one. He was making the most exquisite robes out of mere rags when I first met him. When he was supplied with proper silks and threads his pieces became more dazzling, still. So much talent for one so young.” 

Rex Lapis had been in Teyvat for thousands of years at this point; of course Menogias would have been considered young. In comparison to the Archon, wasn’t everyone but a blip in time? He shook the thought from his head.

“He depicted adepti and mythical creatures cast in golden light, and his skill in embroidering ceremonial wear is nothing short of exemplary. I have quite a few of his works in a personal collection. They’re all gifts he insisted I have. I suspect his work will have a lasting influence over Liyue’s weavers and designers. You would have cherished them just the same.” He paused a moment before sighing. 

“The yakshas are a group with the sole objective of destroying evil, this much everyone knows. But I worry that in having them partake in this crusade, I robbed them of their potential to participate in acts of creation. I’m not like you, Guizhong.” Oh, how he wished he was. “I’m a brute who specializes in waging war and imposing my will, so that’s the knowledge I passed on to them.”

He knew Guizhong had moved on after her death, though he knew not where, but it was cathartic to confide in her like he did centuries before. If he closed his eyes and focused enough, he could almost fool himself into thinking that she was hardly a meter away from him, listening intently to his verbosities so she could contribute her two cents at the end of it. However, this was no time to indulge in impossibilities. He wouldn’t permit himself to when such heavy loss weighed on himself and those under his charge. 

The thermal pools were too far away for the steam to reach him, but he didn’t consider any other explanations as to why his face was damp. 

Before his composure cracked, the archon released a breath with only the faintest of tremors and took in the scene before him. Impossibly clear tiered pools gave way to a lake with crystalline blue waters. At the bottom of the thermal pools sat precious minerals that glimmered whenever the rippling water allowed the sun to hit them just right. The shore was unmarred by the war and strife that previously ravaged Teyvat. All this sat against the backdrop of distant mountains and trees. It was picturesque. Were it not for the events of days past, perhaps he would have found it in himself to smile.

“The Guili plains are no more, my dear. But I’m sure you would love what Liyue is becoming.” She had an affinity for beautiful things, after all. 

Cr—aCK.

He snapped to attention. Senses on high alert, Rex Lapis sprung to his feet and summoned a spear of Geo, willing to run it through the chest of any threat that dared to eavesdrop. He had killed for lesser offenses.

“You will find that any attempt to ambush a warrior god is unwise,” he cautioned the unseen encroacher. His features were set in a mask of impassive stone as he surveyed his surroundings for any signs of the intruder. Amber eyes flashed with lethal purpose. “Reveal yourself now, and I will consider granting you permission to depart with your life.” 

There was a pregnant pause as he lingered with his body poised to strike. Five heartbeats passed with no answer before he slowly sat back down on the cliff’s edge. Even seated, his ears strained for any indication of activity in his surroundings. 

A faint rustling to his right, too deliberate to be unassuming. 

Spear in hand, his arm swung in a sweeping arc until it connected with the trunk of the tree next to him with a decisive thunk! The Lord of Geo whirled on the source of the noise, ready to prove just how foolish of an endeavor it was to hide from him, only to see—

Nothing. 

His spear had bitten into the wood of the tree until it cut through almost three-quarters of it. With a wave of his hand it was dispersed, leaving some bark to splinter off and fall to the ground. Aside from the gash that now disfigured the tree, nothing else was to be discovered. 

That couldn’t be right. He still sensed the presence of another as clear as day. They were close, right under his nose. He was certain of it. He whipped his head about in pursuit of the missing suspect. His physical vision grew unfocused as he tuned into elemental sight. Surely he would encounter traces of whoever that was. He zeroed in on the tree again. 

Much to his surprise, Rex Lapis was met with a long, lithe creature comprised entirely of Geo energy. Its features couldn’t be discerned aside from the flickering golden light emanating from its body but looked to be about the length from the tip of his fingers to his elbow. At least, it would have been that long if it hadn’t been bisected by his spear. One half clung onto bark for everything it was worth with two limbs while the other was in a useless, coiled heap at the base of the tree. When he didn’t move, the creature paused in its scrabbling to chirp at him in vexation.

The sight was comical enough to dissipate his anger entirely. Were it not for the fact that this creature wasn’t made of flesh and blood, he would have felt some level of guilt. As he approached, the creature’s form fizzed and spiked with what he could only interpret as ire. He hardly blamed it. It wasn’t difficult to imagine the discomfort of being sliced in half and pinned to a tree in fear. 

Against its protests and squirming—the latter of which provoked unpleasant memories of tentacles and nasty slime—Rex Lapis grasped the plucky creature and gently set it on the grass next to its lower half. 

It took some time for it to realize that, aside from the initial attack that nearly resulted in a tree as collateral damage, the Archon wasn’t a threat. The Geo creature regarded him with what seemed to be curiosity before it nudged at its other half and fused with it in the same manner that water droplets combine when surface tension is broken. 

Now that it was less excitable, the Archon was able to fully process what kind of being was before him. Without the aid of elemental sight, it was little more than a ripple in the air, entirely invisible save for a slight distortion. He was no stranger to Geo spirits and their idiosyncrasies, but to say he had encountered a spirit such as this would be a lie. 

Rex Lapis leaned in closer to examine it.

The little spirit stared back, its face little more than two glowing bits of energy and what looked to be a mouth.

“What are you called, háizi?” 

It blinked twice before opening its mouth. Each movement caused ripples to spread out toward the rest of its body as if it were one huge dewdrop two seconds away from collapsing. 

“A… Ah…” 

Rex Lapis leaned closer still, interested in what it had to say.  

“Ah—QIAN!” Bits of pure Geo energy sprayed onto his face, leaving him to look at the spirit with thinly veiled astonishment. Had it just—

He cleared his throat before using the collar of his robes to wipe it away. “Perhaps we will revisit that query at a subsequent date.” 

An interesting spirit, indeed.

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Translations háizi: "little one" in Mandarin ah-qian: a transliteration of how one would write "ah-choo" in Mandarin

A/N: This was based on a 600-word drabble that got away from me. I was watching tiktoks with those yixing clay teapot makers at three a.m. (as you do) and was enamored with the gentle treatment and caresses they gave the clay and thought, "Well,,,, Zhongli can control geo and he's a god,,, geo is stone which is found in dirt, which is similar to clay,,, and gods create,,, what... what if...?" and then it progressed from there ( ´∀｀)

I put the drabble (and Genshin) on the back burner for about a year before going through my documents and finding it. Thus began a deep dive of Liyuean lore in an attempt to give this story some substance.

Hope you enjoy this indulgent fic ! I'd love to hear your thoughts !