Draconic Impact Chapter 34

Edited by: Priapus

– Lumine –

Rejuvenated after a full night’s rest, she stretched her arms and legs, feeling much better than she had yesterday. As a traveler with many years of experience, Lumine was used to sleeping anywhere, whether freezing her butt off on a cold hard surface or a soft warm bed in a tavern. It was a versatile skill she didn’t regret learning.

But damn, did the sleep quality vastly differ. If she did sleep somewhere cold and hard, she would naturally not feel as rested as she would sleeping somewhere comfortable. Physically, yes, she would feel much better. But mentally? She’d wake up cranky and annoyed for the rest of the day. Her sleeping bag did well enough to lessen that pain, but sometimes she needed something more comfortable. Which she had come to realize was cuddling with someone her size.

She didn’t know what it was that made sleeping right next to someone so comfy. Lumine couldn’t remember the last time she’d woken up feeling this good physically and mentally. Even using Paimon like a personal plushie wasn’t as comforting. As embarrassing as it was, she had to thank Crimson for that. She just hoped he’d had as good a night’s rest as she’d had.

“Wake up, Paimon.” She said, looking down at her companion. “It’s time we met the Adepti.”

“Eugh… Just five more minutes, please.”

“I’ve given you an hour,” Lumine responded firmly, shaking her half-full canteen next to her companion’s ears. “Wake up now, or I’m pouring water on you.”

“I’m up! I’m up!” Paimon said as her eyes opened with panic, quickly floating away from the smirking Lumine. “You’re so mean…”

“I wouldn’t be so mean if you actually listened to me.” She scoffed. “Get ready. We’re leaving in a few minutes.”

“What about breakfast?” Paimon asked. A second later, her tiny stomach grumbled. “I’m hungry.”

That was somewhat of a problem as they were out of supplies. They would need to hunt and forage for their own food and make their own meals until they cleared their names in Liyue Harbor. Sure, not that big of an issue, but there’s only so much time in the day.

“This will have to do for now, I’m afraid,” Crimson said as he approached the two, holding a small bag filled with apples in one hand as he ate one with the other. “I’m aware you’re a big eater, Paimon, but I’ve heard that a light breakfast is much healthier.”

Lumine couldn’t help but blush as he looked back at her, remembering what they did last night. She didn’t know what had possessed her to make a move that bold, but Lumine didn’t really regret it as much as she thought. Certainly not when the feelings were reciprocated. But now, she couldn’t look at him without her face going red.

It was awkward on her part, but what could she do? She was highly inexperienced for someone her age, but that was because there had never been the time to… indulge in these things. She’d been busy looking for a new world to settle in after her last one had been destroyed. Embarrassing as it was to admit it, Lumine had longed to do something like this eventually. With someone as handsome as Crimson? It felt like she’d struck gold. It didn’t hurt that he was similar to her in some way.

There were times when she wondered if she really was that desperate, but those doubts had disappeared the moment he showed equal enthusiasm. She’d never expected it to feel so nice, either. Her fatigue had washed away the longer they were at it. Lumine almost wanted to take it to the next level, but that probably wasn’t a good idea. That would make her desperate, and she didn’t want to wake Paimon up and traumatize her for life.

Of course, she was aware of the kind of person he was. A playboy, lustful, probably fucked half of Mondstadt. He didn’t exactly keep it a secret, but it still was very understandable from her perspective. Rather, she was very open-minded about it. Lumine didn’t really care as long as no party was hurt. Personally speaking, she was fine with sharing a handsome devil like him. If anything, she understood where he was coming from. If Lumine were a boy, she would’ve probably done the same. The people here, men and women, were very pretty.

Aether probably would disapprove of her decision, as Crimson was slowly turning into the exact type of person he’d warned her about, but it would be fine. Her brother was exaggerating— Crimson wasn’t the kind of person who would ruin her life. For sure, he might be a little lustful, but so what? Perhaps Lumine liked that about him. Perhaps she wanted to be desired that way as well.

Also, if he did turn out to be a terrible person, he’d still shown that he wasn’t irredeemable with their heart-to-heart last night. She could fix him. Probably. Besides, people tended to focus on their bad sides rather than their good sides, so perhaps Crimson was just exaggerating. Definitely.

“Aww…” Paimon grumbled, taking an apple. “That’s too light for me, though…”

“When we’ve cleared your names, I’ll take you to the most popular restaurants in Liyue. My treat.” Crimson said as he gave Lumine one as well. “You just need to endure for now.”

“Really?” Her eyes sparkled. “You better not bail out on us, alright?”

“You have nothing to worry about.” He assured Lumine’s companion.

Paimon smiled in satisfaction as she began munching on the fruit. See? How could someone like him be that bad? Really, what would he gain from being so kind to them? Yes, he could just be doing this to get into her pants, which Lumine didn’t really mind all that much, but what could Paimon even offer him?

Surely nothing could go wrong if Lumine started dating him.

“What is it?” Crimson suddenly asked her. “You’ve been staring at me for quite some time now.”

“Oh, uh, it’s nothing.” Lumine awkwardly cleared her throat. “So, it’s gonna take us a while to get over there. Hope you’re good at climbing.”

Crimson blinked as she pointed at the tall mountain in the distance, then smiled in amusement.

“I can fly there, Lumine.” He responded, spreading his black wings with scales as tough as steel. “Come here.”

Lumine squeaked in surprise as he suddenly took her, supporting her legs and back with his hands. More blood rushed to her face at being carried princess style, but Crimson paid it no mind as he addressed her floating companion.

“On my back, Paimon. And do mind the wings.” He said to her. She nodded and did as she was told. “Hold on tight.”

Crimson bent down, then leaped, the force shattering the ground below him as he was propelled into the skies above the clouds in less than a second. Lumine’s eyes widened in a mixture of wonder, surprise, and slight dread, not having expected him to move that quickly.

“Woah, I’ve never been flown high up before!” Paimon said, looking down. “This is amazing!”

“That was way too fast,” Lumine muttered. She’d been used to faster, but that was before getting stuck in Teyvat. Oh, if only she could still fly… “Suddenly, I’m happy we didn’t eat a proper breakfast.”

“No kidding.” Paimon agreed. “I might’ve thrown up.”

“That would’ve actually made me mad,” Crimson said. “Enough that I would’ve dropped you.”

Lumine looked down and paled. She was confident in herself to endure a lot of punishment, but a fall from this height might actually kill her. Severely injure her at best.

“Good thing I saw it coming, yes?” He added. “So, which mountain are we supposed to go to again?”

“Uh, that one. The one with Amber crystals all around it.” Paimon pointed west. “I think that’s where Mountain Shaper is.”

“Very well.”

As his wings flapped, Crimson flew faster than either Paimon or Lumine had anticipated, crossing the distance between them and the mountaintop in seconds. The traveler tightly held onto his shirt, as despite her trust in the dragon, she didn’t want to let go and risk anything. Though even if she were to fall, Crimson would catch her anyway.

Suddenly, Lumine wondered just how much easier it would be to look for Aether with Crimson taking them wherever they desired. Going from region to region in a matter of seconds instead of weeks, if not months. They’d cover so much in so little time.

Even though she would be sacrificing the sense of adventure, finding her brother was more important than that. She could enjoy adventuring after making sure Aether was okay.

In mere moments since taking off into the sky, Crimson landed on the mountaintop, letting go of Lumine and Paimon before retracting his wings. They took a moment to scan their surroundings, trying to find this ‘Mountain Shaper’ before—

“Intruders!” A voice filled with indignation boomed. “You dare trespass on my mountain?”

From the highest peak of said mountain, a majestic brown crane, its feathers adorned with vibrant, fiery hues, gracefully descended from the sky, landing elegantly right in front of them. Lumine could immediately tell that this was the Adeptus they were looking for if the power he radiated was anything to go by.

However, before he could continue to scold them and possibly attack them, he took one look at Crimson and paused. As if he’d completely forgotten their presence, he stared down at her dragon friend with fury and unease.

“…You reek of blood.” He said as the mountain suddenly shook from his power. “What brings you here, beast? Liyue is under the protection of the Adepti. To approach me must mean you have a death wish.”

Crimson blinked.

“Not particularly.” He responded. “There seems to be a misunderstanding. I mean you no harm, Mr. Mountain Shaper.”

“Your lies fall on deaf ears, vermin.” The crane accused, getting ready to attack. “Such bloodlust I’ve not felt for thousands of years—nay, not since the Archon War.”

“Wait, hold on! Moon Carver sent us!” Lumine said, getting in front of Crimson and showing the Adeptus the sigil. “Look, we even have this.”

This was the right move as Mountain Shaper quickly relaxed as soon as he saw the sigil.

“A Sigil of Permission?” He said out loud. The adeptus took a moment to process it, glancing at Crimson, then back at Lumine. “…I see. Moon Carver sent you, you say? How unusual. Trusting a mortal to be his messenger, that is. And whatever you are.”

“My name is Crimson.” He introduced himself, bowing politely. “My apologies for making such a bad impression. As a dragon, it’s quite difficult to contain and mask my bloodlust, especially from a wise being such as yourself.”

“A dragon?” Mountain Shaper spread his wings, his tone one of surprise. “I see. Your apology is accepted. So, what brings you here? What does that old stag wish to tell me?”

Lumine hesitated. If Crimson’s mere presence was enough to make him react that way, then how the hell would he react if he’s told about Morax’s demise?

“Well, there’s no easy way to say this, but…” Lumine took a deep breath. “During the Rite of Descension, Rex Lapis was assassinated.”

The crane visibly flinched at the news as the mountain shook again. It took him a moment to articulate a response, as the shock slowly but surely subsided. Thankfully, he didn’t react in a violent manner as Lumine had admittedly anticipated.

“Rex Lapis… Assassinated?!” His voice boomed. “Inconceivable! What mortal in Liyue—no, in all of Teyvat, could conspire to commit such foul treason?! What power in this world could aspire to achieve such atrocity?!”

“We don’t know, but we are being accused of doing it, and we need your help to clear our name,” Paimon said.

“We were there during the Rite of Descention. We were closest to his body when it fell.” Lumine added some context. “But we’re nowhere near capable enough to kill a god. And we have no reason to.”

“I see… So the culprit still lives.” The crane muttered, sharply glancing at Crimson. “…Dragons are territorial, are they not?”

Oh no. Lumine paled.

“Very,” Crimson admitted. “…For the uncivilized kind, of course.”

Mountain Shaper took a moment to think it through, glaring at the relaxed Crimson before looking away.

“…No, it couldn’t be you. Otherwise, Moon Carver wouldn’t have sent you here.” Mountain Shaper said, unaware that Crimson had never met the stag. Lumine saw no reason to point that out. “I trust his judgement. Traveler, of the matter you have relayed, I have become aware. I now know why Moon Carver has sent for us.”

“So you’ll help us?” Paimon asked.

“Yes. Once I have dealt with certain matters here that require my attention, I shall convene with the other adepti.” He nodded. “Have you spoken to the other adepti yet?”

“Only you and Moon Carver so far,” Lumine answered. “Moon Carver told us to spread the message to Cloud Retainer and Conqueror of Demons, too.”

“Good.” The adeptus said, flapping his wings. “I am grateful for your coming. We shall meet again, Traveler. Consider your name cleared after you’ve spread the message to the rest.”

With that, Mountain Shaper left the mountain. Lumine breathed a sigh of relief. That was a lot more stressful than she thought it was gonna be.

“A lot less violent than I thought he was going to be.” Crimson hummed. “I’ve met several of his type, and nearly all of them started a fight they couldn’t win.”

“Right…” She sighed again. She didn’t ask any further for her own sake. “Let’s go. Cloud Retainer isn’t very far— see that mountain over there?”

“Understood.” Crimson nodded, carrying her and Paimon again before flying over to their next destination.

Although this time, the adeptus was nowhere to be seen. As expected. 

“Hmm, I do sense their presence,” Crimson said. “Though it’s masked by that barrier over there. Could they be inside?”

He pointed at a burrow entrance that led down inside the mountain.

“Probably.” Lumine nodded.

This mountaintop lacked the amber clusters they’d found in the previous one, but it made up for it in beauty with a multitude of colorful trees and a small pond in the middle. Within the pond was a stone dinner table.

There were a couple of old pots scattered around the edges of the pond.

“Moon Carver told us that Cloud Retainer only shows up whenever someone made her an offering of her favorite meals,” Paimon said.

“Which are?” Crimson questioned.

“No idea.” Lumine shrugged. “But there’s probably a clue around here. The problem is having to cook a meal for her in the first place. That’ll take us a while to do.”

Assuming they know what she liked, anyway. And something told her Crimson couldn’t cook as fast as he traveled.

She then paused to think, getting an idea.

“Hey, I know I’ve been asking you for a lot lately, but you think you can do me a favor?” She glanced at Crimson.

“Of course.” He nodded. “What do you need?”

“Paimon and I will handle things here while you meet up with the last adeptus.” She said. “It’ll save us a lot of time since you can fly there in seconds.”

“I see. That makes sense.” He agreed. “And where’s this… Conqueror of Demons?”

“The inn near the borders of Mondstadt.” She answered. “It’s a big one. You can’t miss it.”

“I know. I have been there once.” He said, spreading his wings again. “Very well. Then, I’ll meet you again in Liyue Harbor. I have a room in the tavern near the front gates.”

“Got it.” Lumine smiled. “Good luck.”

“To you as well.” He replied before flying away.

Once he was out of view, Lumine’s smile dropped, and she sighed, which Paimon very quickly noticed if her snickering was an indication.

“Aw, you forgot to give him a goodbye kiss~” She teased with a knowing smirk.

If not for the fact that Paimon could fly, thus making her efforts for naught, Lumine would’ve punted the midget off the mountain.

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– Crimson –

Flight truly is a convenient ability, isn’t it? More so, considering the amount of travel-heavy quests I’ve been doing since coming here. Fetching certain objects from dangerous sites, delivering letters to a village on the other side of the region, and defeating monsters terrorizing civilians while hiding atop mountains or deep in caves. Had I not gotten my wings back, I would’ve gotten bored with such pointless tasks much earlier.

Being able to fly, and at the speed at which I can move, made it a hundred times more tolerable. What can I say? I’ve lost my sense of adventure eons ago. You’ve seen ten fantasy worlds, you’ve seen them all. In fact, most of my childhood was spent in one. These universes lose their magic very quickly for me. Adventure-wise, of course. I ultimately like them because they’re easy and relaxing most of the time when there isn’t a Demon King to be slain, of course.

But I digress. I don’t particularly care for these mind-numbingly boring quests, seeing that I can finish them in minutes at most. I’m only doing a favor at the request of a friend, and, well, I am interested in this Conqueror of Demons character—quite the fascinating name. As someone who grew up around demons, literally and metaphorically, I’d like to see the kind of person he is.

On an unrelated note, these adepti have funny names. At first, I thought they were merely titles given to them, but the one I’ve met seems to use it as his actual name. It’d be like introducing myself to others as ‘Heaven’s Juggernaut.’ It’s very bizarre. My mother isn’t the best at naming things, but even she isn’t that terrible at it. 

But that can’t be true. They most probably have a ‘normal’ name. I’ll ask this ‘Conqueror’ if he can confirm. After I’ve told him of his god’s ‘death’, of course.

I float above the giant tavern, scanning the area until I find who I’m looking for. I must say, whoever he may be, he’s masterful at hiding his presence. I’m actually having quite a bit of trouble looking for him anywhere. Perhaps he is not here? But that is where he is supposed to be positioned, according to Lumine.

Hmm… An adeptus sworn to protect Liyue… This gives me an idea.

I can uselessly continue looking for him, but if he does not want to be found, then I don’t think I have much of a chance of finding him. Or I’m just being lazy. Regardless, I’d rather not waste my time. So instead of looking for him, he will have to look for me.

I land on top of the tavern, still high in the air, and release my draconic bloodlust, instantly eclipsing the entirety of the inn and the area surrounding it, but not far enough to reach the other adepti. I wouldn’t want to pick a fight with them, after all.

For the normal person, they wouldn’t feel a thing, but if this Conqueror of Demons is half as perceptive as the other adeptus I met, then he’d have sensed it. Assuming he is here, of course. And as a protector, he’ll have to answer the call. A mere stomp of my foot could crush this inn and turn it into a pile of rubble, and I’ve made that very clear.

Perhaps not the best way to make an impression, but I frankly have no patience to spend the next hour searching. I’m sure he’ll be understanding enough—

In an instant, my body moves on its own, evading the thrust of a spear as a powerful gust of wind throws me off the inn, making me flip in the air and stare at the Conqueror of Demons with a grin. Unlike the other adepti, he took a human form. A head shorter than me with dark medium-length hair with teal undertones. Pale skin and a green tattoo of an unrecognizable pattern on his right arm. He wore a white sleeveless shirt with cloud patterns, baggy purple pants, and an oni-like mask.

“You’re quick,” I say, crossing my arms. “Careful with that toothpick. You almost left a scratch.”

“Silence.” He responds with a quiet tone, pointing his spear at me as he floats to my level. “Liyue is under my protection, beast. I’ll give you one chance to leave. Take it, or I’ll take your head.”

Scary~

I’m quite confident that I’d be able to defeat him, but credit where credit’s due, he’s very powerful. Aside from the gods of these lands and Lumine’s brother, he might be the strongest I’ve met so far. Stronger than Eula currently is, in fact. However, fighting him could cause quite a lot of collateral damage.

…Then again, I wouldn’t mind letting loose for once. It has been quite a while. But if I can resist the temptation of challenging the Warrior God of Liyue, then I can resist this, too. As hungry for conquest as I may be, I’m still civilized enough to control myself.

“Haha, apologies, Mr. Conqueror of Demons. I was merely joking. I only did what I did to get your attention.” I explain myself. “I’ve not found you after looking for you for quite some time, you see. I am here to relay to you a message of utmost importance.”

He pauses, shows that he’s listening, but doesn’t lower the spear.

“Speak.”

Quite arrogant.

“Rex Lapis was assassinated during the Rite of Descension,” I reveal bluntly, making him flinch. “Moon Carver asks for your presence to discuss what to do.”

He remains frozen for a few seconds until, eventually, he lowers the spear, the mask on him vanishing to show a face of shock and sorrow. He looks down, almost unsure of what to do or say.

“Morax is dead…?” He mutters before glaring at me. “That’s impossible. What trickery is this, beast? You believe I’m so gullible that I would take your lies for granted?”

“If you don’t believe me, then ask your fellow adepti.” I shrug. “I am only a messenger.”

“No.” His golden eyes narrow as he points the spear at me once more. “You are hiding something. I can feel it.”

He’s sharp. But I can’t exactly tell him that Morax is actually alive and is only pretending to be dead. The truth is a lot more outlandish than a lie.

“I’ll give you one more chance.” He says, the mask forming on his face. “Speak of what you know. Now.”

…Well, I did try to be civilized. He’s not letting me go until I tell him the truth, which I’m not willing to do.

Given the opportunity to shake the rust off my combat instincts, I smirk.

“Make me.”

Accepting my challenge, the adeptus charges at me and thrusts his spear, followed by an immense cyclone formed with his Anemo energy. I grab the tip of the spear right before it touches my throat, grin widening as I feel him struggling against my strength. His wind spell doesn’t even move me an inch from my position.

I pull the spear and him with it, delivering a gut punch that sends him flying into the horizon and above the clouds. I soar after him, splitting said clouds from sheer speed before slamming him back down. The adeptus gasps in pain as he hits the ground, forming a large crater, but he quickly recovers and evades my stomp.

He responds by expertly swinging and thrusting his spear at me, moving much faster than any opponent I’ve faced thus far. Even then, I manage to bob and weave, effortlessly reading his movement and predicting where he would attack. He’s skilled, I’ll give him that, but I’ve fought and killed better.

Growing bored of defense, I side-step from a thrust and spin-kick the spear off his hand, following up with a jab to his chest. He grunts but, once again, quickly recovers as he blocks and deflects the other two attacks, showing impressive mastery of martial arts. His kicks and punches carry remarkable weight behind them despite the power difference. I’m actually starting to enjoy this.

Locked in a test of strength with the adeptus, I can’t help but chuckle.

“You’re not called ‘Conqueror of Demons’ for nothing, I suppose,” I tell him, feeling far less stressed than he is. “But that’s not your actual name, is it? Mind telling me what it is?”

He grunts and grits his teeth as he’s slowly pushed back, focused on figuring out a way to get out of his predicament, I assume. I help him out by pulling his arms down and kneeing him in the face, forcing him to let go and sending him backward a few paces. The Conqueror of Demons looks at me in shock as blood comes out of his nose.

“What the hell are you?” He mutters, wiping his nose.

“I asked first.” I point out.

The adeptus recomposes himself and, surprisingly, gives me an answer.

“Xiao.” He says, reaffirming his stance. “Last of the Yakshas.”

I knew they had names.

“Crimson.” I introduce myself. “A dragon on vacation.”

Once again, as I answer that, my body moves on its own, evading the soaring spear coming from behind me as it returns to its wielder. Xiao doesn’t waste another second as he charges forth once more, showing more of his power as his Anemo energy forms a cyclone so powerful it tears the ground underneath us asunder.

This forces me to move, but the wind is too strong. I cannot see or hear properly, so Xiao lands his first hit as he kicks me in the back of the head, sending me crashing through a hill before the cyclone pulls back to its center. Xiao dashes with impressive speed, slashing through and stabbing my body with his oversized toothpick to a point where he’s drawing blood.

I’m almost tempted to grow my scales, but I realize that would be quite the overkill, so I close my eyes, relax my body, and let it do its job, immediately turning the tides as I avoid another slash and grab the dashing adeptus by the foot, forcefully dragging him out of the cyclone and spinning him around close enough to the ground and smashing him on each rock on the way.

Eventually, I let go of his foot and grab him by the face instead, dragging him across the earth. Through trees, boulders, rivers, Hilichurls, several elemental slimes, and rivers, I take Xiao with me through the borders to Mondstadt, making sure to take the most treacherous route. He eventually has enough of it as he roars, using his last bit of energy to push me away with a gust of wind.

“Neat trick. Had I been anyone else, that attack would’ve done me in.” I say, letting him catch his breath as I lick the blood on my arm left by one of his slashes. “You are worthy to be a protector. Be proud.”

To be honest, the fact that he could hurt me at all despite my holding back is worthy of praise.

“I don’t care for your recognition, monster.” He growls, in a much worse shape than I. “I will vanquish you.”

I snort.

“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” I tilt my head.

At his confused frown, I take a step forward and appear directly in front of him, the ends of my dragon claws an inch away from his neck. Xiao’s eyes widen, but he does nothing else, knowing that making a single move would end with his throat being cut open.

“You’ve lost the battle before it even began,” I tell him, then smile. “…Is what I would’ve said if not for the gentleman behind me, of course.”

As the tip of the spear slowly digs into my back, I get the message and retract my claws away from the adeptus’ throat. The man behind me does the same, his spear vanishing into the aether as I turn around to face him.

“All of this is your fault, by the way.”

“I’m well aware.” Zhongli nods, giving the shocked Xiao a quick glance. “Let me handle this, Mr. Crimson.”

“By all means.” I shrug, stepping away. “It’s your mess.”

Xiao glances at me, then addresses Zhongli properly.

“Morax.” He acknowledges with a nod.

“It has been quite some time, my old friend.” The Geo Archon nods back.

“He told me you were assassinated,” Xiao says. 

“Yes.” He confirms. “And I ask that you continue this lie. For my sake.”

This only serves to make Xiao even more confused. As for me, I’m quite interested to see where this is going.

“Why? What’s the meaning of this?”

“I’ve decided to step away from my duties as Archon,” Zhongli explains. “I’ve been doing this for far too long, my friend. Perhaps humanity must learn how to take care of itself. They cannot grow under my rule.”

…I suppose I can understand? Kind of? Personally, I would’ve come clean and said I was lazy. I wouldn’t want to rule a place for thousands of years either. Done it once. Never again. It’s better to let my secretaries do it in my stead.

They always took care of everything, the lovable bunch.

I should get them some gifts.

“But why pretend you’re dead? Couldn’t you publicly step down?” Xiao asks, making a good point. “If the people of Liyue think you’re dead, then—”

“I’m aware. This is my final test for them.” He answers. “For the Qixing, the adepti, and every citizen in Liyue. If they pass, then my guidance was never needed.”

And that sounds like an excuse to do something hilarious, in my opinion. And it was. Realizing he was alive and relaxing in the funeral parlor, drinking tea while everyone was running around like headless chickens, was pretty amusing. A god who knows how to have fun is a god I can respect.

“To tell the truth, you were never supposed to know either, but I’m left with no choice.” Zhongli throws me a look, making me shrug. “I hope you can understand.”

Xiao takes a moment to think it through before nodding.

“I trust your judgment.” He says, keeping it very short. “Alright. I will keep your secret.”

“Thank you, my friend.” Morax smiles. “Go. Seek the other adepti, but speak not of your battle with Crimson. He is… my acquaintance.”

“He means friend.” I quip.

Zhongli does not look amused with me.

“As you command,” Xiao says.

He glances at me with none of the hostility he showed during our battle and gives me a respectful nod before taking off.

“You are injured,” Zhongli states, looking at me. “You need immediate medical attention.”

“Ah, a mere flesh wound.” I roll my neck and spread my wings. “Dragons such as myself are very durable. I do appreciate the concern, however.”

As I float off the ground, I stare at Zhongli.

“And don’t you worry, I’ll be keeping your secret as well,” I add. “Wouldn’t want to interfere with this test of yours.”

“I’d be quite thankful.”

I grin and fly back to Liyue Harbor, leaving the God of Contracts to make his own way back home. If he easily caught up to us and, without me even noticing, then I have nothing to worry about.

On my way to the city, my smile drops, and I sigh in slight frustration.

…Ah, I knew trying not to deescalate the situation was a bad idea. The battle was fun, but I’m admittedly left very unsatisfied. Not only did I have the upper hand for the entirety of the fight, but I couldn’t even finish him off for glory.

I hate being edged.

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– Xianyun –

For an adeptus that lived on one of the highest peaks of Liyue, she wasn’t used to getting a lot of visitors. And for good reason, as not many were brave or determined enough to make the trek here, specifically to meet an adeptus. Although sworn to protect Liyue from all external threats, she didn’t want mortals poking their noses where they didn’t belong, especially when they didn’t come bearing gifts.

And after the news of Morax’s assassination, she had half a mind to wipe Liyue Harbor off the map. But she knew she was being emotional— after all, she’d been tasked with protecting Liyue, not harming it. This would go against her contract.

Still, the disrespect from some of these mortals could get very irritating. The least they could do after bothering her was to make it worth her time. Cloud Retainer appreciated the peace and quiet of her home most of all. Though admittedly, it did get boring sometimes, mainly when her neighbors consisted of two annoying but equally powerful adepti she kept squabbling with, and one so reclusive she only saw him once every decade.

She allowed very few people to come to her abode without bringing any offerings: her peers, her students, and Morax—no more than that. One of them had visited today, something she certainly did not expect.

“What a surprise.” She said with a smoke pipe in hand, smiling down at the half-qilin. “One did not expect you to come say hello, Ganyu. How have you been? Are the mortals in Liyue Harbor giving you trouble?”

A girl she’d known for centuries. In fact, Cloud Retainer had personally raised this one to be the proper adeptus she was now. Although she could be a little air-headed sometimes, she was most proud of this child.

“I’ve been fine,” Ganyu responded, looking strangely skittish. “And no, everyone’s nice.”

Even if they weren’t, Ganyu was probably too nice to say it. As a half-qilin, half-human, she had a lot of trouble fitting in with them. She could never relate to them properly, as much as she wanted to. Most notably, her perception of time was too different from that of humans. At the same time, her human nature made her too distant from other adepti.

Admittedly, Cloud Retainer sometimes envied the mortals below. Compared to her, they probably led far more interesting lives. They traveled, explored, and… did whatever mortals did to amuse themselves these days. All she had to pass the time here was tinkering with some of the machines- a hobby she enjoyed- and getting rid of the pesky monsters around her home. There wasn’t much one could do to entertain themselves. Aside from the occasional invitation from her fellow adepti, but that usually ended up with them quarreling.

Cloud Retainer had thought about visiting Liyue Harbor a few times. To see what the mortals were up to these days. If not for herself, then to be a little more relatable to Ganyu. Like her peers, she could take on a human form and blend in with them. She was assuming that form right this moment, finding it a little more comfortable. She’d be made fun of if her fellow adepti were to show up and see her like this, but she had sharp enough senses that she’d quickly return to her crane form before they could see her.

As a ‘mortal’, Cloud Retainer took the name ‘Xianyun’ for herself. It would be bizarre if she still called herself by her adeptus name to humans, after all. Though those who knew her would address her with it.

“You seem rather distracted.” Xianyun pointed out with a raised eyebrow. “More than usual, one would say. Did the news of Rex Lapis’ death shake you that much?”

Ganyu’s breath hitched, making Cloud Retainer frown.

“There’s no shame in admitting so, Ganyu.” She said. “To tell the truth, I had nearly lost myself in wrath. Had it not been for the Traveler reminding me of my duty, I might’ve squashed the Qixing and Liyue Harbor.”

She believed the Traveler to be innocent. That girl told the truth, and she felt too pure to commit such an act. Besides, she lacked the power to damage Morax in any meaningful way. So the culprit must be someone in Liyue, who knew about the Rite of Descension and had dealt a killing blow right when Morax least expected it, likely by a politician with a grudge.

“He’s not dead.” She said firmly, making Xianyun blink. “I refuse to believe it.”

She stared at the younger adeptus before Ganyu noticed her tone.

“I’m sorry.” Ganyu wavered, sounding apologetic and hesitant. “I just… There are enough problems back there, and we’re trying our hardest to contain the chaos, but truthfully, I need your advice regarding something I encountered in Liyue Harbor. Something unrelated.”

“Of course.” The older adeptus nodded. “What might that be?”

“Well…” She shook her head, struggling to articulate her response. “I… met someone.”

Xianyun blinked, replying before her surrogate daughter could give context.

“I’m afraid one cannot help you in matters of love, Ganyu. Nor does one think now is an appropriate time.”

“It’s not about love!” She quickly denied. “It’s someone dangerous. I think. He looked fine and was nice, and I could tell that he had no bad intentions, but I couldn’t help but feel that he was going to do something terrible.”

This made Cloud Retainer narrow her eyes. That was strange.

“Tell me more.”

“Right. In his presence, I didn’t really feel or notice anything out of the ordinary, but when I looked at him, I…” Ganyu raised a fist. “I froze. It felt like I was staring at the jaws of death, but the man wasn’t doing anything. He was friendly, yet I couldn’t even breathe.”

Xianyun waited for her to finish. Very strange. To feel in danger, yet there was no sensing of ill intent. Were her senses playing tricks on her? It couldn’t be. Ganyu was sharp regarding these things, and the implied reaction was too fierce to chalk off as a mere fluke.

Could it be him? Was he responsible for the death of Rex Lapis?

“It felt like… I was about to be eaten?” She said, her tone unsure. 

“Eaten?” Xianyun parroted with a blink.

“I don’t understand. There’s no logic behind all of this.” Ganyu shook her head. “I shouldn’t feel that way about a stranger I've never met. I fought in the Archon War— I’ve felt my instincts telling me to run before, but never to this extent. Is that normal? I shouldn’t feel that way, right?”

“You should not. It is quite odd.” Xianyun hummed. To make Ganyu feel that way meant that whoever he was, he couldn’t be a mortal. “What did this person look like?”

“Tall. Messy black hair. Red eyes.” She described. “I met him at the port. Hu Tao was showing him around. I believe his name is ‘Crimson,’ and I don’t think he’s from Liyue.”

Crimson? She paused. Mountain Shaper had mentioned him during their meeting. But if he was there to spread the message with the traveler, then…

Then it couldn’t be him who killed Rex Lapis. Yet, it lined up with what her fellow adepti had told her. What Ganyu had felt was his bloodlust, although it didn’t make sense for her to react in such an extreme way. She had fought countless monsters in her lifetime. She’d felt bloodlust before and lived through one of the worst wars in the history of Teyvat.

A dragon, is he? She thought, looking at Ganyu. Here, they symbolize power and fortune, for good or bad, but in other regions, they are strictly the harbingers of death and destruction.

And this Crimson individual must be the latter, according to what Mountain Shaper felt from him. So for him to meet a Qilin, a symbol of peace and pacifism…

Things were slowly starting to make sense.

“Naturally. Otherwise, we would’ve noticed the presence of this being.” Cloud Retainer said after a moment. “…Go back to your duties, Ganyu. One would investigate this individual posthaste.”

“Investigate?” Ganyu blinked.

“To ensure he is of no threat, one must see for oneself,” Xianyun answered. “Perhaps you were merely imagining it. Perhaps he is a menace. Regardless of the result, one is contracted to protect Liyue from all external threats.”

“You think… he’s responsible?”

“Possibly, but one knows not to make assumptions.” Cloud Retainer replied as her Vision glowed, and in a swirl of Anemo energy, transformed into her crane form. “One shall contact you soon. Be safe, Ganyu.”

With a flap of her wings, Xianyun flew toward Liyue Harbor. For Ganyu to feel like she was about to be ‘eaten’ rather than simply killed meant one thing.

And as horrible as it may sound, it honestly made Xianyun want to laugh.