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The earth rumbles quietly when Zhongli moves.
It's a silent observation. One she didn't mean to make but the blame of discovery lies within her polished skillset, one built from decades of observing and noting small details in everything that fell upon her sight. Therefore, as accidental as the initial discovery was her future notice of just how seamlessly earth itself moved to the whims of her most recent travel companion, sure wasn't.
It seems almost like nature itself bows down in front of the man—but the signs are more than subtle, beyond normal recognition. Whilst Lumine prides herself on her well-honed observation skills, she must admit that she could have easily missed those signs.
Could have—but she didn't and a part of her is grateful for that.
There is just something inherently amazing about the way flowers would glow up in his presence and the ground would steady itself for his sought-out path. Thus, she keeps on trying to find more and more clues on nature's sweet love for him.
With her endless curiosity and her keen eyes, it's no surprise that she stumbles upon the realization of just who exactly Zhongli is. Earth grows for him, rocks move for him, and the wind quaintly calls his name—Lumine is unfazed in the discovery of his buried truths and puzzling messages.
The Geo Archon may stand with a straight spine and wear a gaze made out of steel, but there's sincerity hidden behind his words. Lumine could never fault another being for seeking the steadiness of peace, not even when it pains her to understand the weight of his eloquent actions.
With newfound knowledge in her mind, she bundles it all up and stores it away. Another secret from another world lies in her hands and she'll carry it to the depths of every universe within her.
So, she speaks no word of his truths and continues on the path where trees sing eerie songs and the wind caresses her hair gently.
And if his eyes lighten up in a golden hue, she'll ponder on the sights he must see but voice no query.
If he sees no reason to bring it up neither shall she.
The passage of time continues on, unaffected by anything.
Recently, Lumine started asking him for his tales on anything they encounter.
Be it a flower in a vast field or a porcelain cup in his possession, the curiosity in her gnaws at her thoughts and she continuously musters up the courage to voice out her inquiries.
Zhongli doesn't seem to mind though. He'll smile at her with a knowing glint in his eyes and tell her a variety of trivia about the topics she requested. She admires his patience for she must have asked at least a thousand questions.
Yet he always answers.
Always and always and always.
She thinks back to the unfinished constellation that resides in her palm when she calls upon it and smiles bitter but appreciative.
Trivia, it may be, but it shines a light on this strange and curious world. For Lumine, that is more than enough. Probably more than she's able to ask for.
As she spends hours upon hours listening to every piece of knowledge he's willing to share, she quietly notes the tranquility she's starting to feel, surrounded by marvelous tales and beds of countless flowers. It's unfortunate, she realizes.
For no matter how much knowledge Zhongli is willing to share with her, he'll remain unable to give her the information she desires the most.
She's seeking something— someone —beyond Liyue.
As Lumine listens to the tales of different flowers, lulled into calm and peace by the sound of Zhongli's soothing voice, she is destroying the remaining uncertainty that has settled in her mind.
"Is something the matter, Traveler?"
She smiles at him, it's a small thing and almost invisible, but he seems to pick it up with ease, which is why he smiles back. She wonders why.
(So, so many people she's gotten to know, have told her, she seems too expressionless all the time.)
"Not really," she tells him.
Her newfound resolve is too raw to disclose it so soon, so openly.
"Will you tell me about silk flowers?"
Sometimes along with the story, she catches Paimon's eyes. There's suspicion in them.
"Are you sure we should leave so soon?"
Lumine stretches her limbs and hums in confirmation.
"Even though we haven't found out anything about the Geo Archon…"
Well. A part of her wants to tell Paimon that the very god is just in the next room, probably reading something in his study.
She knows how to keep secrets though, has centuries of practice on it. Paimon will find out—just not now.
"I think we found out plenty," Lumine replies, "the Archon is written all over Liyue even in his absence. Don't you think so too?"
"Well, yeah…"
"Plus Zhongli has told us plenty during our stay here."
"Yeah! But it's all useless facts!"
"Really? Hm… they were interesting facts though. I'm sure we can use the knowledge somehow."
"For cooking meat, maybe, that is."
"That's great. You like food, don't you?"
Paimon doesn't respond and Lumine lets herself grin for a moment before she shakes her head and snaps out of it.
"I understand your concern, Paimon, but there isn't much we can do—the Geo Archon is dead."
The silence that resonates in the room after her statement, seems sobering. Paimon keeps quiet. There isn't much she can argue with that.
With a small sigh, Lumine stares out of the window.
A dead god just cannot help her.
Her dreams turn into nightmares that night.
They consist of twisted branches stabbing into her, as they trap her to the spot, under the guidance of the full moon and the giggling of multiple Abyss' Mages. Somewhere along the line, those mischievous sounds turn into the chanting of unfamiliar songs and more pain in her body.
It's freezing cold, frostbite that goes beyond halting her movements to splitting her apart. And as the distortion of all the pain settles in, she can finally make out the words of the song sung by an eerie voice.
"Sorrow shall be your lone companion in this vast world."
"Do not fret your blood is payment enough."
"So, stay forgotten."
"Every god's mercy has abandoned you."
And just as everything crashes down, before the waking world can lull her back, she turns in the direction of the voice and opens her eyes.
A ruin guard stares back at her, the voice echoing like a quiet curse, haunting the remains of her sanity—
—Lumine wakes up in the guestroom of Zhongli's abode, trying to catch her breath, as she aimlessly wraps her arms around herself. With a glance to her right, she confirms Paimon's presence as tiredness settles in her bones.
But Lumine is unable to fall asleep again. Not after that.
With a weary sigh, she leaves the bed and exits the room. In the living room, she sits down and stares out of the window. A part of her wants to go outside and get some fresh air. Another cannot step out right now.
It was certainly not her first nightmare, but it sure left an impression.
"Lumine?"
She looks up and the sight of Zhongli, still fully clothed in his day's clothes, greets her.
Is it because he spent the whole time in the study? Or is it because an Archon doesn't desire sleep as easily as the common folk.
He raises his eyebrows for a moment—barely registerable—before he answers, "We do indeed not require sleep."
Ah. She's spoken that out loud. How foolish… has her nightmare shaken her up that much? She can't take it back now. She can't continue pretending.
"You're an insightful person. I suppose it only makes sense that you would find out."
Of course, he wouldn't mind. She has known that fact since the beginning. Yet, a part of her didn't want to acknowledge his identity. Because he would voice inquiries.
"You've made this journey through Liyue to find me—well, you have accomplished your task."
Lumine looks up into his eyes, noting the golden glow. It's a moment of truth. It always is.
"You voiced countless prayers at my statues, asked for help, and plighted your faith and belief."
She did. Spent so much time kneeling in front of the statues and asked for mercy to grace her enough, so she could find her brother.
"Here I stand before you now have for quite a while—and yet you never asked nor voiced your concerns."
His gaze is too intense—bathed in the moonlight—and she cannot waver anymore.
He might be old but so is she.
He might have centuries of history but so did she.
And so did her brother.
(That's why she could never stop seeking. Never stop at all.)
She can't afford to be lulled into this. Of course, she knows Aether will be fine, she knows she doesn't have to rush—but that doesn't mean she can stop at once.
Zhongli may have the patience of earth and the steadiness of mountains, but she's soaked in the rush of waves of the seas and illuminated by the light of the stars—her path must continue on, no matter what.
Nothing can stop her, she's seen worlds collapse and heard laughter die out.
Nothing shall stop her.
And as Lumine stares back at the god, she calms her breath, pushes down the rage, and asks the archeon a single question.
"Why are you still here? In Liyue, I mean."
Zhongli—no— Rex Lapis is a beloved god. The people of Liyue cherish his very existence, that is an undeniable fact. She hears the pride in their voices when they talk about him, hears the immense respect he commands without even having to ask for it.
And yet, the Rite of Descension passed with a dragon's dead body and a god gone.
Now that deceased god stands before her, in the very harbor he deceived everyone. He took himself out of the equation, out of existence in other's eyes.
For what reason?
He closes his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts, before opening them again.
"I deemed it to be time for Liyue to experience a new era."
His words linger in her mind for a bit before she comes to the realization.
Rex Lapis is a very worried father.
And Liyue is his child, one, which has to grow up now.
It has to be the first time.
The first time, Lumine smiles at him in such an incredible, warm way, that he halts in his thoughts for a moment and simply stares. To him, Lumine's smiles have never been this sincere and raw before.
She'd smile, of course. A fickle, little thing that would vanish as soon as it came.
It's also one of the rare times. Times, where the light would hit her frame softly and understanding would dawn on him.
Lumine isn't quite mortal.
It's in her movements, but mostly it's in her eyes and occasionally in her words.
She'd always look like she's hiding something more—mature and immovable—in her gaze. Something that only years upon years can grant one.
And the few times, her words are telling, it's as clear as the sky to him. The longing in her eyes when she looks at the sky and the knowledge in her voice when she talks about life—she must have wandered worlds for more than decades.
To Zhongli, Lumine is an observant person—one that's seen too much and found out too much.
Yet as she smiles at him like that, so sorrowful and yet endearing, he feels calm.
"Your response is… reassuring."
She nods her head, most likely an act of re-confirmation, and then she drops the smile, turning it into an assured frown.
"I must go on," she tells him. "My travels cannot stop here.”
She’s a traveler with decades of experience, of seeking and finding.
There’s never been a reason crucial enough for her to stay.
Lumine and Paimon don’t leave immediately.
There are a few things they have to finish, a few promises to keep. She spends a lot of time with Xianling and by extension with Xingqiu and Chongyun, who are often found in Wanmin nowadays. Paimon is overjoyed by the prospect of awesome food and Lumine is content to enjoy the company of her friends.
Their evenings though include dinner with Zhongli, who seems a bit more talkative recently. She can’t quite explain it but his already large flow of knowledge he’s willing to share seems to have doubled somewhat. Lumine isn’t complaining though. A pleasant part of traveling is to learn about the places. Or worlds in her case.
She also sees him staring out of the window quite a few times once they’re back at his abode. His facial expression doesn’t betray anything about his mood nor his concerns but it’s starting to make her wonder if he’s truly fine with the outcome of his plan.
Rex Lapis’ death is his own doing, his own desire.
Lumine doesn’t believe the god to be someone who would go through with such a substantial plan only to end up dwelling in regret.
Yet, she’s not certain he would want to voice his concerns with her, so she won’t ask.
He owns wisdom in a way most people—or gods, in that case—don’t. He’ll know to approach anyone if he wants to talk about what is plaguing his mind.
With those reassurances she lets herself enjoy Liyue and its nature. The place emits an aura of tranquility—she’s sure that says a lot about Zhongli.
“Is the tea to your liking?”
She looks up, meeting his gaze, and nods her head slightly. “I like it. It’s not too sweet nor too bitter and the lingering taste of spices makes it more enjoyable.”
In the last months, Zhongli has introduced her to quite a large variety of teas. She doesn’t mind—enjoys discovering his preferences and to experience new tastes. Lately, though, he has been finding more and more unusual combinations. It reminded her of Xianling’s bizarre food combinations. It’s not bad though. Just as Xianling’s food tastes marvelous so does his tea.
“Would you…,” he speaks but stops for a moment before sighing,”... would you accompany me somewhere later.”
She has no reason to refuse, especially since it is Zhongli. Plus something is telling her that she might regret not agreeing. She trusts her guts more than anything else—they are her trustworthy guide to survival, no matter where.
So, she complies and after dinner, they make their way.
Paimon, though, decides not to follow for once, and for one moment, Lumine worries. Paimon always escorts her. She doesn’t miss the knowing glint in her friend’s eyes though and tries to push down the perturbation she feels.
“It’s okay,” the god tells her, “you’ll be reunited soon.”
She knows he means Paimon. She does but…
Lumine can’t stop herself from thinking about someone else.
They don’t go far. In fact, they end up at the harbor in sight of the ships. Due to the late hour, few people are there and this seems to be one of the reasons the archeon chose this place. His mien is serene yet there’s something in her eyes that tells her, she’s about to hear something unexpected.
And that’s exactly what happens.
Zhongli sighs, before smiling tired yet firm.
“Apologies for dragging you out here at this hour,” he mutters. Then he turns to face her, his eyes digging into hers with an intensity she’s unused to seeing on him outside of battles or conversations with business people. “You asked me a question a few weeks ago.”
There’s something else behind that intensity but she can’t tell. Not yet.
“May I ask you one in return?”
She blinks but nods. “Of course.”
What could he possibly want to know? He already seems so full of knowledge.
“I have spent many centuries watching over Liyue. Yet, even now where I’m abolishing the contracts I’ve set… even now I cannot stop watching over them.”
She thinks about Venti. He’s the wind, free and wandering, never quite staying bound to duties but also not abandoning them completely.
“That might change perhaps… but it’ll take time.”
Time that he has more than enough of.
“And it’ll take will.”
Of course. What doesn’t take will and courage?
“There’s no merit in dragging this longer out now…”
Ah, there’s sentiment in his gaze.
“Lumine, may I join you in your travels?”
It shouldn’t surprise her but it does. Of course, it does. The Lord of Geo has never been a person she could imagine saying this. Maybe Venti. Or even Diluc.
But Zhongli? Bound to his self-assigned duties?
And it’ll take will.
“Why… what could you possibly gain from joining me?”
He reaches out, laying a hand gently on her head.
“There’s quite a lot I could learn and gain from you, I believe.”
You’re not quite mortal, are you? To have wandered so many stars… Tell me, what have you experienced?
She doesn’t want to reach conclusions or give in to delusions but his expression almost seems like one of adoration. Hesitant, she reaches out towards the hand on her head and moves it down, before clutching onto it. She prays she isn’t wrong.
She lifts his hand and places a peck on the inner part of his wrist.
And with newfound courage, she looks up.
Into eyes full of tenderness and amusement.
“You might regret it,” she tells him. “I won’t stop for anything—isn’t that unfair towards you?”
“Why should it be? I wouldn’t mind wandering for eternity with you.”
“You—you don’t know that.”
He sighs, the smile still remaining on his face, before lifting his other hand to cup her cheek gently.
“Lumine.”
Certain. His voice is certain. Steady like the ground they stand on.
“I’ve many decades behind me. I’ve given this thought for months.”
Months. Before she announced her eventual leave.
“My opinion won’t waver—you understand that sentiment.”
He’s not wrong and she cannot drag this anxiety out any longer, so she relents.
“Alright… please accompany me then. I’d be more than happy to have you.”
He leans in and gifts her a kiss on her forehead.
“I’m glad.”
She can’t voice it out properly. Not even yet.
But she knows their journey will take them far.
He interweaves his fingers with her and she can feel the contentment settle in her.
And maybe—just maybe—this journey will transform into something other than a hunt for someone lost.