Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“......rax…up…”

It felt like someone was calling out to him. But who was it? 

“....hang…there! … wa…up!”

? 

“Wake….up!”

As soon as he opened his eyes again, he found he was back to his usual spot. Even though he couldn't count how many times he saw the same sight every time he transported himself into his and Ying's shared space, the sight remained magnificent. Watching the sea of drooping pink and purple flowers billowing back and forth with the wind was strangely comforting—and he swore he couldn't ask for anything more.

This was it. This was the kind of peace he longed deep within himself. If only he could be like that in the material world, where there were no wars to fight or blood to spill—for both gods and mortals alike. 

“...”

He attempted to move, but it made matters worse; he found that his entire body ached, and he couldn't feel his body for a bit for some reason. He definitely needed some rest.

“Morax!” Suddenly, her familiar face came into his view, if not quite close. It was definitely Ying. After all, she was the only woman who constantly invaded his personal space (which he didn't mind in the slightest).

In fact, he had grown accustomed to seeing her face in such close proximity that he could see each twitch of her brow when she was deeply worried, with her pink lips slightly parted whenever she called out his name in raw desperation. 

Raw desperation? But why? 

(Just like right now.) 

“Can you hear me?” she asked. 

“...” He blinked slowly at her question. Once, and then twice. Of course, he can. What kind of question was that?

Even though he believed to have tried to move his lips, he appeared to be unable to speak. There were no words or sounds coming out. Ying's worried expression had turned to alarm, and for some reason, he found himself being dragged away by the arm and could only silently follow her as she navigated through the forest (the urgency on her behavior made him forget the aching muscles that he had), all the way to the familiar pool that she enjoyed visiting from time to time. 

He almost grimaced the moment his feet made contact with the wet soil beneath. Every step felt like the ground was sucking him in, and it didn't help that the cold water almost pricked his aching calves. 

Silent as ever, with only the sloshing sound of the water could be heard along with his companion's soft breaths, Morax could only watch Ying as she traversed through the pool with him in tow. A few moments later, they stopped near a cascade full of rocks, and she gently pushed him against a nearby small boulder. 

“Sit,” she commanded, with no room for excuses. 

And he did follow without a question. 

Curiosity filled his tired eyes as he watched her search her body for something, and when she couldn't find it, Ying resorted to ripping the edges of her thin robes with no regard for the world. Morax only watched her as she began working with the ripped cloth; she soaked it, squeezed it, and then looked him in the eye—full of intent—before reaching out to grab his arm and wiping away the obvious dried blood clinging to his arm without saying a word.

When he saw the splotches of blood adorning his arms, even on some parts of his habiliments, he finally realized the reason why she looked so utterly distressed. He was absolutely unpresentable. Too obvious that he came back from somewhere brutal where battlefields were a commonplace. The sore evidence, the blood, and his still fresh wounds on some parts of his body were enough to give away what kind of life he led in the material world; something that he was sure that Ying wasn't familiar with. 

The life of a shackled, overburdened god who had to face and kill his adversaries in order to protect his land and people. An endless battle of survival, an everyday living hell where he had to witness countless innocent lives being taken away. 

Morax couldn't bring himself to speak, much less explain what had happened. He was too exhausted to recount what had happened to him over the last few months, and the weight of his burdens was already catching up with him without a moment of respite. He only wanted to focus on one single thing. 

This moment, with him and this realm. A secret paradise where he can rest without worrying for the meantime. A paradise where Ying kindly shared with him.

Ying…

Her silence was soothing; her presence was comforting enough to divert his mind from the destructive thoughts he was constantly harboring nowadays. 

Slosh

She scrubbed his dimly tattooed arms before moving on to clean his feet. Morax could only observe her, admiring how her golden hair seemed to radiate like sun rays, a stark contrast to the earthy colors that surrounded them. Ying was already soaked in half, her torn, thin robes clinging to her obvious hourglass figure, emphasizing both her physical charm and her never-ending kindness.

The more he watched, Morax felt unusually uneasy within. Conflicted. He couldn't be so sure if this should be allowed to be seen, let alone be seen by him. There was no single individual who was this close to him in a long period of time, who would go as far as bowing down to their heads so that they could tend to his wounds. 

She was far too vulnerable in this regard, too fragile, bright, and kind. If he were a malicious god with depraved ideals, let alone interests, Ying would be like a pristine, paragon of virtue among the sea of the corrupt, enticing everyone to taint—tear it into ruins. 

Ying was so small. So delicate. He simply thought she was someone he could easily manipulate, someone he could use in his best interest, someone he could ruin—

His blood suddenly ran cold. 

Morax felt sick within. The simple thought was enough to wake his weary soul. He just couldn't bear it. He swore he would go to considerable measures just to ensure her safety and security. 

Like that of Guizhong. 

For some reason, Ying moved even closer to his body and situated herself between his parted legs. The simple movement was enough to snap him from his inward distress. Her warmth was crowding him, to the point where it was clashing with the cold he felt from the pool waters. 

She looked at his face intently and began cleaning off the dried blood on the side of his face. Silently, Morax was free to look at her serious features up close, ruminating about the mystery of the woman named Ying. She even angled his face left and right, which made him feel the sudden goosebumps pricking his exposed flesh from her soft touch. 

As she wiped the blood off from his face, Ying laid the wet cloth next to him, and she suddenly grasped the sides of his face and leaned forward. His thoughts came to a halt once more, and he was greeted by how alarmingly close their faces were. He was clueless, somewhat stunned to even speak as they both looked into each other's eyes. 

"These blood..." she muttered slowly. 

He opened his mouth and was relieved to find his voice, albeit raspy from physical and mental exhaustion. "It's not mine. I'm not hurt at all.”

They stared at each other for a long minute before she sighed in relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders, but she still looked concerned. "I don't know what's been going on with you these past few weeks, but I really hope you're taking good care of yourself.”

He went silent at that point, knowing full well that he did not.

"Morax, are you in danger?" she inquired, but he simply shook his head in response.

"No, I'm not. I'm absolutely fine."

"But you don't look so fine."

He was taken aback by the hints of frustration in her voice and decided to ask. "What do you mean?”

Ying leaned much further forward, their noses almost touching and their breaths nearly mingling. It was his first time being in such close proximity to another person, and the fact that she was the first and only one brave enough to enter his personal space didn't surprise him anymore.

(Which, up until now, remained a mystery, something that even he was still unsure of.)

Although his vision had slightly darkened due to the shadows and her much closer proximity, Morax swore he was drowning in her bright golden pools and couldn't think of anything else—not even his thoughts or his inner struggles of tracking Agreas to the ends of the world.

"You looked weary," she said softly, "beaten and burdened. And..." Ying cupped his cheeks properly this time; her thumbs gently caressed the smooth planes of the apples of his cheeks.

"Your eyes..."

"...?"

"Please, promise me."

His brows scrunched up momentarily in response, baffled. "On what?"

"That no matter what happens, don't lose that glow in your eyes." 

He was rendered speechless by her words as he looked at her eyes back and forth to see if she was having different intentions by telling him this almost absurd request. But after a moment of deliberation, he saw none, just unadulterated concern for his well-being. Those innocent lips uttered no lies, and those clear eyes full of good intentions showed no reluctance.

Her words felt like they weighed a ton. Morax was unable to figure out how to respond to that. After everything she had said, he was at a complete loss for words, but before he could come up with anything, Ying's other hand reached to his left ear and touched his soft lobule.

"Such a shame that I didn't have a needle with me," she said randomly as she massaged the flesh with her index and thumb. "I guess I'll have to make you a charm as well. I made one for my brother after all.”

"Charm?" he murmured.

She nodded with a smile, "Yes. Just a protection against bad luck." 

Ying took a step back, but his gaze remained fixed on her. "In my world, there was a myth that if a person's life was in danger, an earring should be worn to prevent a recurrence. It is said to provide protection against bad luck.”

It was already night when he came back to the material world. Morax's first and foremost plan was to clean himself in a nearby water stream before coming back to assembly, but upon seeing himself in the water—absolutely opposite of what he expected he should looked like, he couldn't help but marvel on every spotless areas of his body where he knew Ying dutifully cleaned up when he was in her realm. 

Everything on him was so neat with no dried blood staining his image, where no traces of any bloodshed could be spotted as if he came back anew.

The more he looked at himself, the more he couldn't help but wonder if his world and Ying's realm were connected in some way. Because how on Teyvat's name could he explain the phenomena behind his unusual tidiness? He was real sure that he was completely unkempt for sickening months before stumbling to Ying's mystery realm, but then after coming back from the said realm, all of a sudden he was surprisingly clean as if nothing happened.

Morax had always believed that he was just dreaming every time he met Ying. A special kind of dream where everything felt too real to even count as a dream. Her warmth felt too realistic, he could fully remember how her presence soothed him even if he had to close his eyes for good. 

But the more he thought about the mystery behind her realm; these unfamiliar, unexplained matters simply just didn't make sense to him. If he had to be honest, there were times where it made his head hurt. 

With an inward shake of his head, Morax made his way back to where his subjects were staying; knowing it was already late at night, he expected the place to be deserted, but to his mild surprise, he noticed a few people loitering around the assembly.

There were a few of them gathered in a circle, and he could see a fervent storyteller telling them stories about the Great Rex Lapis. Wanting to be apart from the group, some of them were even playing a fierce game of Go in their own respective corners.

The sight… Well, he simply did not want to disturb it, so he entered the place in a quiet manner, taking the covert route, where he had to take a brief detour to reach the back of the assembly.

After securing the invisible barrier of the place, his first and foremost thought was to see Guizhong.

After all, she was the only one of his closest companions who he couldn't help but be concerned about. Guizhong may be the second wisest person in their circle, but she was still physically frail. With her weak constitution, Morax couldn't stop thinking about the nasty bite wound on her hand.

The memory was still vivid in his mind. Even the sound of her terror and pained cries from that tragedy would not leave his mind anytime soon. 

Not even the distressed expression she had before he left.

He noticed the light leading to Guizhong's workplace, which indicated that the person had stayed longer than usual instead of sleeping. But before he could enter her workplace, a familiar voice approached him from behind.

“You’re finally back.”

He took a step back, and murmured in response. “Yes, I am.”

Morax was suddenly enveloped in softness and warmth, as well as the comforting scent of glaze lilies, which nearly dulled his senses. He realized with startling clarity that he was in Guizhong’s arms. Her actions were absolutely unexpected, but the moment her grip around him tightened just a little—as if she didn't want him to leave, as if she was scared of him leaving again—was something he couldn't completely ignore.

So he simply allowed her to embrace him. To let her bask in reality, to see and feel the proof that he was safe and sound, and that she only had herself to worry about. 

"Guizhong," he said, a sort of consolation, a reassurance to pull her out of her swirling worries.

“You are leaving again, aren’t you?”

They both know the answer to that question, but she still asked anyway. For him, it didn't seem right to feed Guizhong with a kind of reassurance that he could stay for a long time. 

(It was, after all, impossible for him to give false hope to anyone.)

It was futile on her part to deny it further. Morax had no choice in his divinity, no matter how much he disliked the thought. He would eventually have to leave in order to protect his people and fulfill his role as a god.

In the future, the likelihood of his death was also not far off.

"I'm afraid so.”

"Right, how foolish of me. My apologies." She clung to him with an audible sigh, her cheek resting below his shoulder blades, before mumbling to herself. "...why should I even bother asking the obvious…?”

“Did you say something?”

“Nothing at all.”

“How is your hand?”

“It already healed,” Guizhong finally released him, much to his relief. “What about you? How was the search?”

“Slow,” he responded, somewhat displeased by the reminder of his previous endeavors over the last few months. "However, I believe I have garnered at least a single vital piece of information.”

“I am pleased to hear that your tremendous amount of effort wasn't for naught, Rex. May I ask what it is?”

"I am certain that our adversary is the type who prefers to operate in the shadows. A god who is far too cowardly to confront me, resulting in the numerous tragedies to which my people have been forced to submit. Even you.”

"Rex…" The Goddess of Dust could only look at him, worried about his sudden display of hatred and animosity.

“How vile and distasteful.”

Morax then turned around, ready to leave. Guizhong almost reached out to him out of reflex, but she paused when she noticed the strange expression on his face.

“It's late. You have to rest, Guizhong,” he said calmly. His frightening demeanor had vanished, but she remained uneasy and concerned. “Before I retire, I would like to express that I am relieved to find you are well. I can now rest in peace.”

“...”

He offered a last gentle smile that didn't reach his eyes. “I will see all of you tomorrow. Please, have a restful night.”

The goddess could only watch his back in silence until he was no longer in her line of sight. At that moment, she felt sick and hopeless; she longed to help him in ways that could lessen his burdens.

But, what could she possibly offer? She was powerless and, most of all, useless in their circle. She couldn't think of anything to offer except for her brainpower. Even if she wanted to accompany him on his quest, her frailty forbade her from doing so; it almost seemed like a curse. 

Guizhong was supposed to be happy to be reunited with him once more, but remembering the unusual display of emptiness lurking in his eyes was enough to bother her. 

“I want to be of use to you too, Rex. I really do. If only you can share a part of your burdens with me too.”

When he had them summoned at the assembly first thing in the morning, it was Cloud Retainer who made the first move to initiate conversation.

"This one had heard about the circulating rumors of an unforgiving god in the region, who was quick to pass judgment among those ancient gods who had wronged him," the avian adepti stated solemnly, then continued. “By any chance, was it you?”

Morax gracefully busied himself by pouring a freshly steeped tea on his cup. Her question was definitely directed towards him, but his silence was loud enough for an answer to her simple query. He could feel several sets of eyes being trained on him, Marchosius eyed him from across, while Guizhong could only shoot both of them an awkward glance, as she waited for their conversation to progress, while discreetly fiddling her arm sleeves anxiously. 

“Hm. Regardless of the hearsays, I trust you are well, Rex? You made all of us worried.” 

“I have to admit it was a gruesome quest. Torturous even,” He confessed truthfully, “But I am well, thank you.”

“I believe you did not summon us for nothing?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Well, this one is definitely hoping you are bearing good news.” Cloud Retainer said with a soft sigh. 

“I have to say it is both good and bad.”

“Then let us hear about it.”

"I was unable to prevent a few innocent deaths during my search, but," he took a sip of his tea before continuing, “I am now aware of who the perpetrator is for all of these incidents in the region.”

“I have a feeling that you have yet to defeat this foe?”

“Unfortunately so.”

“Don't worry about it, Rex!” Guizhong interjected, her eyes burning with positivity. “Just leave the people to us; you can focus on your quest without worrying about other matters. It may not look like it, but we are having progressions on our side! The making of the ballista was a success!”

"The creation of the ballista was undoubtedly successful," the avian adepti remarked with a shake of her head, "but Guizhong, don't forget that we have other pressing issues concerning it."

This piqued Morax's interest. “Pressing issues?”

“Apparently, we have to look for another alternative without having it consume too much energy to convert it into power.”

“What about its power?”

The Goddess of Dust sighed, “The ballista could only be activated by channeling adepti energy through it. Of course, in order to use it, someone had to supply the energy. The ballista's capability is fully reliant on the converted energy it received from the wielder, but the fundamental concern is that the weapon remains uncontrollable."

"And by what definition is it 'uncontrollable'?"

"It completely saps most of the wielder's energy," Zhenjun stated, appearing to be equally dismayed as Guizhong. "To make matters worse, this one is concerned that using it may impair someone's life essence. It does not currently have a limiting mechanism, and we are still working on developing a suitable limiter to keep it from killing anyone."

“Limiter…” he mumbled as he ruminated to himself. “But the ballista has a core, doesn't it?”

Guizhong nodded and said, "Yes, it has."

"Then," he swept his gaze across Cloud Retainer's perplexed eyes and then to Guizhong's. "What about preventing the aforementioned core from sapping too much energy rather than setting a limiter to compensate?"

“That is easier said than done, Rex.” Guizhong remarked, shaking her head. “Controlling the core is a fruitless endeavor; adepti energy couldn't even suppress it completely. We attempted it once, but it quickly became out of control. We're not even sure if your power is enough to counteract its greediness for convertible energy. Not even my, let alone Zhenjun-sama’s could."

Morax peered at his murky reflection on his cup as he pondered. They said that the core was uncontrollable and that neither adepti power nor gods like him or Guizhong could influence it. Knowing the goddess' penchant for collecting scattered relics in Teyvat from a mysterious nation, it was likely that the core was made by otherworldly forces. Just like—

At this point, the answer was already obvious, but he had to ask anyway.

“The core…it's an artifact from Khaenri’ah, isn't it?

It took her several moments to respond, but she did with a small nod. “Yes.”

“Please be careful,” he softly warned, which made the goddess blink for a second before her gaze landed on his own, clearly taken aback by the worry in his tone. “I do not object to having you pursue what you wish to attain from those relics, Guizhong. It's because I know that is where your interests and passion lie—by researching the unknown.”

But the dangers of harboring interest in something beyond the grasp of the world's law—about Khaenri’ah’s creations—was something that he and she should be wary about. It was far too perilous, as it could be interpreted as disloyalty or defiance towards the heavens' upper hierarchy.

Which would be the gravest mistake, challenging the absolute will of the Heavenly Principles.

“However, I implore you to be discreet. This also extends to all of you.” He lowered his voice, expressing his concern not only to Guizhong but also to Zhenjun and Marchosius. They merely shared and gave a nod in return.

“The heavens are watching.”

Silence filled their table; each of them was having thoughts privy to themselves after his warning. He felt like he ruined the mood of their meeting, but if he didn't remind them clearly of where they stood against Celestia, it would surely endanger all of them.

Not only the innocent people living in his region, but also them—lesser gods and adepti alike—who were mere disposable pawns for this nonsensical war of survival of the fittest. 

“Are you real?”

For a moment, Ying paused at the abrupt question, but as his words eventually registered, she softly chuckled. It seemed like his simple inquiry was enough to evoke some amusement in her, for there was a clear playfulness and a hint of laughter in the gleam in her eyes.

“Of course I am. Why do you ask?”

Before he could answer her back, his amber eyes scanned through the peaceful landscape with utmost interest. The earthy colors that surrounded them were pleasant; even with the randomness of the pastel colors above them, it seemed to complement perfectly along with the chill weather. 

Listening to the soft murmurs of the wind, breathing in the pleasant sweet aroma of the random wisteria petals raining down upon them, and enjoying the comfortable silence, they saw how serene the place could be; it was the perfect place to ruminate things without being disturbed. And that was the immaculate time to think about some things that continued to plague him with interest, even in the material world. 

Morax had always been mystified by the workings of Ying's domain. He was already aware of the fact that both of their worlds were different, where they both lived in different planes of existence. There were times when they casually talked about their worlds, but she never denied their worlds being similar, so he took that as a hint or an answer. 

Neither does Ying feel like a specter or a creation of his own mind. She was too vibrant and warm to be referred to as such. He couldn't help but compare her to the goddess he has known for an unknown amount of time because of the warmth and generosity she elicits, which undoubtedly remind him of Guizhong's primary characteristics as well.

As he felt a curious set of eyes staring at him, Morax turned his head and was compelled to return the same attention. Amber against pairs of molten gold, where his was full of wonder, while hers was full of openness.

Her aura, now that he considered it, was anything from typical. She seemed to know something he didn't, and there was something about her appearance that just commanded attention. It seemed as though she was too sacred for him to ever venture upon; she was so different, so far from being a mortal.

“A goddess,” a single slip of the tongue, but it was enough for the woman to break into fitfuls of laughter beside him. Morax was absolutely stunned and was left to behold how utterly human it was for her to express mirth. Her mouth wide open, her eyes were brimming with joyful tears, her arms clutching her abdomen as she tried to keep her laughter at bay but simply failed. 

Some goddesses he knew didn't express their joy in that manner. Not Havria, not even Guizhong, laughs in the same way. 

(Not that he remembered her laughing as freely as Ying did.) 

"It surprises me that you think of me that way, Morax," she finally said between laughter. Her eyes were so bright that they practically sparkled, enhanced by her tears. "But unfortunately, I'm no one special.”

He wanted to refute her, but before he could come up with a counter-argument, Ying simply beat him to it, rendering him speechless beyond reason.

She took his hands and placed them on either side of her face. His hands were so big they almost dwarfed her face, but seeing her exquisite features cradled in his hands gave him an unusual feeling of satisfaction. He couldn't stop the unidentified emotions from spilling out; it made him feel warm inside for reasons he couldn't even understand.

The longer he gazed at her in this way, the more exposed he felt, yet it was not unpleasant. Not at all. He just didn't understand why it didn't feel like that. Why couldn't he bring himself to pull away? Why do his thoughts get so jumbled and disorganized that he feels mentally exhausted?

What made this woman so special? It was confusing, overwhelming, and far too consuming. It makes him want to do something, but he absolutely has no idea what it could be. He doesn't want to think.

But there was one thing he couldn't afford to ignore. It was warm; it felt far too warm.

“What are you thinking so much that it feels like you're trying to run away from me?” she asked, almost in wonder. 

Does it seem that way? No, I don't. He wanted to say it, but his expression had a better way to betray the opposite of his thoughts. 

“Morax, is it me, or you look like—”

“You're almost impossible,” he finally said, if not a bit frustrated and troubled. Ying, who had not expected it, could only look at him with wide, curious eyes, as if taken aback by his simple, unusual outburst.

“Why?”  

Why, exactly? Morax also had the same question in mind, but he was still unsure of the answer. 

"If you have doubts regarding my existence. I guarantee you that I am not lying about being alive and real."

"...I understand."

“Let's just say I'm a special kind of case,” she added with a kind smile, “where I can bring you here every time you wish for a moment of peace and respite. Just think of me as a friendly but lonely hostess who enjoys the presence of another companion.”

That was it; that was the very thing he wanted to ask. The mystery of her unknown power of connecting one different soul to a different plane.

"Of course, being a hostess is one thing, but don't forget that I am also your friend!”

But for some strange reason, Morax no longer felt like addressing that question. He wanted to try something different to relieve his own dissatisfaction and curiosity. He wanted to accomplish everything on his own terms. 

He softly drew her near to him, her face several inches away from his. This kind of proximity didn't bother him anymore; he just…got used to it. His eyes were staring down at hers with purpose, while Ying was looking up at him with surprise.  

Something was trying to grab on to his consciousness from the other side. An obvious indication that someone was trying to rouse him up in the material world. Morax felt like his consciousness was gradually slipping away, but before he could leave Ying in her domain, he said:

“You're a mystery that I wish to unravel.”

That was his last declaration before awakening in the material world. 

When he opened his eyes to the world, he was met with an unhostile large pair of eyes. The image caused him to blink for a second as he sought to adjust his vision to remove some traces of sleep until it became clearer. 

He recognized the child instantly, it was the child he saved from miasma several months ago, the one who had been possessed by the core and left Guizhong with a wound and a scar she would never forget.

But it wasn't the child's fault that Guizhong had to carry such a dreadful memory in the first place; if anyone was to blame, it was Vassago.

“Lord Geo, you're awake!” She greeted him with a large smile, which was full of childish innocence. He was relieved to see that she didn't seem to dwell too much on what happened at Marchosius’ celebration. Morax expected that it would leave her horribly traumatized, but seeing her tad enthusiastic upon seeing him made his burden less heavy.  

“I am. How are you?” 

“I'm good!”

Before answering the child, he took a moment to survey his surroundings. She is definitely alone, he thought. “What brings you here?”

“Goddess told me that you went this way! So I came to check!”

“Are you looking for me?”

“Yes!” her head bobbed enthusiastically. 

“May I ask why?”

At his inquiry, the child began searching for something in her pockets until she pulled out a simple jade amulet adorned with a red string. With large, imploring eyes, she offered the charm in front of him as if she was planning to give it to him.

Mildly confused, Morax silently eyed the amulet in her hands. “What is this?”

“For protection! I'm giving it to you, Lord Geo! I heard that you're on your way to defeat the bad guys who killed the good people and my bàba!”

Bàba? 

When he was making sure the goddess was okay following the miasma incident, he suddenly remembered a memory of Guizhong—the part when she told him about the child's tragic situation. The fact that this was the same child who lost her mother and that her father had been slain in the festival stampede nearly slipped his mind.

In retrospect, he also realized that he had forgotten to question Guizhong about the search. Was there even any progress? He nearly wanted to inquire about the child's mother, but his interest was tempered by the thought that she might have been orphaned. 

It would make him far more insensible, knowing that he had to deal with a child's feelings. They are far too fragile, too emotional, and they wear their hearts on their sleeves. Regardless of whether her mother was alive or not, Morax would leave the matter in Guizhong's capable hands. As much as he wanted to help with the search, he had more pressing matters to attend to. 

After all, they both have different responsibilities. Guizhong will focus on helping the mortals, while Morax will focus on defeating their common enemy who harms them. 

“Māma said this charm protected her when she had me! And then she gave it to me so that it would protect me from bad people too!” she added, “Now I want Lord Geo to have it. You meet a lot of bad people, and I don't like that. Please accept it!”

Speechless beyond reason, he was definitely floored by her bold declaration. Large, dark eyes were looking at him with unadulterated determination, something that he rarely witnessed, much less from a young sapling like her.  

It took some time for him to respond to the child's offer, but when he did, he simply shook his head kindly as he declined. It didn't feel right to receive such a valuable item; if he accepted it out of goodwill, he felt like he was robbing the child of her only remaining memento that connects her to her mother. 

“Thank you for your kind offering, child. But you do not have to.”

The young child deflated before him, seemingly saddened by being denied. “Lord Geo doesn't want it? ”

He shuffled awkwardly against the wall behind him, his brows furrowed as he struggled to come up with a good justification, but he was simply at a loss for words. He just thought it was that...difficult. Morax wasn't particularly good with children in the first place, and conversing with one made him feel as if he was entering uncharted territory. 

With a tiny slip of tongue, he murmured, “No…”

“No…?” Now, she looked like she was about to cry at any minute; her lips fractionally quivering into a saddened pout. 

No, that is not what I meant— 

She literally resembled a wilting flower at this point, which made him inwardly alarmed as he floundered with his words. 

“That's… That's not it. My apologies.” The young child could only peer up at him, listening to him speak. “I truly believe that you need that keepsake even more than the likes of me.”

He finally managed to offer a quarter part of what he truly wished to say, but the child still didn't look so convinced; she even looked like she was a minute away from bawling her eyes out. Looking emotional. “But why?”

“That is the only thing that tethers you to your only kin, which is your mother. She gave that to you in hopes that it will protect you.” He said slowly, in a way that he believed was more understandable and friendly-like in order not to discombobulate the child. He made it simple so that she could understand his point—that he didn't mean to decline just because he didn't like her offer but only wished that she could keep the amulet to herself. Only to herself and nothing more.

“...”

“Don't forget that you made it here, safe from harm, with that single amulet on your person.” Morax finished softly, imitating a certain goddess, as his hand made its way to the top of her head and gave it a simple, comforting pat. He knew this act; he was trying to give the child some sense of comfort so that she wouldn't give in to her tears, and it seemed to work somehow. “Do you know what it means?”

“...” Her sad pout was still too pronounced, brows were lowered and drawn together in a sad frown, but she was indeed trying to keep her tears at bay. “Are you trying to say that…no matter what happens, māma is with me?”

Before he could respond to her inquiry, someone familiar already beat him to it. 

“He's right, Yuè-chan. You need that charm more than he needs it.” Guizhong's eyes softened the moment it landed on him, as he tried to comfort the child in his own way. She made her way through them. “I do understand where your worries stand, but don't forget that Lord Geo is very strong; he will be most relieved if you keep that amulet for yourself.”

“Goddess….” The child named Yuè could only turn her head to the approaching goddess. That was Morax's cue to slide his hand away from the child's head, and suddenly the child threw herself on Guizhong's awaiting arms.

The sight looked so delicate, and he simply marveled at the unspoken bond between them. A goddess and a mortal child, where the latter was desperately seeking comfort in the arms of a revered god. She even cried and clung to Guizhong as if she was her own mother. 

The more he watched the both of them having their own world, he couldn't help but entertain a small idea of Guizhong being a mother. It wasn't that difficult to imagine; after all, she was soft-hearted, was definitely good with children, and she knew how to shape someone in good graces.

He bet even as a mortal, she would be a great mother, surrounded by children and adored by many. 

(Well, now that he thinks about it, he already believed she was already a mother figure to most humans.)

He shook his head inwardly. “Is there a problem?” Morax was kind of curious about Guizhong's sudden arrival that he had to ask. 

“It's nothing of that sort, don't worry.” The goddess replied with a smile while consoling the child in her arms. “I was trailing after Yuè-chan, but she was going too fast and ended up running when she saw you in the distance. That explains why I arrived a bit late.” she chuckled. 

“I see.”

“Have you already eaten?”

He shook his head, “I'm not hungry.”

Guizhong looked around, realizing they were inside the hollow cavity of a gigantic boulder. It was like a small cave that could accommodate at least three to five individuals. It was a place where he just saw by chance and found himself brooding there in silence (from time to time) since his return. 

“Meditating?”

He was indeed meditating, but before that, he remembered racking his brains over where to begin his journey to find Agreas until he became so frustrated because it felt like he was hitting a wall that he didn't want to think anymore—hence the meditation. 

However, for some inexplicable reason, as though his mind were telling him to rest, Morax found himself dozing off and went to see Ying in her mysterious realm. 

“I was…meditating.”

“Yuè-chan, you have to apologize to Lord Geo.” She gently nudged the child in her arms; she continued. “You disturbed him while he tried to meditate in peace.”

“I-I thought he was sleeping…”

The goddess sighed, but not in an unkind way. “Even if he was, it's not good manners to disturb someone's sleep.”

“It's fine,” Morax found himself saying. “It's not anything serious.”

Guizhong shook her head as she pushed on, if not a bit sternly. “Yuè-chan?”

“...”

“Please?”

“...sorry,” Yuè finally apologized while peeking through her fingers, somewhat ashamed. “I got too excited seeing Lord Geo. Please forgive me…”

She sounded way too innocent and repentant that he and Guizhong exchanged gazes for a moment. That was the moment he let himself offer a soft smile to both of them, and the goddess was left rooted on her spot when she saw it—her cheeks reddening. 

“You're forgiven,” Morax said gently. “Don't take it too much to heart, Yuè.”

After his short planning for his impending search for Agreas, Morax took his time to go visit a certain god he owed in Linju with the borrowed instrument and a gold hill censer in hand. His amber eyes surveyed the lands with great interest; the once-bleak and dry landscape was now covered in clear water. While the drastic transformation was unintentional on his part (he simply unleashed the hidden groundwater to gain an advantage; it happened by some unusual discovery during his battle against Labolas, after all), he had to admit he much preferred this peaceful scenery to the lifeless atmosphere it exuded in the past.

He silently stood in front of the golden tree and called out. “Lord Aymos, I came. It's me, Morax.” 

Nobody responded at first, but a few moments later, the cheerful old god materialized in a puff of smoke in front of him. Seemingly happy to be summoned normally rather than have his golden tree being set on fire. “Yer back, young'un! What a surprise! I thought ‘ya already ditched me!”

His distinctive accent remained evident, however Morax dismissed it and merely shook his head in reply. "Your assistance made things a little easier for me. While I couldn't say the process was as….nondestructive as I had wanted, it provided me with the answers I desperately needed." He softly bowed his head in respect and returned the koudi instrument to him. "I am infinitely grateful.”

“Too polite as usual, eh?” Aymos took the koudi from him as he scratched the side of his head, albeit awkwardly. "As ‘ya can see, I'm not sure when the last time someone sought me for assistance. As I previously stated, it is perfectly fine. I'm delighted I could help, that's all."

"Your benevolence is an honor.”

“I get it, I get it. Just cut it out already. Yer embarrassing me, young'un.” The ancient god sighed as his eyes landed on the hill censer on his other hand. “What's that?”

As if he just remembered he was carrying something other than the instrument, he offered the hill censer next before him. “A token of gratitude. It's yours.”

Aymos' once curious eyes brightened in an instant, as if he were a child who had been denied for a long time and was now given something as a present. Without further ado, he took the hill censer from him and examined it with bated breath, admiring the beautiful workmanship. "I-Is this gold?” He asked, his eyes gleaming.

Morax nodded, “Yes, it is.”

“Ahhhhh!” The ancient god's unexpected cry almost took him by surprise. Morax calmly observed as he twirled with the gold hill censer in his hand, clearly pleased with the gift he bestowed upon him. Guizhong and his other acquaintances didn't seem to elicit the same level of joy as the ancient god’s when he gave them a present, so seeing Aymos' unadulterated delectation for the hill censer made him feel light within.

“I hope it is to your liking?”

“Liking is merely an understatement, young'un. I truly love it,” Aymos said, flashing him with a wide grin. His happiness seemed to increase tenfold as he looked at the hill censer again. “I will cherish this censer until I disappear in this world! ‘Ya have my utmost gratitude, Morax! I will never forget this!”

He permitted a soft smile to grace his serene face. "I'm relieved that you feel that way. It was merely a passing interest for me, but I used to collect treasures from uncharted domains that I visited on occasion. That censer was one of the items I happened to discover from Minlin.”

“Oooh, now that I think about it, that place is the same place where the first leyline appeared in this region, isn't it?” The ancient god commented, unaware of the way he froze immediately once he mentioned about the first leyline. “In my time, Minlin used to be deserted—uninhibited. Even though we have enough power to dominate certain areas in this region, the heavenly order forbids us from laying claim on that land.”

Aymos had a fleeting, distant expression on his face, as if he had taken a momentary journey down memory lane. He said with a hum, "I suppose it's because yer kind had inhabited some parts of the region before we arrived. Though at that time I assume ‘ya were not yet a sentient entity, along with the others, the Primordial One recognized that land belongs entirely to the adepti.”

He blinked in response to the information. That was a new discovery that he was not….aware of. Morax believed that his kind did not exist since the time when Aymos and his brethren dominated the lands. As far as he could recall (for who knows how long his divinity had existed; he had lost count), he remembered coming into being when humanity sought for protection, and their cries of desperation made their existence materialize from insignificance.

"Surprised?” Aymos inquired, slightly amused by his extended silence. "I can see it in yer face that ‘ya weren't even aware that these lands were rightfully yers and yer kind in the first place.”

“I…” Well, there wasn't anyone who could tell him the truth regarding the adepti's origins. Despite the fact that he was a deity in his own right, Morax couldn't help but inwardly admit that he still didn't know much about the universe. He was clueless (unfortunately, a handicap of his) and felt ashamed to even voice his own ignorance out loud. Even the mystery behind the Heavenly Principles, the all-knowing natural order that brought a new world and created a life out of Teyvat. 

“If ‘ya were curious enough, it doesn't hurt to ask.” As if he could hear his thoughts at that moment, the ancient god turned his back on him. A luscious earth-toned carpet with gold linings on the edges suddenly appeared by his silent command under the large golden tree. Morax could only watch when Aymos unceremoniously plopped down to the carpet, his hand flicking on the air as he summoned a kettle and a pair of tea cups out of nowhere. “Now, take a seat if ‘ya wish to know more, young god.”

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

He had no idea how many hours had gone by since they had begun talking. As he listened carefully to any information the ancient god might freely share, from his kind, to the beginnings of Aymos and his brethren and even their purpose of serving Phanes, their progenitor god, or, in this day and age, also known as the Heavenly Principles—Morax couldn't care less about the passing of time. 

According to Aymos, the ancient gods did not originate in this world (which surprised Morax; because his kind—the surface gods—and the ancient gods had coexisted for who knows how long, he assumed it was only natural for them to dwell on the same plane). Phanes created them in hopes of giving them purpose in a new world, as well as giving them enough sentience for them to pursue freedom. Their existence was a gift itself from the Almighty One, he said. Phanes nurtured them until the said god deemed it enough that his new creations could fend for themselves.  

Seeing Teyvat as a new ground for the new creations, Nibelung, the Dragon King who once ruled the old Teyvat, challenged Phanes and his Four Shades in a war out of vengeance. The war wrought enormous carnage and brought the world to the brink of collapse as a result of the forbidden knowledge received by the King of Dragons from the Abyss. Forbidden knowledge as it was, it also cost the lives of his race and also his own, leading to their complete near-extinction. 

Aymos remorsefully confessed that the more he thought about it, the more he felt like they had robbed them of their home, stripped the sovereigns of their power and rights to rule, and even forced Morax and his fellow surface gods to adjust and coexist with them, as if their creator and brethren hadn't invaded their world enough.

But then, Morax was acutely aware of how difficult it was to be in the midst of such chaos. It was war, and it was never supposed to be peaceful. It was a road to complete devastation, where lives had to be lost and blood had to be shed.

No matter how remorseful the ancient god was before him, Morax couldn't bring himself to fault him and his kind. Having been a pawn in Celestia's cruel scheme, he knew from experience that with the shackles forced on him, it wasn't that simple to break free. The same was true for the other ancient gods, who had no choice but to accept that the world was changing and that their existence was no longer required, resulting in the loss of their names, their sole purpose.

While he couldn't say that the Heavenly Principles—Phanes himself was as righteous and merciful (by his own standards); Morax inwardly thought that he still owed the god by creating other lesser gods and humans alike to populate the world. Morax believed that without Phanes' so-called creations, he and the adepti as a whole would not have a chance to thrive. Humans, who were also among his creations, solidified and brought them into existence after all. 

Even though the said progenitor god started the Archon war for the seven divine seats for a millennium (and still counting), the more he pondered about it, he couldn't….really bring himself to be angry. Not at the moment, at least. Morax was bitter and frustrated—no doubt—but he felt too drained to consider getting mad.  

"I talked to one of your kind before I met you," he began with a steady stare, and Aymos' entire attention was drawn to him as he continued. "A goddess in seclusion, lost by time and with nothing to remember her. The only witnesses to her awful plight were the sea of flowers that she seemed to adore, as well as a lesser god whom she summoned with the last of her might.”

“...” The ancient god remained silent, keen on listening to him talk. 

"I am aware that it is the duty of your kind to uphold and preserve the will of the Heavenly Principles, but is it disrespectful of me to say that your esteemed creator abandoned you all, given the way your brethren are vanishing one by one over time?”

Aymos watched him, expression unreadable. 

But he didn't end there. For some reason, Morax couldn't stop himself from expressing the thoughts that had been haunting him since meeting that unfortunate ancient goddess. From her tired smile, to her eyes full of acceptance, and even to her last words. 

"I wouldn't meet my impending demise if my name was important, no?"

Her fellow brethren might have never remembered her, but Morax swore that he would remember her face, even her voice until his body permits him. 

"Do you believe each of you deserves it? Being neglected? Disposed? Forgotten?”

When he asked that serious question, silence nearly fell on deaf ears. 

To be honest, he had no idea how he had managed to come up with that question. However, he had no regrets about asking for it. No, absolutely not. Did this make him insensitive? Will Lord Aymos take offense at what he said? He wasn't sure how the silent god would respond, but he was curious. 

The ancient god seemed to consider his question, but then after a few moments of silent deliberation, Aymos offered him a kind yet lazy smile. He didn't seem to express displeasure, let alone be offended by his blunt curiosity. He only shook his head. 

“I, myself, have no idea if we do deserve it, young'un.” The elder said, “But then, regardless if we were indeed ‘neglected’ just like ‘ya mentioned or not, we still had been granted freedom by the Almighty One, and we're grateful because of that.”

Clink

“Our creator gave us a choice on how we must live until we serve our purpose in this world. We couldn't ask for anything more,” he looked at his hazy reflection on the teacup, “And I believe that was enough. Living until we were forgotten, that is.”

Following that, neither of them spoke again; each of them was having thoughts only privy to themselves. They basked in the peaceful calm, sipping their separate teas (which had already gone cold), and watched cranes swim in the clear waters beyond.

"Now that I think about it," Aymos murmured in wonder, "I couldn't help but compare our kind to mortals. We are far from immortal; after all, we bleed and perish like humans. The only thing that distinguishes us from them is that we have had the most time to see the world evolve, for better or worse.”

He hummed in agreement, “I agree.”

"Despite being gods, we are not impervious to fear and desperation. While time is on our side, we nevertheless feel, get apprehensive, get terrified..." The ancient god said beneath his breath, "...for our impending doom, and even the unknown.” 

At that Morax fell silent. He began to grasp the sentiment and found it impossible to disagree. 

"If ‘ya give it some thought, gods appear far too human in certain ways, don't ‘ya think, Morax?”

Seeing the same spot for the umpteenth time no longer surprises Morax. In fact, each time he found himself waking up in Ying's mysterious domain, he kept expecting to be met by the same tree. He has always found the unusual tree in front of him to be fascinating. It seemed as though the pastel hues of pink and purple had become deeply embedded in his memory, and he became aware of the fact that he had begun to appreciate the subtle color tones over time.

Compared to the earthy hues he had always been used to seeing in his region, he just thought that soft pastels, combined with the long strips of red and white—

Red and white…? 

Morax didn't feel like moving in his spot until he realized something felt off in his surroundings. Long strips of red and white ribbons were fluttering; attached to the ends were small bells chiming in sync to the current of the wind. Curious, he couldn't stop himself as he sat, amber eyes drinking in the unusual yet pleasing sight of ribbons hanging from some branches of the trees like a decoration.  

The more he observed, the more he knew something was missing. He shifted his gaze left and right, looking for the familiar figure he had come to regard as his companion in this realm. 

After a few seconds of looking around, he didn't see her. His peripheral vision revealed nothing of the stunning gold hair. His brow wrinkled in doubt. Where exactly was she? 

“Ying?”

No one responded. The only response he received was the sound of the bells. 

"Ying?" He called out considerably louder, his deep, resonant voice drowning out the sound of fluttering bells. And this time, someone responded, someplace above him, albeit a little winded.

“Morax! I'm here at the back!”

Following the voice, he silently circled the tree, looking upwards, until he saw Ying on top of a branch, with numerous long ribbons hanging around her neck. He had to confess that the sight was not what he had expected to see after waking up in her realm, but if there was one thing he had to acknowledge to himself, it was kind of amusing to see the sophisticated woman clinging to a large branch for dear life. Why is she even there?

The woman spotted him below and flashed him a sheepish grin. “Hello, you're finally awake.”

“What are you doing up there?” Morax asked as he walked closer underneath the branch she was perched on.

"Well, I was hanging these ribbons around the tree." He could see that, but he was more interested in the significance behind them. As if she could sense his obvious curiosity behind her actions, she looked at the ribbon dangling on her hand and then at her legs. Ying squirmed on the branch she was straddling, trying to glide off a little bit backwards so that she could find purchase on the trunk. “Wait for a moment; let me get down, and I'll tell you about—”

Before she could finish her statement, Ying suddenly slipped on the branch and fell out of her perch. It happened way too fast, but Morax reflexively caught her falling weight with his powerful arms. In the comfort of his embrace, the woman's eyes were wide, her bangs somewhat disheveled, exposing her naked forehead and flawless eyebrows that arose in astonishment (which he inwardly thought was kind of endearing but would never say aloud).

They both looked at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Ying's pinkish lips parted in surprise and relief, and she let out a shaky sigh. Thankful for his quick reflexes. “That was a nice save. Thank you for catching me.”

“That was dangerous. You should be careful.”

“My apologies. I underestimated how slippery the branches are.” She smiled, apologetic. “But I am now safe, aren't I?”

He shook his head, “Be careful still.”

“Yes, yes. Don't pout.”

Pout?

“Did I?” he asked while his brows knitted in thought, uncertain. 

Ying chuckled as she reached out to smoothen the creases on his knitted eyebrows, which prompted Morax to soften his mild, troubled expression. “Now, you are frowning. Of course you won't be able to see your own face right now, but don't forget that I am watching you.”

“Then, show me…” he replied while looking down at her, “what kind of face I was making.”

The woman in his arms pulled an unusual expression on her face, her brows were drawn, her lower lip jutting out to a more pronounced pout—trying to make her own rendition of a “pouting Morax.” He was inwardly amused by the unusual sight she was giving him, and for some reason, a sudden urge to humor her compelled him. 

“Do I really look like that?”

“Yes,” she said almost instantly, nodding. “You can try to imagine what you look like while looking at me. You made this kind of expression too.” And then she pulled another interesting expression, a frowning Ying with her lips downturned. It was kind of…adorable, he had to say. The sight only made him feel those annoying fluttering of wings inside his person, as if he had swallowed a swarm of crystalflies. 

“That is an…interesting rendition of my own expressions, I would say,” Morax replied with a gentle quirk of his lip, as if he was trying not to smile at her antics. “And now?”

The woman seemed to consider him for a moment, studying his face, until she responded with a hum. “Now you look like you are trying to smile.”

Her statement made him slightly taken aback. Was he really that transparent with his thoughts? “You can see that?”

“I can,” Ying nodded as she reached a hand over his face until the pad of her thumb found his lip, smoothing the edges around it gently. “It can't hurt for you to smile every now and then, Morax. I honestly think you are better at smiling than frowning.”

Unable to resist, he ended up closing his eyes, silently indulging in the feeling of tenderness seeping through her caresses. “I can try,” he murmured. 

“That’s very good to hear.” The woman in his arms repositioned herself into a much more comfortable position, wrapping her arms around his neck, which seemed to get warmer with time. "Now, getting back to why I'm hanging these ribbons around the tree, I was hoping to replicate that one tradition in one of the few worlds I happened to stumble upon many years ago. The important feature of its custom is the bells in the ribbons.”

Curious, his gaze found itself drawn to the ribbons with the bells hanging above them. “What do they do?”

"Good question." She smiled as she said, "There was this religion called Buddhism, and those people who followed it believed that human life is a cycle of suffering and rebirth, but that if one achieves a state of enlightenment, it is possible to escape this cycle forever.”

“Just humans?” Morax found himself inquiring. He couldn't help but think about himself at that moment, for whatever reason. He just thought it couldn't be limited to humans—a cycle of pain and rebirth. It might also be applied to gods such as himself who continued to go through the cycles of godhood, where sacrifices and suffering were nearly always present. And what about this "enlightenment" she also spoke of? 

"Now that I think about it, it made no mention of other living beings besides human existence. But I believe it might apply to every living and breathing form on every planet in this infinite cosmos, not just humans….”

“....And gods,” he murmured.

“Ah,” she paused for a second but eventually nodded, albeit slowly. “Yes, that's right.”

“And what of this ‘enlightenment’ you speak of?”

"It refers to the extinction of desire, hatred, and ignorance, and, ultimately, of suffering and rebirth," Ying remarked, continuing. "I believe that is the highest state anyone could achieve, and I, for one, couldn't. It's impossible.” She shook her head. 

“You tried?” He blinked. That was surprising, to say the least, especially coming from her.

She sighed, "Well, I figured it wouldn't hurt, so I tried, and here we are. It is quite difficult, so I no longer attempt.”

After that, both of them went silent, but Ying cleared her throat to break the awkward silence that hung between them. "To summarize, the purpose of these bells is to bless and bring good luck. They also ward off malevolent spirits.”

He marveled at the bells fluttering above them with ease; the gentle sound reverberating around seemed like music to his ears. “These bells can do that? ”

“In Buddhism, yes.” The woman in his arms nodded; she closed her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest, thinking. "I believe there is a proverb that goes like this: ‘The whole body is like a mouth hanging on a void. When it comes to the east, west, north, and south winds, he will speak prajna, ding ding, ding ding…’”

For some reason, as if her words had an influence on the winds, a sudden gust blew through, causing the flowers and ribbons to flutter sideways. The synchronous, melodious tune of the bells seemed to follow Ying's words as she went on. 

"...ding ding, ding ding," she finished with a smile. "As you can see, the ceaseless ringing of the bells represents suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and selflessness.”

“As far as interpretations go, that is quite novel. I must admit, it is quite thoughtful.”

“I think so too,” Ying agreed with him. 

“But…” Morax cast another doubtful glance at the tree before turning to face her. She has yet to tell him why she had to do all of this. It was no easy feat to hang ribbons all over the tree, knowing there were some branches that he couldn't say were sturdy enough to accommodate her weight, and they were kind of slippery too. Furthermore, if it hadn't been for his presence and quick reflexes, she would have had an accident. Just…

“...what motivates you to do this?” he asked, curious. 

“What motivates me? That's a good question.”

“...”

“What do you think?”

He unconsciously pursed his lips. “My apologies, but I have no idea…”

Ying let out a lighthearted laugh. "Morax, you are thinking way too much. There is nothing grand behind it. I'm only doing it because I want to.”

He couldn't stop his brows from arching, he parroted in response, almost dumbfounded. “You only…want to?” 

"If you want me to be honest..." She trailed for a moment, her eyes zeroing in on a particular bell above them as she almost spaced out—probably pondering about what to say next.

Ding ding ding

“When I didn't see you for a while back then, I assumed you had some pressing matters to take care of. Since I am aware that you and I both have lives outside of this realm, I didn't mind it all that much at first. However, I was still concerned about your wellbeing despite your absence.”

He remained silent, intent on listening to her speak her thoughts aloud.

“Then one day, you suddenly appeared before me. Looking so beaten and almost defeated. Seeing you looking for worse had me thinking,” Ying paused, considering her next words. “It made me think through a lot of things, that you are not truly safe, especially with the kind of life you lead.”

Morax was completely speechless when she made her confession. He couldn't bring himself to argue with her or convince her that it wasn't true since he knew there was some truth in it. 

And he was reluctant to tell her the truth. He wasn't ready to tell her everything. Morax is a god and a ruler over numerous people in the material world. He lived in a world where there was an ongoing war that he could not predict when it would conclude.

How could he tell her the truth when he had lived through war and bloodshed throughout his godhood? Where he had to push himself until he was exhausted to keep his subjects safe? Where it was necessary for him to kill and kill before another crazed deity might beat him to it? 

What if the instant he told her the truth, her perception of him changed? For some reason, the very thought of it struck Morax with a crushing sense of dread.

"Even if you refuse to share it with me, Morax, I am not blind to such things. Seeing those bloodstains, even if they are not entirely yours, made me feel uneasy. I wish I could relieve your responsibilities and protect you, but I am unable to do so. We both know I can't accomplish anything outside of this realm." She clenched her fists over her chest in frustration.

He watched her as she voiced her honest frustration to him. Her bright eyes had faded, and her cheeks had turned red from mental stress as she ranted. On so many levels, the sight in front of him seemed wrong. Morax did not want to see this kind of expression on her normally bright face. He didn't intend to place such hideous—

Ah. 

That wasn't the only reason he was so hesitant to tell her the truth. His reluctance to reveal the truth stemmed from…

“What if one day, you’ll come to me so broken, with no speck of light in your eyes? What if I can no longer see the whole you? That is what frightens me.”

This is it. 

Morax instinctively knew she would worry about him. If not more apprehensively. Given her unending generosity, Ying would undoubtedly offer him her merciful soul. In several kind ways, she was similar to Guizhong, which he was unable to ignore. 

“I…”

“Please don't. I won't force you to talk. I know this is absolutely pointless, recreating some useless tradition that I'm not sure if it would even work.” She let out a humorless chuckle that seemed too empty on his ears. 

Wrong. 

“It is… it is not useless,” he tried to argue, if not softly. The woman in his arms could only offer him a smile that doesn't even reach her eyes. Something twisted uncomfortably in his chest. “It does not.”

It sounded way too wrong. 

“You are too kind, Morax.” Ying leaned further into the comforts of his arms, her head resting on the crook of his neck.  

He simply adjusted his hold on her by bringing her closer to himself, to the point he could even feel the soft thump of her beating organ—beating in sync along with his. “It's because you treat me with kindness as well.”

More like, you pushed me to be this way. 

She whispered weakly. “Then…please stay strong. You have to be.”

You make me feel kinder.

“I will.”

“Will you promise?”

“Yes,” he murmured as he closed his eyes, thinking of their promise as a new contract that he would honor until his last breath.  

They remained that way for an unknown amount of time before their almost heartfelt conversation came to an end. Both of them were under the tree, listening to the bells around them ring ceaselessly, with Morax quietly indulging in the warmth that Ying emanated, finding comfort in her presence as well as the comfortable silence between them. 

"Let me do the rest of it," Morax abruptly remarked, causing Ying to gaze up at him. 

She blinked, as if she hadn't even considered the idea. "What do you mean...?”

"You are mistaken. This is not useless," he said, intently looking at the ribbons around her neck. "I would not let your efforts go to waste. Let me hang those ribbons in your stead.”

If this was enough to make her feel less anxious about his own well-being, then it was only right that he would indulge her. 

It was already late at night when he came back from his excursion in the mountains. Finding new leads regarding Agreas had been difficult since he killed Vassago, and it didn't help that it felt way too peaceful in some places within his jurisdiction, making him apprehensive of the unknown force that was yet to arrive (not that he was hoping for any). 

Miasma accidents began to dwindle as if Vassago's death had curbed its animosity towards him and the mortals. While there were still miasma sightings in his region, it was a relief (at least) that no miasma attacks or possessions had been reported to him thus far.

But if he had to be honest with himself, this kind of semblance of peace inwardly troubled him. It was too quiet. Uneventful. Too normal. While he couldn't say it was a bad thing, it wasn’t a good thing either. His subjects were continuing on with their current lifestyles while starting over. While some of them were still traumatized by the previous incident, he could tell that they were making progress and recovering nicely. It was all thanks to Guizhong and his subordinates, they were able to get back on their feet.

This feels….like the calm of a storm. Their current state of peace did not guarantee that it would persist for very long. He needed to remind himself that he had been fighting a war for a thousand years and that it would not end anytime soon.

But then recalling Ying's heartfelt request made him think, and it gave him hope for a better future. Hope is an unusual word, but he gradually came to accept it. After all, there are no laws prohibiting gods from yearning for a better outcome to this meaningless battle.

Stay strong, she said. Then he will have to persevere no matter what. 

Morax was about to change course in his plans for that night, deciding to take a flight through the skies for a change of pace, until he spotted a single crane flying at high speed towards his way.  

Curious, he allowed the avian creature to safely descend from the sky. The adeptus immediately lowered his head humbly in front of him, and he nodded in response, noticing a familiar scroll around his neck, indicating that it was a report from Zhenjun. 

The sight only made his blood run cold. He was certain he had been thinking earlier that it was far too peaceful for urgent reports to come his way. Did he, perhaps, jinx himself?

“This one brings an urgent report for you, my liege.” The creature continued to bow his head while stating his purpose. Morax wordlessly raised a finger, and the scroll flew on its way to his awaiting palm.

He inwardly steeled himself before opening the report, his amber eyes scanning through the neat ink strokes as he read in silence. 

Rex,

This one had received an urgent report coming from one of your milleliths in Qiongji. It said that the villagers from Mingyun were desperately in need of healers. The villagers that were once possessed of the miasma were exhibiting peculiar signs of psychosis. So I, Guizhong, and the others were on our way to survey the victims and see what we could do. 

He rolled the scroll back with a frown. Psychosis? Just thinking about it was enough to make his head hurt. He was no healer, so he had no choice but to rely on his subordinates' help once more.

“I’m going,” he declared, ready to take flight. 

The adeptus nodded in acquiescence. “After you.”

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

The moment when Morax stepped into Mingyun Village, his sensitive nose took a whiff of incense percolating around the area, and he saw some of the milleliths running back and forth while carrying censers in their hands. He could hear a combination of moans and frenzied shouts from every dwelling, with some familiar faces he knew barking orders all around. Milleliths and adepti alike.

“T-the herbs weren’t enough!”

Bam! 

He could hear an extremely loud screech, with an animalistic tone to it.

“GIVE ME MY CHILD BACK!”

“But, h-he’s already gone, madam!”

“NO! HE'S ALIVE! HE'S STILL THERE!”

“They're freaking strong! Use a bit of force, or they'll get out!”

“O-on it!”

“GET OFF OF ME!”

“I need some help here!”

“Coming through!”

“I'm….sssscaaaareeed! His ghost is still following me!”

“Hey, watch out!”

Bam!

“Graaaaaah!”

“Eeek!”

“Tie them down! Tie them down!”

Morax was about to sprint to the nearest household, where he could hear the loudest bellowing of a hysterical mother and a few panicked milleliths, until suddenly, he heard Zhenjun's alarming voice amidst the ear-splitting screeching and shouts, making him pause and look around to search for where the noise was coming from.

“Guizhong, where are you going?!” 

He suddenly turned his head at the third household on his left, where he could hear Zhenjun's voice calling out. The goddess in question appeared in his line of vision, looking as rattled as ever at the doorway with beads of sweat clinging to her face and neck as she exclaimed.

“I-I'm going back to the assembly! The golden poppies aren't working; we need stronger ones like valerian roots to sedate them!”

“But it's dangerous to leave alone! There is no one who could accompany you back!”

“It's fine! I can use a little of my power!”

Distressed, Zhenjun warned once more. “Do not do it, Guizho—”

“Guizhong!” He suddenly lunged next to her, stopping her from trying to do whatever she was planning on by holding her by the arm. “What are you doing?”

“Rex!” The goddess seemed relieved by his sudden appearance; she grabbed his arm with her free hand. “I believe I'll need your help; I have to go back to the assembly to bring more herbs.”

He nodded instantly, understanding. Cloud Retainer was far too surprised by his sudden presence and was busy quelling the madness to even express any opposition she had for the goddess. “I promise she will be safe. I will accompany her back.”

Zhenjun could only offer a nod, focusing back on the thrashing villager on the bed who was murmuring some weird mantra under his breath. He noticed that there were other villagers inside the hut with several milleliths trying to tie them down. “Very well. You must be in haste. We need a potent sedative.”

“Yes, we will be quick.” Morax quickly scooped up the goddess beside him, who only squawked out of surprise. “Hold on tight.”

Guizhong quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him real tight. Without further ado, he immediately took flight with the goddess in his arms, mind completely zeroed in on getting back to the assembly in no time.  

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

“Which herb do we need?” he inquired as they arrived at the assembly; his feet swiftly led them both to the familiar hallway and then all the way to the place where Marchosius kept his medicinal herbs. 

It had been a while since he had found himself strolling through this part of the assembly, but even if he wasn't a frequent visitor to the stockrooms, he knew where they were, though not enough to get lost.

Guizhong said, “Golden poppies and valerian roots," and she added. "However, I intend to bring every practical herb I can think of to prevent psychosis.”

Morax whirled around in a corner and glanced at the entrance to the stockroom where the medications were stored. The goddess in his arms writhed and softly drew away; he set her down without a word and watched as she hurried into the room.

With haste, the Goddess of Dust was pulling out every herb she required and could find from each drawer. Since he was not very knowledgeable about herbs, he was worried that he might pick the wrong ones and burden Guizhong with his lack of knowledge about medicines. Therefore, he chose to avoid the medicine cabinet and simply observe, letting the goddess handle everything without interfering.

He watched as she wandered around murmuring under her breath, most likely repeating some medicinal herbs she knew by heart and their applications. Guizhong appeared so serious and motivated on her mission that he could only watch from the sidelines as she meticulously sorted each herb on packaging sheets, wrapped them perfectly, and secured them with plant fibers. 

Everything was fine at first as she busied herself with the herbs she packed successfully, until she suddenly yelped and doubled over the side of the table while clutching her covered wrist to her chest; her face was absolutely contorted into discomfort. Alarmed, Morax was at her side the moment he saw her now completely doubling over in pain.  

“Guizhong, what's wrong?” Kneeling next to her, he placed his hands on her shoulders, eyes scanning over her figure to see what made her this way. 

He saw Guizhong trembling a little. Her eyes appeared momentarily confused, and her breathing was laborious. She continued to hold her other arm across her chest, and Morax quickly pieced together what had abruptly afflicted the goddess to the point that she was reduced to a writhing mess in front of him. 

Her hand. 

He carefully took the arm sleeve that was concealing her once-wounded hand. "Let me see your hand—" 

“No!" She pushed him away, backing out until her back struck the table's leg. 

Her unexpected outburst astonished him, and he couldn't stop his eyes from widening as the impact of her weight caused the enormous censer to collapse over from its perch on the table. Before the object could even crash on top of the dazed goddess, Morax snatched her in his arms, covering her with his bulk figure to protect her small body, and the censer found its way to his back, falling to the ground with a loud clatter. The unexpected hit undoubtedly made him grunt, but he instantly overlooked his discomfort for the sake of the goddess underneath him. 

Guizhong stared at him. Her once-jaded eyes changed from uncertainty to outright fear as she realized what was going on around her. Morax watched as she sobered up, the agony immediately forgotten as she clutched both sides of his face, her eyes watering out of shame.

“M-my apologies, Rex. I-I didn't mean to.” Her hands shook as she apologized, and this time, he finally noticed what was wrong with her hand. 

Her hand was still covered with a cloth bandage, but for some reason, Morax could see some suspicious black lines peeking out of the cloth. He couldn't see the state of her wound the last time he checked on her, and he felt ashamed of himself for remaining so calm. He should have checked her condition thoroughly rather than merely asking her; knowing Guizhong's mentality of not wanting others to worry about her, she would plainly tell everyone that everything was well. 

When the goddess noticed his focus drawn to her hand, she hurriedly moved her injured hand away, but Morax was much faster, grabbing her wrist firmly, not enough to harm but enough to keep her from fleeing.

"Why are you pushing me away?" He couldn't stop himself from asking. It bothered him that she was pushing him away, especially when he was just concerned about her own well-being. 

“I am not,” Guizhong denied weakly, “Please, Rex… Let me go.”

"Guizhong, you're injured. And you expect me to be oblivious to this?" he added, indicating to her hand, which was bandaged with fabric. 

“I'm not lying. My hand was truly fine,” she said as she looked away from his questioning gaze. “I just feel random phantom pains every now and then, but it's nothing serious. Believe me.”

“If that is the case, then why can I see some suspicious black marks—”

“Rex,” seemingly distressed, she pressed on; her face was now filled with unadulterated anguish, as if she was truly pained while pushing this kind of conversation. “Please let it be.”

After her pleading, they drifted into awkward silence that not even his sharpest spear could slice through. He watched how truly vulnerable she was before him. Guizhong appeared exhausted, as if she was carrying a whole world on her shoulders. Even if he wanted to squeeze an honest answer from her, Morax knew he could never force the goddess to speak, no matter how desperate he became just to know the truth.

For some reason, he couldn't stop himself from coming up with similar, interconnected notions regarding this predicament. Ying's pure concern for his well-being paralleled his concern for Guizhong.

Is this how she always felt? He knew he was only keeping the mysterious woman from becoming too concerned, but looking at Guizhong at this point made him feel sick in the stomach. His insides churned, and his throat burned like he had swallowed lead. It nearly choked him. 

Hypocrite. A distorted image of himself mocked him distastefully in his mind. You cannot continue to force them to tell you what is wrong with them when you are unable to do it yourself.

Hypocrite. 

His hand twitched. Lips pursed. 

You are obviously a hypocrite, Morax. 

He carefully released her wrist and pulled away from her, keeping a respectable distance. Morax then began gathering the secured herb packets on the table without saying a word, and he took matters into his own hands by packaging the remaining herb that Guizhong had not finished. 

“We should get back,” he remarked calmly while grabbing the packages in his hand. He decided to respect her wishes and leave their conversation as is. 

The goddess only nodded as she followed him out of the stockroom. On autopilot, Guizhong found her way to his arms once more, and they took flight back to the village with no words spoken between them. 

When they arrived at Mingyun, Cloud Retainer seemed to notice the uneasy silence that hung over them, and before she could ask why, he chose to bow down, hand her the herbs, and leave the premises, claiming he needed to scout the village for any suspicious activity. 

While the divine crane was undoubtedly unaware of what was going on, she simply left it at that and did not pursue the matter further. She could only watch Morax leave them without looking back, and she couldn't help but notice Guizhong's sad expression on her pale face. 

"Shall we go inside?" She offered quietly, and the goddess nodded without saying a word.

.

. 

. 

. 

. 

Time had gone by, and the screaming from the village had subsided.

He had to admit, he felt relieved in some sense. Morax wouldn't acknowledge it out loud, but such noises triggered unpleasant memories that he didn't want to relive in his random moments of solitude. True to his earlier excuse to Cloud Retainer, the god was monitoring the region for an hour for any suspicious activity, and he had found nothing unusual thus far. 

That was until he noticed some milleliths several kilometers away, holding lanterns and spears, near the mouth of a forest on the other side of the village. Morax followed the trail in silence out of curiosity, listening to them argue in the distance over who would be the first to enter the forest.

"Haoran, don't forget that you lost to my scissors previously. Now, brave soldier, step inside! I swear to follow you!”

“Zihao, you coward!” Haoran in question only exclaimed, annoyed. "Who the hell in their right mind decides to choose whom to take the lead by playing rock, paper, scissors?!”

"It's not like we have a choice!" countered Zihao. “Neither of us wanted to enter first!”

"Idiot! Yichen is surely waiting for us inside! He's been there for quite some time. Forget that; I'm getting in!" The infuriated millelith began marching inside, leaving his subordinate behind.

"W-wait, don't walk too fast!”

“Given your extreme fear of the dark, how in the world did you end up as a soldier?”

“You’re not getting it, Ran! It's a spooky woodland!”

“And so? Don't tell me you still believe those childish ghost stories surrounding this village?”

"B-but Yichen said he smelled a curse in this part of the forest. Aren't they dangerous to us mortals? What if we get cursed for all eternity—”

The young man sighed, "Why don't we just return and quit as soldiers?”

"Hey! You don't actually mean that!”

"You fool, if you keep trying to test my patience like this, I really might.”

Morax moved stealthily through the forest, following them both. They didn't stop squabbling, and he wasn't sure his ears could take any more insults shot back and forth between them, so he decided to make his presence known. 

He glided, closing after them, and murmured, “...What are you both doing?”

“AHHHH!” Both of them simultaneously let out a surprised yell. The lanterns they were holding were nearly chucked out on his way, but he was inwardly grateful when they instantly recognized who he was before they could completely throw the poor lanterns at his face.

While it was not his purpose to frighten either of the startled foot soldiers, he couldn't help but be amused by the comical expressions they sported when they saw him emerging out of nowhere. 

“My apologies, it was not my intention to scare both of you.” 

“It's L-L-Lord Morax!” Zihao was the first to express his utter disbelief, followed by a wide-eyed Haoran, who appeared to have witnessed the most astonishing sight he had ever seen.  

He asked a question, ignoring the pointed gazes of the young soldiers, who appeared to be at a loss for words when they saw him. “What are you doing here?”

Haoran was the first to recover from shock, smoothing his face into a much more serious and professional expression while giving him a brief salute and courteous bow. “Our sincere regrets for acting in such a shameful manner, my liege. I'm Haoran, and this is Zihao, my brother-in-arms from the Millelith Brigade. Qiongji sent an urgent report to our platoon stating that they needed additional assistance. While the other half assisted in caring for the victims, the other half had been instructed to scout the village.”

Zihao then added, his once almost scaredy-cat persona disappeared and was replaced by a matching serious expression like Haoran's. "Three of us thought no one had scouted beyond the settlement yet, so we went looking and ended up here. Until our other subordinate, Yichen, saw something strange at this location, claiming he could smell a curse deep in the forest.”

He blinked slowly, absorbing that one remarkable piece of information in his mind. “Curse? He can sense curses?”

They only nodded.

Is it possible for an ordinary individual to sense curses? 

“Yichen is part illuminated beast and a human,” Ah. That completely explains it, he mused. Haoran continued, “And he's kind of...sensitive to dark energies. He can detect those over a broad range. Now that I think about it, I believe he was the first to tell the people to leave the festival before the miasma appeared.”

Whoever this Yichen was, Morax was intrigued by his capacity to detect malevolent energy. While he was completely confident in his divinity sensing abilities, he couldn't overlook a new variable that could help him in his quest. 

"—But then, before we could even ask him to elaborate on what he felt in the forest, he abruptly left us and disappeared deep into the woods. He has been there for quite some time now.”

He frowned. 

Well… Speaking of sensing energies, Morax could detect faint traces of an element he was familiar with, but it was also tinged with a terrible aura that made it almost smell far too vile. Far too ancient, he noted. The amount of malice imbued in the elemental force was far too conspicuous to ignore, so he felt compelled to follow it.  

He wordlessly ventured deeper into the woods with the two soldiers flanking behind him on both sides. Morax eyed the bright trails of the elemental energy on the ground (which could only be seen by an adepti). They walked considerably deeper for a while, until it felt like they were being swallowed by an abyss, with only the lanterns to illuminate their way. 

But then, Morax had to come to a halt abruptly. It had been too quiet, and he would be foolish not to remain vigilant in this part of the forest. Something seemed odd, as if he had entered a world where time stood still. Not even Haoran and Zihao's sound of breathing could pass through his sensitive ears. 

While he could no longer see the trails of energy he had been following since entering the forest, he could certainly feel a different energy lurking in the bushes this time. 

It was something that was living and breathing. Strong and relatively pure, combined with the familiar vile energy he had noticed previously. 

A young guy wearing the traditional earthy hues of the Millelith Brigade's uniform lay sprawled on the ground. His wild, flashy hair, the hue of the crystal blue waters of Luhua Pool, was like a bright beacon amidst the dismal forests that surrounded them, as were the peculiar golden marks reminiscent of whiskers that gently gleamed on his somnolent visage.

A half-Suanni, he remarked thoughtfully. No wonder his presence felt strange yet oddly familiar. 

Much to the relief of the other soldiers, the half-illuminated beast was lying there unconscious but undoubtedly breathing. "Yichen!” As they attempted to wake him from unconsciousness, his fellow brothers in arms immediately rushed to his sides. "Wake up!” 

"....a smell of earth," Yichen grumbled as he slowly opened his eyes, exposing a set of dazzling flavescent colors beneath long light lashes. He blinked, looking at their expressions with utter confusion. It appeared like nothing was sinking into his head at the moment. "...?”

“Egad! Have you gone insane?! Why did you leave alone?!” Haoran, the noisiest of the three exclaimed, incensed.

“...”

"Yichen, we know you're incredibly strong, but aren't we brothers in arms?” Zihao added, sounding weirdly emotional. "And brothers in arms are meant to stick together until the end!”

"Ugh," Yichen murmured almost pitifully, clutching his chest in apparent discomfort. "I miscalculated; the negative energy was far too heavy for me to absorb."

"Then you shouldn't have absorbed it in the first place!”

“It doesn't mean my body couldn't handle it, though; I just needed some time.” He sighed. 

Morax decided to join their small circle, clearly interested by the young man's ability. “You tried quelling the curse.”

"The smell of earth…" The half-Suanni turned his head, bleary-eyed. He took a few blinks as he peered at Morax's face, and when clarity dawned and he recognized who he was, he became flustered. "Lord of Geo," Yichen sat down on his knees and bowed deeply in respect. "What brings your noble presence to these secluded woods?”

Morax merely ignored his display of deference and spoke instead. “What you discovered piques my attention fully. I suppose you felt the same energy I did all the way here?”

“Ah, yes.” He nodded, “We had just started searching around Mingyun when I smelled an unidentified energy wafting through the forest. Given that half of my blood contains Suanni genes and I was extremely sensitive to the elemental energies around me, I was able to differentiate between the pure and the impure.”

Yichen continued, “In this forest, I felt a sensation of an ancient curse. A malicious one. I managed to capture the remnants of evil energy and absorb them before they could even expand and wreak havoc on the locals, but I was unable to apprehend the bearer of the curse.”

"You are impervious to curses?”

“Yes, my liege, I am. Suanni creatures are able to fend off curses.”

That was a really impressive ability, he had to admit. Even though he had a cordial relationship with the Suanni ruler, Morax had only seen a small number of them in his early years, and they chose to live in isolation in the mountains, never considering descending from their domain. They were rather reclusive and unsociable creatures. Suanni beasts were infamous for being elusive to humans, so it was a mystery how Yichen could exist between a Suanni beast and a regular mortal. 

"I see." Morax looked around once more to make sure there were no negative elemental traces, but he detected none. "You did an excellent job.”

"Lord Morax, it was our responsibility to do everything in our power to put a stop to any potential threats that might arise. This devoted soldier of yours had vowed to protect the people and serve as a shield for the weak until his death.” Yichen sincerely recited his pledge. 

“That's right,” Zihao nodded in agreement as he did a quick salute, which was also followed by Haoran. “While the Millelith stands guard, evil shall never prevail!”

They are indeed a quite lively bunch. 

With a nod, Morax said, "You have my deepest appreciation. This region needs more driven, selfless warriors like you, who will defend the weak until the end. I am counting on you three.”

Following his words, all became silent, with three of the milleliths staring up at him in wonder. They probably didn't expect him to speak freely (he had to admit that it was happening more often these days, and he couldn't help but wonder when it all began—was it when he got to know Ying?), and based on the way they appeared to be beaming, it seemed that his words alone were enough to boost their morale as devoted soldiers of the region. 

Three sets of fearless eyes were fixed on him, and they continued to gaze at him in awe. He inquired, somewhat intrigued by their casual demeanor. "My presence does not intimidate you?”

“Not at all, my liege!” They all spoke in unison. He blinked. Half a century ago, he was certain that no soldier ever amused himself by observing him closely. For reasons even he didn't care to know, they would never want to meet his gaze. He could only speculate that he may be the kind of intimidating god people didn't want to see or interact with.

Despite the fact that they took their oaths of allegiance to him after numerous generations, Morax was (ironically) not particularly close to them. 

(But seeing these new innocent faces with no fear of him surely doesn't feel unpleasant at all.) 

“Why?”

“Why would we do that?” Haoran asked a question instead, and then he shook his head. "Lord Morax, you may not have realized it because of the great distance between gods and mortals, but many people, including ourselves, truly admired you.”

“...”

"That's true," Zihao said, adding, "You're a living legend among humans, Lord Morax. My forefathers would be envious if they could see me now meeting the one and only Yánwáng Dìjūn, who has been protecting these territories for a very long time.”

“I see…” Morax took a moment to process what they had said before answering once more, albeit reluctantly. “Nevertheless, I don't believe I am all that unique. Like the rest of you, I am only carrying out my duty.”

Given that there were no longer any threats in the vicinity of Mingyun, he decided it was time to return to the village and evaluate the victims' conditions; as a result, he chose to cut their conversation short.

"Let's get back; this place is already clear of threats," he murmured, turning around and retracing his steps back from whence they had come. “That is, if you wish to return to the village with me.”

“We're coming with you, my liege!”

"Hm. Look at you brooding again." 

He didn't need to turn around to figure out who was speaking to him from behind. Morax raised his head in greeting, "Zhenjun."

"How far along are you with your quest?”

"Uneventful.”

"Ah," the avian adepti blinked as she situated herself beside him. "Are there no more new leads?"

He shook his head. “There is none. I might look northwest to see if there are any.”

“Northwest, hmm.” Zhenjun merely flapped her other wing once, but Morax could clearly picture her striking a contemplating position if she had human arms. “Do I have the same thoughts as you do?”

“Perhaps?”

“Mount Yaojun, huh.”

“Well…It's the area surrounding it.”

“Chenyu Vale?” She looked really surprised when realization hit her, “But aren't you enemies with the goddess residing there?”

“Honestly, I'm still skeptical about what I've done to incur her ire. But I suppose it's a prerequisite for any ruling native gods to be despised by other ancient gods.”

“Hmph, they are bunches of fools who think the world revolves around them.”

“Not all of them, though. I have encountered several ancient gods who exhibit humility.” 

“But aren't they deceased?”

"There are some who still live to this day," he said, recalling the jovial ancient god in Lingju who was enthralled by the gold censer he gifted, "while there are some that have already been forgotten in time.” For example, that earth goddess and other unfortunate gods and goddesses who, each time a new nascent god emerges, must face the hard truth of extinction. 

In retrospect, Morax would say that it was a case of natural selection, in which the emergence of new gods signified their dominance over the more ancient ones. Like, which of the two versions was far superior? The one who was fading away, waiting for the time to pass, or the one who was shining brightly in the midst of their prime?

It’s an evolution of gods, he mused to himself. Even while the idea made him feel bad, he had to accept that it was also inevitable.

And who knows, maybe there may come a day when gods like him are no longer needed, thus all of them will eventually vanish for the sake of evolutionary progress. 

"But, whether or not some of them were still living, it is always up to the individual to practice humility. They can choose whether to be evil or nice. It completely depends on what they want to be in life.”

If Guizhong and Ying's demonstration of humility taught him anything, it was that exerting and expressing kindness is a choice in and of itself. 

"This one already knows you're a god with a lot of depth, but listening to you speak without inhibitions like this is like breathing in the fresh air at the crack of dawn," Cloud Retainer said with a satisfied tone. "It makes you more feeling, more sensible, like a human.”

"Is it a negative thing?”

"Of course not; on the contrary, it's a very positive thing."

Silence. 

“You must take precautions on trespassing all the way to the northwest,” she warned. “While we have complete faith in your combat abilities, entering forbidden terrain remains perilous. Xuanwen beasts are one thing, but what about those unsociable, proud Suanni creatures whose egos are bigger than the mountains they guard?”

“I am not intimidated by them, Zhenjun,” he said, shaking his head. “And also, I'm in a cordial relationship with the Suannis.” 

“Hmph, I still do not like their arrogance.”

"Now that I think of it, did you know we have a halfling in the Millelith Brigade?”

“Oh! I know who you are talking to. You're talking about Wentian's offspring, aren't you?”

"Wentian…?” The name seemed familiar to him. Morax was certain he had heard that name about thirty years ago on a battlefield, where it was chanted by numerous warriors whenever they were in desperate need of powerful reinforcements.

A well-known female soldier with herculean strength, each piercing of her spear capable of tearing through the strongest shield. The woman who was said to have been blessed by Zhenjun itself. 

"That human once under your wing who retired early from her warfare responsibilities," Morax mumbled with recognition. He looked at the crane by his side, who just cocked her head in return. "She sired Yichen?"

"Yes. This one could not blame you; after all, he does not resemble Wentian. Not one bit in terms of appearance. ”

He gave a nod of agreement. “He possesses the vibrant colors of a typical Suanni. Save from the fact that he appears more like a human than a beast.”

“But believe it or not, he has his mother's brains, battle prowess, and even her calm demeanor.”

"I can see that. He possesses exceptional abilities." 

The avian adepti could only sigh. "If anything, I bet he looks way more like the human form of whoever his father was."

He blinked a number of times, slightly puzzled. "You had no idea who his father was? 

“No one knows, except for Wentian herself.”

He momentarily frowned. “But why?”

“I have my guesses, but unfortunately, I didn't have enough proof to validate it.”

“I see…”

"Anyway, has something transpired between you and Guizhong?”

“...”

“Well?” Cloud Retained pushed him on, her head cocked to the side to stare at him.

He stayed silent for some time before opening his mouth to speak.

"I think I may have been prying too much…" he began, perhaps reluctantly. "And offended her by my callous forwardness."

"What happened?" she inquired patiently.

“Guizhong is hiding something pertaining to herself. In particular, the state of her injured hand. Are you aware of this?”

It was Zhenjun's turn to stay silent, but she ultimately spoke—albeit hesitantly. 

“I often notice how she still covers her other hand with those cotton bandages. Since it had been months since she sustained that wound, I almost thought it was strange. When I asked her about the status of her hand, she always said it was healing fine, so I stopped asking. You know how much I trust Guizhong, Rex.” As she described her observations to him, he noticed that she was becoming increasingly agitated. More realizations began to flow into Zhenjun's swirling thoughts. 

"At first, I assumed she was really disturbed by the scar it left behind. But is there anything I should know about what you discovered?”

His thoughts suddenly brought him back to the stockroom, where he was holding Guizhong's wrist and saw the suspicious black lines akin to veins peeking through the cloth protecting her hand. Just remembering it was enough to raise some suspicions in him, making him inwardly concerned by the goddess’ true condition. 

It was too soon to make a firm judgment without properly seeing her injury up close, but those vein-like splotches on her pale skin were almost reminiscent of the wounds he saw in Vassago. But who knows? Perhaps he was just being tricked by his eyes. It was possible. 

“The black marks I saw on her hand…” He paused, his hands unconsciously clenching against his lap. “It reminds me of the marks I saw on Vassago's wounds before he died.”

“What….what do you mean?”

“I might have been overanalyzing things, but it's too soon to know if she sustained the same wound as Vassago. I'd want to try looking at it if I could at least check. However, Guizhong asked me not to push any further before I could even attempt it, so I didn't.”

“Then I should try convincing her to let me see it.”

“Please do, Zhenjun.”

I sort of have a bad feeling about it, is what he wanted to add, but he made another request instead.

“Can you please look after Guizhong?”

Zhenjun fell silent for a minute; her beady eyes met his amber ones in a one-on-one staredown that ended in a standoff when neither wanted to back down. She eventually replied. "So why wouldn't you?”

"I don't want her to feel uncomfortable with me," he admitted as soon as he closed his eyes. "And she feels most at ease with you.”

"Rex, you know that is false. If we're talking about her personal comfort, she's most at ease with you," Zhenjun contended, but he simply gave her a slight tilt of his lip—as if he wanted to smile but couldn't. 

"If she is most comfortable with me, just like what you have said, Zhenjun, then Guizhong shouldn't have looked at me with uncertainty in her eyes.”

Morax continued with his search once more, but this time he decided to take a flight through the skies. Scouting around his territory midair was a good change of pace, and if he had to be honest with himself, he quite missed the feeling of liberation every time he took flight along with the cranes.  

It has been a whole day of reconnaissance with no breaks. He went to search through the mountains and talked to every lesser god he met along the way. He even found himself visiting other woodlands that he couldn't and had willing adeptal beasts to help him ‘search’ for clues. 

While he couldn't say to have discovered such important leads to his mission, he did learn a few things from other gods and beasts with whom he engaged. 

According to the lesser gods lurking in the mountains, there was a higher deity who came down to tell them of “The Day of the Beginning.” As for what this god meant, or what kind of ‘beginning’ they should expect, whether it was good or bad—it was a mystery. Because the day the said god had dropped the cryptic message, it was also the same day they had vanished. 

Since then, the neutral lesser gods who inhabited the region had grown agitated, knowing the message had come from a higher deity from above and could be a bad omen. While some of the other lesser gods had been extremely wary and evasive of the higher gods, they could never disregard a message, especially one from them. Who knows, perhaps it was a warning? He had to admit that he too was curious.  

Morax tucked that information away in the depths of his mind. When he had the opportunity to return to Lingju, he would undoubtedly inquire with Lord Aymos about the situation. 

As he searched the region from above, he realized that his scouting hours had to end (it was almost midnight, after all), and he felt compelled to visit Mingyun village to see how they were doing so far. With a new plan in mind, he ended up altering his course in midair and flying all the way to Qiongji. Upon reaching the village, he was left bewildered by what he saw. 

He was certain that it had just been a day, but he had not expected any villagers to be awake at this hour, chatting with some Milleliths—looking oddly healthy for some reason, as if they hadn't been violent the night before.

As he marveled at the sight with unadulterated discombobulation, Morax muttered to himself. “What….is going on here?”

“Lord Morax?” A gentle, familiar voice called him out, simply jolting him out of his temporary stupor caused by the unexpected turn of events. "You're here.”

He turned around to see the half-Qilin approaching him, holding so many food containers in her arms that they nearly dwarfed her small stature. "Ganyu."

"Are you here looking for Master? Or perhaps you are looking for Lady Guizhong?” She inquired gently. 

He wasn't looking for either of his close subordinates in the village (though he wouldn't mind having a few words with them if he saw them), but he was more interested in checking on the people than looking around. 

(However, what he saw before him actually stunned him beyond imagination; he never expected those victims to behave normally as if nothing had happened the night before.) 

"The villagers…" he began, struggling to find the appropriate words to express his muddled thoughts. "They appeared to be alright now. I believe the herbs have been effective?”

“Oh,” Ganyu looked hesitant when she noticed some awake villagers chatting with other Milleliths in the distance. She remained silent for a moment before responding to his question, "The thing is, we didn't know what happened, Milord. We did our best to sedate them last night so they wouldn't injure themselves further, but we didn't expect them to wake up tonight as if nothing had happened either.”

“They are not in danger, are they?”

She shook her head. “They appear to be in excellent condition.”

“Then let us consider it as a good thing.”

“Except…”

He tilted his head to the side, as if urging her on to continue. 

"There's something important you should know, Milord," she said with a troubled expression. He listened. "The villagers awoke with no recollection of what had happened the night before. The worst part is that they couldn't remember the miasma incident that occurred at the festival several months ago.”

That came as quite a surprise to Morax. If he were to recall what he had seen last night, it was the complete reverse of what he had discovered at the moment. It was clear that losing their loved ones to the miasma was the root cause of their hostility. They couldn't even distinguish imagination to reality, as they kept on searching out for the people that already passed on. 

“Are you saying this is not the work of the herbs?”

“No, Lord Morax. The herbs that Lady Guizhong and Lord Marchosius procured are only for sedation and calming effects to promote a sound mind.”

That was downright suspicious, indeed. What could be the possible factors that could lead to them losing their memories connecting to the miasma incident? And losing them overnight at that? 

“.…Lady Guizhong and I have a feeling that this is the work of someone else,” Ganyu commented, she continued. “Someone who had the power to alter the workings of the mind.”

Knowing that there were many gods lurking in this region who liked to cause mischief on occasion, her speculation was plausible.

But then, who could it be? 

“It is a plausible conjecture, but we need more solid proof.” He murmured as he nodded, “Where is Zhenjun? I believe I have to conjure a new plan to further strengthen the security in this village until we find the main root of this matter.”

“Master is staying in one of the huts over there,” Ganyu pointed her head at one particular dwelling that was quite isolated from the other huts. “Lord Marchosius and Lady Guizhong are convening with the master as we speak.”

“I see. Where are you headed?”

The halfling merely blinked at him in astonishment, but she responded nonetheless. "I'm on my way to distribute these foods along with the medicine door-to-door, Lord Morax.”

He nodded once more and offered, "Allow me to assist you.”

“Huh,” Ganyu was left awestruck at his sudden offer, tongue-tied even, she added. “It's fine, Milord, I-I can do it—”

“Be at ease, young Qilin.” Morax didn't even let her finish her statement as he raised his index finger and made a circular gesture, making the food containers in Ganyu's arms levitate in the air—relieving her from her menial labor. “I am curious to see how the villagers are faring with their sudden memory loss.”

Flabbergasted, with her cheeks warming mildly out of embarrassment. “I understand. Thank you very much for the help.”

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

Morax merely listened as they talked endlessly about the reason behind the villagers' unexpected memory loss. Although each of his subordinates was willing to express their own opinions, he could see how genuinely perplexed they were by this unexpected development, and he wasn't even sure where to begin searching for clues. 

Earlier, when he accompanied Ganyu to each residence to deliver food, he spent time examining every villager. He intently observed how they spoke and behaved. It didn't seem weird at first, but after hearing the relatives (the unaffected ones) express their grief over the victims' abrupt change of demeanor, he was convinced that this was no ordinary case. 

Not only had most of their memories been erased, but they had also been altered. Some of their personalities took an unexpected turn, and their intellect was gradually reduced to that of a child. 

This was far too serious for Morax to overlook, so he had no choice but to put his main objective on hold for the sake of his mentally compromised subjects. 

"...It is indeed a real mystery, I would say," Cloud Retainer said with a shake of her head. "This one was tending to them all night, but I never noticed a significant shift in their energies as they slept. Nothing at all. If someone tried to meddle with it, I would have recognized a single speck of oddity in their bodies.”

“I second that,” Marchosius murmured. “I would have noticed an intruder as well, but nothing passed through my barrier. It is unusual.”

“But still, I have a feeling that this is a work by someone else,” the goddess remarked with a frown. “This memory loss pertaining to the incident was far too obvious; it almost seemed intentional. Although I'm not sure if having them lose their memories connected to the incident was a good thing, we couldn't ignore the fact that these people lost a larger part of themselves.”

Cloud Retainer and Marchosius seemed to agree with her statement, albeit somberly. 

"I'm not even sure if this is an act of kindness from an unknown source to spare these victims' agony, but….it seems so wrong that they couldn't even remember those who were once part of their lives.”

Silence. 

"What if this sudden memory loss worsens to the point where they lose their sense of identity?”

"It is already happening, if not gradually." It was his chance to speak up, but this wasn't an opinion, let alone a theory like theirs. He had seen reality with his own eyes, and he was all set to share his discoveries with them. "I found that their personalities had changed, some of their memories were altered, and worst of all, their intellect had been reduced to that of a child's.”

“...!” 

“No… it can't be…” Guizhong covered her mouth to suppress her gasp, horrified. 

"As we speak, Ganyu and the other Milleliths are checking each one of them for me, keeping track of all their behavior, personality, and other changes," he stated. "I ordered all of the soldiers to remain vigilant in this village. It seems to me that Guizhong's theory was worthwhile to take into account.”

He went on, three sets of eyes on him as he talked. "Last night, Wentian's offspring detected an unusual energy deep in the woods across this village. A malevolent curse imbued with a notable but unknown elemental essence belonged to someone we had yet to locate. The young lad was able to put a stop to it before it could spread and cause havoc; but, the curse's bearer was nowhere to be found even when I arrived.”

The goddess took a slow, shaky sigh. “What are we going to do? This is far graver than we expected.”

“Do you have a plan in mind, Rex?” It was Zhenjun's turn to speak, she asked.  

"I have a plan, but I want to keep this village as is. I've already disseminated these orders to the Millelith Brigade with Ganyu's assistance. Make it appear that everything is too lax.”

“Understood.”

"I shall leave for the time being. Please continue to watch after mortals. When danger returns, call out my name."

They simply nodded in understanding. 

He had a feeling that this was not the end yet. If he had to follow his sharp instincts when it comes to the unknown, he was definitely sure that the culprit would come back once more. 

And he would be there to end it once and for all. 

There was a strange tale spreading in the village that had reached his ears. Something about a large avian creature visiting people's dreams at night, both villagers and Milleliths alike. 

At first, he assumed it was just one of those ancient adeptal arts in which an adepti offers humans a vision (usually warning them of what is coming). But when he asked Cloud Retainer whether she had any ties to it, or even one of her kin, she simply claimed that she had never employed such adeptal arts in her life (which he immediately believed, knowing Zhenjun was not one to lie, especially not to his face).

Mortals believe in symbolism, which means that what they see in their dreams has meaning. Large birds represent freedom, new opportunities, and even a new beginning, thus seeing them in their dreams seemed to elicit a favorable response.

As ridiculous as it sounded in his head, they even believed that the large creature they saw was a 'heavenly guardian' sent to them in their dreams by Rex Lapis to protect them from their vulnerability (when, in fact, he did not, and he had no idea where those dreams came from). 

But, given that it had no negative impact on their well-being, he has yet to deny any of the rumors. Even though he disliked the notion of taking advantage of their complete devotion to him, Morax reasoned that it would be good to have them believe that way since it might make them feel less frightened and apprehensive about the predicament they and the victims were currently in.

He didn't want to incite unrest among his people, especially since he was still waiting for the perpetrator to fall into his trap. 

A whole week of mere waiting. Morax was patient, simply waiting for the golden opportunity to pounce. While pretending to be lax wasn't his strong suit, he was at least satisfied that the seeds he had sown had sprouted and borne some fruit. 

He surmised that his subjects' dreams might be linked to the culprit, so Morax resolved to return after midnight. Just as he suspected, the perpetrator decided to make another covert, quick excursion to the village while he was away. Specifically, at night, when most people were asleep. 

(But what this culprit didn't realize was that his lands would serve as his eyes in his absence and that his very being was in sync with the earth he commanded.) 

Morax stared impassively at the same elemental tracks he had seen the first time he set foot in Mingyun's deep woodlands. He moved silently through the forest, like a wraith, following the bright, sloppy trails of anemo. It felt nearly endless, as if he had just been through a maze, but as he followed the trails to their intended destination, he gradually became aware of where they may lead. 

He watched the end of the forest, which revealed the dotted skies full of blinking stars and the clear shallow waters of Yaoguang. Morax carefully inhaled the fresh sea breeze; the elemental trails he continued to follow extended farther, going to the only place he had never contemplated, let alone permitted himself to enter its borders.

The very place he truly despised entering. Territory of one disdainful creature he didn't wish to see.

The island of Guyun. The domain of his longstanding adversary, the Overlord of the Vortex, Osial.  

A moment of realization came to hit him full force. He couldn't help but recall a certain ancient god's message to him before he passed. Saleos’ words came to echo in his mind; his old, gruff tone served as a reminder—as if he wanted to tell him to never forget.  

"Face your utter disdain for a certain creature; if you succeed in your quest, seek answers in Guyun."

Morax let out a little scornful chuckle that spiraled out of control as he laughed and laughed with no humor in his tone. How could he be that blasted clueless? That was one hell of a clue that he absolutely, unknowingly overlooked for months. If he were as quick-witted as Guizhong, he wouldn't have had to spend months looking for scraps he thought were clues.

His laughter ceased the moment his amber eyes landed on the skies; he channeled his element through his bare feet, causing the earth beneath him to roar with all its might—resulting in a very large-scale earthquake, not enough to create danger, but more like a warning that he was approaching. 

That was sufficient enough for a spontaneous greeting to the Overlord of the Vortex. 

He summoned his weapon out of nowhere, his face smoothing out coolly, almost reminiscent of his roots and origin, hard and unfeeling as stone. His greeting was definitely well-received when he noted the abrupt shift in the weather; the waters from afar began to tremble and effervesce as several long, slimy heads emerged one by one from the deep depths of the Sea of Clouds.

"It's all or nothing," he muttered as he took off to the skies, his spear shining alongside the large stone lances he summoned in the air—meeting those humongous, howling, detestable water creatures in a full-blown head-on battle.