Chapter Text
Pervases just finished a mission for the Liyue Illuminated Beasts, an organization that specializes in killing demons that haunt the world. He sat in the cafeteria area, getting pats on the back from different members. Lately, he's been clawing the ranks and been getting more known.
There were powers that circulated the world, different elements that certain people could control, this was called having a Vision. There was Pyro, Cryo, Anemo, Hydro, Geo, Dendro, and Electro. Almost everyone in the Liyue Illuminated Beasts had a Vision—Pervases had a Pyro Vision. He rarely used it, only for emergencies–because well, he just wasn't quite used to the feeling of fire running through his sword or arms.
The only thing that has been slowly ruining his life is the enormous amount of debt he has to pay off to the organization. Once he got a certain point in the rankings, he's been borrowing money bag after money bag to make end’s meet, and now he needs to be able to pay it off soon.
Unfortunately, he still desperately needs money, so borrowing from the organization is still something he does, growing the amount of debt he has little by little.
Soon I'll be crushed by it all, he mused silently. He sipped his drink.
He was surrounded by all his co-workers and colleagues, congratulating him on being close to another level of superiority in the rankings.
“How do you do it, Pervases?” One asked, “How many missions does it take to get at your level?”
“Pervases!” Another called, “What rank are you on now?!”
A secretary pushed through the crowd and tapped Pervases’ shoulder, “Excuse me, sir… M-Morax wants to see you…” But this caused the crowd to get even more rowdy–asking question after question, wondering why the great Morax wanted to see him.
Pervases put his cup down, “Settle down! Let's all chat about this later. I need to speak with Morax.” He stood up, bowing politely, and walked away. The halls were silent, most of the other workers were on their missions.
The Liyue Illuminated Beasts were a considerably underground organization, although over time they've been known far and wide in Liyue. It grew so much that the Qixing's leader, Ningguang, decided to make it a branch of the Milileth.
Morax, the lead supervisor and captain since the beginning of its creation, was a kind and just leader. He was a man of contracts, always kept his word, and painfully honest.
Pervases has never been called to see this man before, he wondered if he'll be getting promoted. He doubted it, with all the debt he owes to the organization, he wouldn't even be able to get to a higher position! But still… He thought with a slimmer of hope.
He knocked on the mahogany door before letting himself inside. He gently closed the door behind him and bowed in front of the leader of the Liyue Illuminated Beasts.
The room had a brown color to the walls, and paintings of Liyue were hung on them. The windows in the back were blinds that were open, allowing the sun to sift through. There were certificates hung on another side of the wall and a fan gently blowing air on the desk. Filing cabinets were behind the desk, collecting dust on certain parts.
“Pervases,” the man sitting at the desk said, his hair tied neatly, “about your debt.” There was a tone to his voice that sounded like saying the word itself was like poison. He stood and sighed, “When will you be paying us back?”
Pervases bowed lower, “When I get the… money… sir.” He gulped, “I still haven't found a job. But I'm sure once I do, I can repay you in full!”
Morax tapped his finger on the desk impatiently, “I understand you're a single parent. But because of you others have been asking for money too. I do not want them to be in debt to us, that just makes things more complicated for me.” He pulled out a file from a cabinet behind him, “This is how much you owe so far.”
The file was handed to him, he opened it gingerly. He gasped, he owed one billion dollars to the Liyue Illuminated Beasts. He slowly closed back the file, “I… I didn't know I owed that much!”
“Seems people have been borrowing money in your name,” Morax frowned.
“But! I can't possibly!”
“Unfortunately, you do. And I'm afraid that if anything ever happens to you, we're going to have to pass it down to your son.”
“WHAT!?” He yelled, “You can't! He's just a little boy! How will he manage if he needs to repay that much money all by himself!?” He threw the file down, “I will repay you! On my life!”
“Good.” Morax nodded, he cleared his throat, “While you're still in here, I have a mission for you.”
This guy can't be serious, Pervases furrowed his brow. How can he just throw all that burden on me and then casually give me a mission?
“Here's your mission,” He gave him another file, “Should be a simple demon. I'm sure you'll be back quick enough to secure a job.”
“Thanks,” Pervases mumbled. He opened up the file as Morax bent down to pick up the one Pervases threw on the floor.
Inside was a blurry picture of a fish, it was gray and had human arms and legs, it stood on its four limbs and was as big as a tree. “[FISH DEMON]” was written on the other paper inside, its weight, height, and other known information about it was there along with it.
He shrugged, “I accept.”
Morax smiled gently, “Alright then.”
—
The fish demon was in a rural area, breaking through the houses. It grabbed anyone it could and swallowed it down its terrifying mouth. The fish's bulging eyes found more people, huddling behind a house, and gulped them down.
Pervases finally arrived, a weapon was strapped to his side. His Vision was clasped on his belt, catching the light from the sun's rays. He shuddered at the sight of it–its hideous features and hideous way of eating. This is starting to make me hate grilled fish…
Quickly he seethed his weapon, running forward to kill the fish demon. A quick slash on its eyeball, another slash on its other. He ducked as its arms started grabbing air in agony.
The fish's eyes regenerated and roared a terrible roar. It grabbed Pervases, but he quickly slashed the arm it was holding him. He ran back again, stabbing and slashing anywhere it'll allow him, ducking away from it.
I can't get close to it, Pervases thought, I need to close our gap! This fight will continue endlessly without it.
He rolled behind it and tried to cut it in half, but the face and limbs moved to face him. It grabbed hold of Pervases' arms, and opened its horrible mouth. There were human teeth, but no tongue.
Shit! He tried struggling away but the arms gripped tighter. He decided to take their closeness to his advantage and stab it in the middle of its forehead. It cried in agony, and ripped Pervases’ arms off.
Blood spewed from him, as he screamed. The fish tackled him, getting ready to swallow him whole. He took the sword that was still stuck on its head, with his mouth. He stabbed multiple times, until the fish finally decided to end Pervases’ misery.
It grabbed the hem of his uniform, opened its mouth wide, and dropped Pervases down it.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO—” His screams were heard until it abruptly stopped after the fish swallowed.
But suddenly, the fish exploded, and inside was Pervases, still standing, hunched and tired, but still standing. He used his Pyro Vision to explode the fish, he should've used it earlier, but he still wasn't used to using it.
He fell to the ground, his breath heavy and voice cracking, “I'm losing… Too much… Bloo…d”
Nobody from the village was around, either they died or fled. Nobody would or could hear Pervases’ last words.
Pervases tried to stand, but ultimately fell down again. He sighed shakily, “I'm sorry… Alatus… Forgive me for leaving you…” Tears started to roll down his eyes, “I doubt that you'll… Be able to live… A normal…”
Pervases’ eyes slowly closed, his sense of the world was slowly dwindling. Darkness started to encapsulate him, “Forgive me… my son…”
—
2 YEARS LATER
Morax grieved his subordinate's death for a while. After all, Pervases was a good man. He followed orders and made sure to go along the lines of his contract. Even with all the money he owed, Morax favored him.
He did not expect Pervases to die so easily.
He had a terrible habit of not using his Vision when he was supposed to. Pervases used to be part of the Milileth before he got a Vision, his fighting style was basic and had no use of any elemental powers.
Morax should've taught him how important Visions were in combat a long time ago. He sighed as he rubbed his temples.
“Sir, shall we go on with this?” A Milileth soldier asked. The man stood straight and made his voice deeper than necessary.
Right, he almost forgot why they're standing in front of this worn-down home in the first place, “Yes. I will knock, just stand behind me.”
“Yes sir.”
Morax balled his fist and knocked softly. When there was no answer he knocked harder. When there was still no answer, he was about to try again, but then the door opened slowly.
Out came a young boy, he was the same height as Morax's knees.
Morax bent down and said, “Hello little one. Your name is Alatus, yes?”
The boy cautiously nodded.
“Well you see, your father has passed away, and you have no one to take care of you.”
The boy froze, he finally looked up and made eye-contact with Morax, “What does that mean?”
“He… Is dead.”
“Dead?” The boy said nonchalantly, “He isn't dead. Papa is strong, he won't die until he's eighty. That's what he said.”
Morax sighed as he stood up, “I'll take you to his grave, how about it?”
The boy hesitated, he glanced back inside the house, glanced back at Morax and nodded slowly.
Morax took his hand and guided him into the car he and the Milileth soldier arrived in. The soldier opened the door to the back seat with a bow. Morax let Alatus sit inside and entered the passenger's seat.
The soldier entered the driver's seat and started the engine. The car moved slowly before accelerating onto the main street.
When they arrived at Pervases' grave, Morax and Alatus exited the car. The soldier decided to stay inside to give the two space.
His grave site was in the middle of a field of flowers, a single tree blew gently in the wind. A slab of stone stuck out on the grass, a statue of a crane adorned with pearl necklaces was set behind it.
Alatus stood quietly in front of the grave, “Is he really dead?” His voice sounded like someone who was about to cry.
Morax felt bad for putting this off–for not telling Pervases’ son about his own father's death until years later. “Yes, he is,” Morax said, as gentle as he could be.
The boy stared at the grave longer, his grip on Morax's hand becoming tighter.
“Boy,” Morax announced seriously, “from now on, you will be reborned—you will be known as ‘Xiao’, and you will pay back what your father owed.” He inhaled, “One billion dollars. Let's hope you pay it all back… Unlike your late father.”