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"Fate is called as such, for it cannot be changed, nor can it be reversed." —
"That's were you're wrong Blockhead! We are not passive prisoners of destiny, but active creators of our own future through sheer willpower and attitude!"
- Two close friends from time immemorial bickering about Fate
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Deep within the mountainous region of Minlin, a beautifully built pavilion can be seen perched near the summit of Qingyun Peak.
Inside the cliffside pavilion, a lone man with brown colored hair and elegant yet sophisticated appearance was seen quietly sitting in front of a small stone table.
He was wearing a formal brown tailcoat with black slacks, and on his feet, he wore a pair of well-polished black shoes.
The man was pouring freshly brewed tea into two small ceramic teacups that were placed on the table before him.
After some time, he placed an ornate ceramic flower beside one of the cups and then took the other one for himself.
He then quietly sipped its contents, savoring its flavor while gazing upon the night sky that covered Liyue from high above.
Everything was quite and peaceful now, a stark contrast to the calamity that had occured days ago. Yet even as the common folk throughout the nation celebrated the apparent triumph over the vile tide, he, as well as a few others felt that something still wasn't right. Something unnatural still lurks somewhere, hidden within the confines of his domain.
'How…bothersome.' he thought to himself.
As he let out a quiet sigh, he suddenly felt the presence of two familiar entities steadily approaching his location.
'Hmmm, they've worked faster than I thought.' he smiled as he the two beings entered the premise of the cliffside pavilion.
The first one to arrive was an elegant crane with pristine white plumage. It gracefully glided towards the pavilion with an almost divine poise.
Moments after the creature appeared, the second one emerged. It was an elderly looking woman who suddenly appeared like a fog of mist just a few pases away from the stone table.
The lone man simply watched them without flinching, as if he had been expecting them all along.
"Cloud Retainer, Streetward Rambler, a pleasant evening to both of you. I'm glad that the two of you had come." the man greeted before turning back his attention towards the night sky.
"I assume both of you have already gathered something of interest from your respective investigations?" he asked them, still gazing upon the sky.
It's been more than a week since the Abyss Order launched its failed invasion against his country. And for the first time in millennia, Liyue was caught completely off guard….
He was caught off guard.
For the past two years, ever since the unexplained disappearance of the villagers of Downriver and the subsequent spike of unexplained paranormal activities in the country's northern most region, he as well as his followers had crafted and prepared several contingency plans in coordination with the Qixing government of Liyue Harbor. Plans that revolved around a grim scenario involving a gradual increase of abyssal activity over the Bishui region.
The core plan was simple: prevent the threat from spreading throughout the rest of Liyue until its source was either contained or eliminated.
Experts were called in.
Hundreds of Millelith soldiers mobilized.
Everyone of value was called to service in order to stymie the threat that had plagued the country for well over two years.
And yet, even after all the things they've done….
Even after all the complex preparations and carefully laid-out precautions were put in place….
All the hard-work they've made for the last two years were all thrown out of the window when the attack suddenly occured!
They had taken all the necessary measures, and had even conducted extensive surveys over the region. And yet all their intelligence reports came out wrong!
The early warning systems they had placed weren't triggered….
The defenses they've set up were breached….
The entire scenario just doesn't make any sense!
Something just doesn't add up….
Could it be apossibleanomaly or an irregularity in the system? A unknown variable that they had unknowingly overlooked?
Or worse...a betrayal.
A lot of unknown flaws and variables had been exposed by the recent abyssal attack. Flaws and variables that needed to be rectified immediately and taken into account.
Hence, he had dispatched two of his most trusted adepti, Streetward Rambler and Cloud Retainer, to investigate on the matter discreetly on his behalf.
'Either the enemy was that too cunning or there's someone from our side that's been helping them.' the man grimly mused as he continued to sip his tea.
The two beings, now identified as the adepti Cloud Retainer and Streetward Rambler, immediately transformed into their humanoid adeptal forms. Turning themselves into a pair of timeless beauties who once reeked havoc in the battlefields of the Archon War.
"My Sovereign Lord, Rex Lapis, I have searched the areas you have pointed out, and I've found some clues as to what might have caused our defenses to fail." Cloud Retainer handed a pair of scrolls to her sovereign.
"Streetward, how's your side of the investigation? Any leads?" the Geo Archon asked.
"Not yet my Lord. Ganyu and I were still on the process of cataloging every possible suspects as per your advice. However…" Streetward Rambler opened up her bag and revealed another pair of scrolls which she then handed to her master.
"However, we were able to get our hands on these two scrolls. They contained several written correspondence that were secretly transmitted to several Millelith garrison officers from across our northern border about a year ago. Officers who were in charged of the surveys conducted, as well as the ones tasked by the Qixing to set up our defenses across the Bishui Plain for the last two years. They all contain a peculiar directive, coming from one of the seven Qixing committee members." Streetward Rambler said with a morose expression.
Rex Lapis placed his teacup on the table and began meticulously reading the scrolls presented to him one by one.
After a few minutes, he set the 4 scrolls down besides his teapot, and looked at his two loyal retainers with a stoic and hardened expression.
"You two have done well, more than what I could have asked for. But there are still things that needed to be taken into account, and matters that needed to be debunked." The Lord of Geo took hold of his now empty cup as his demeanour grew slightly serious.
"So I ask you both, to please continue with your investigations for the time being, especially you Streetward since you reside directly in Liyue Harbor. Be sure to keep in contact with Ganyu and make sure you both scrutinize any new intel that will come out from the confines of the Yuehai Pavilion."
The Lord of Geo stood up and began walking towards the railings of the pavilion.
"Our enemy is cunning to say the least, and that calamity would have caused far greater damage if not for the timely intervention of our friends from the North."
Rex Lapis paused as he stared at his empty teacup once more, seemingly lost in thought.
"The delegates from Mondstadt led by their elusive Grand Master. A woman who had single-handedly turned the once sleepy pastoral nation into a burgeoning juggernaut in a matter of five years."
The Geo Archon smiled.
"Quite the story, eh? Trade and commerce between our two countries had flourished for the last five years thanks to her efforts."
"I was impressed. So impressed in fact that as a sign of goodwill, I've instructed the reigning Tianshu of the Qixing, Lord Tian, to write down a formal letter of invitation about half a year ago to personally invite her to Liyue as an honored guest, especially during the upcoming Rite of Descension where she could witness the prosperity and tradition of our nation firsthand."
"That Grand Master, is now being hailed as a hero across the Bishui Plain and beyond. Fitting for someone who had apparently saved our northern most region from further disaster." Streetward Rambler gently praised the mysterious woman.
"Hmph, I still think she got lucky!" Cloud Retainer scoffed while crossing her arms underneath her breasts.
"It's highly unlikely for a mortal in this day and age, even with the aid of a vision, to have the power necessary to slay a monster that was almost equal in power to that of a god!"
Cloud Retainer pointed out.
"Personally, I believe that the most likely scenario that had actually occurred was that the Conqueror of Demons had already greatly weakened the monster….before this Grand Master Gunnhildr landed the final blow!"
She finished her piece with a confident nod, as if the matter was already closed.
Rex Lapis listened silently with a thoughtful expression present on his face.
That monster…..he, and the rest of the adepti had sensed its overwhelming power and malice from all across Liyue during the night of the attack.
The Conqueror of Demons had already notified him earlier that day about a possible impending attack, and he himself was already on route towards the Bishui Plain when the battle started.
However, at that night, as he drew closer to his destination, he suddenly saw a massive pillar of light bursting forth from the direction of Dihua Marsh, illuminating the stormy night sky.
'And when I got there…there wasnothing.'
'I saw no monster nor did I saw Xiao or this Grand Master Gunnhildr that he had spoken so highly about.'
'All that was left...was the lingering scent of abyssal corruption and something else... something pure and divine, like... like those I've once felt long ago back in Celestia.'
Rex Lapis contemplated for a moment before continuing his train of thought.
'And yet, subsequent reports from mortal sources days after the event claimed that Xiao himself revealed the full details of a grand battle that took place on that very same patch of marshland....'
'Hmmm, how odd. There's a lot of discrepancies regarding that story. Compared to what I saw and what I'm being told of, things just doesn't add up. Xiao still hasn't reported anything back to me since our last encounter at the Harbor. Hmmm…I need to personally look into this matter.' he concluded internally.
The aged Lord of Geo then straightened his back and faced his two adepti who in turn immediately bowed their heads towards their great Sovereign Lord.
"Regardless of whether it was the Conqueror of Demons who weakened the beast or the Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius who delivered the final blow, the fact remains that it was through the efforts of our foreign allies that the calamity that sprung in the middle of the Bishui Plain was contained before it could escalate any further!"
He then gazed upon them as he slowly manifested his ancient overwhelming divine authority. A presence and power worthy of his status as an Archon!
"We will welcome them to our Harbor with open arms, as befitting of their status as our honored guests! However, we must remain vigilant at all times. The calamity might have already passed, but we don't know when the next one will occur. So I ask you both to please continue with your missions, and if anything new comes up, do inform me immediately. UNDERSTOOD?" Rex Lapis said his final word with a commanding voice that was akin to the rumbling of the very earth itself!
"AS YOU COMMAND, MY LORD!" Replied the two adepti in unison before they went on their separate ways, leaving the Geo Archon alone once more near the summit of Qingyun Peak.
After he was sure that his two loyal subordinates had already left, the Lord of all Liyue let out a long tired sigh.
His demeanor mellowed down and the aura of divine authority which he had just displayed moments ago vanished, replaced by a melancholic yet weary expression.
A tired old man who had seen and experienced so much.
He then walked back to the stone table, filled his empty cup once again with tea and went back towards the edge of the pavilion's railings. There, he once again gazed upon the starlit night sky of the firmament with a wistful expression.
How many centuries have already passed by since he had taken the mantle of Geo Archon?
Out of the original Seven who had emerged victorious thousands of years ago, only he and Barbatos remained.
"Barbatos...heh, that foolish and lazy drunkard. He's probably still asleep right now as usual." he said with a faint chuckle.
"But still, I'm sure that he'll be most pleased to hear that someone reliable and strong had taken up the reigns of the nation he had founded." Rex Lapis continued.
He was genuinely surprised and quite impressed with what the Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius had accomplished in just a span of five years!
When he had heard about the massive reforms she had instituted, along with the various economic programs she had implemented that caused an upward surge in Mondstadt's economy, he was left in awe.
A nation without the direct guidance of its Archon, thriving under the mortal leadership.
Never in centuries had such a feat been accomplished and in such a short span of time!
He had to admit that if given more time, Mondstadt would soon become one of the most powerful nations in all of Teyvat. A nation that could very much rival his own, Liyue.
'RememberBlockhead, if a leader leads with honesty and courage, then its people, no matter how small and weak they are at the start, will follow that leader with unyielding loyalty and devotion! That is the secret to building a nation that can stand the test of time!'
As he continued to gaze upon the night sky, the Lord of Geo couldn't help but feel nostalgic as he recalled that one particular line of advice.
An advice that he had long since followed… personally given to him thousands of years ago.
...…
So many wars….
So many battles…
So many friends long gone…
He can already feel the effects of the onward march of time starting to erode him in the inside, but he must not let it undermine him!
He is Morax, the Revered Geo Archon!
The Sovereign Ruler of Liyue and one of, if not, the strongest of all the Seven!
Liyue will not crumble while he stands!
"Liyue..." he fondly smiled.
"A name born out of our playful bickering. How nostalgic, arguing whether or not a small seaside village be named Crescent Moon village or Glaze village."He chuckled.
"At the end, we had to compromise hence…our hidden little village was born…."
.....
…..
…
'Even after thousands of years, that little dream of ours still stands. Thatlittle fishing villagewe've built together, nestled within the Sea of Clouds, had grown into something great….a great nation. Just…..just like what I've promised you.' he thought.
"The Strong must serve as the example for weak to follow, just like what you said right?" he asked as he chuckled once more as he recalled a priceless memory from long ago.
A memory that was so dear to him that he personally kept it close in his heart for over thousands of years.
A memory from the early days of his youth, from a time long forgotten….
Long before the rise of the Seven Nations…
Long before the War…
Long before Guili…
Long before the Adepti…
Long before the CorruptedPrime Dragon and the Winged Tyrant warred within the sky…
Back when he was still being dragged by the arm by a girl with the brightest hair and the warmest smile.
*****
"Come on you Blockhead! Move faster! Don't tell me you've had too much wine last night or something?! There are so many places left for us to explore! I heard there's a beautiful cave on the other side of this mountain!"
"C...can we slow down for a bit?! I just descended into these lands about less than a year ago! I still don't know much about it let alone what sort of dangers or creatures might be lurking underneath it!" the younger him had protested.
"Awww... is the 'Big Bad'Heaven's Star afraid of some scary little monsters? Hahahahaha!" A playful laughter echoed all across the valley.
"H...hey! Stop laughing! I'm being serious here!" he retorted as a slight blush appeared on his face as his female companion continued laughing at him.
*****
Rex Lapis fondly smiled as he recalled that particularly precious memory.
He had to physically stop himself from laughing all out as he remembered what happened next.
'If I recalled correctly, that little 'adventure' of ours ended up with us being chased by a massive horde of rampaging Geovishaps! All because we 'accidentally' stumbled upon their nesting grounds!' he chuckled.
He then wiped a few tears from the corner of his eyes.
'Thank goodness we were fast enough back then.' Rex Lapis continued to chuckle.
After the last laugh was finally uttered, the Geo Archon then let out another sigh. He then took his teapot and began to pour himself another serving of tea.
"Osmanthus wine tastes the same as I remember... But where are those who share the memory?" he said with a hint of sadness....and longing.
He looked up to the false moon that hangs in the firmament and contemplated how much things had changed.
So much had happened.
The world had changed.
And she... had already left.
"I...I wonder. I've always wondered... how things would have turn out... if you were still here with me."
He let out another long and weary sigh.
"If only...if only I was stronger back then, then maybe I....I could have...."
Rex Lapis stopped himself.
He could already feel the tears starting to form behind the corners of his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.
What's done was done. It was the only way….
He should be moving forward. She herself would urge him to do that if she ever saw him now.
He had a duty to fulfill to his people and to the nation he had promised to protect.
But still, a yearning smile slowly crept into his weary face as he recalled the memory of that one person who, despite all the hardships they went through, had never once abandoned him.
"My dearest partner, how I wished you haven't left. Your sound advice would be of great help to me right about now. And your smile..."
He laughed quietly.
"Your 'damn' smile always brightens up my day, regardless of how much you drag me around as your 'impromptu guide (slave)'."
The Geo Archon then gave out a hollowed laughter that echoed across the Jueyun Karst that night. After it had subsided, he drank the remaining tea in his cup in one go.
He then raised the empty porcelain vessel towards the night sky as if he was making a toast to a dear old friend.
"How I wish, I could see your smile again…"
"Hear your joyful laugh…"
"See your bright warm eyes...."
The Lord of Geo lowered his cup and closed his eyes.
"...just one more time..."
"Altria."
(End of Interlude)
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(Altria)
- Altria, also known by her pre-adult name Alcas, was an 'Ascended Prime Fae' who originated from a prosperous world deep within the many branches of the Imaginary Tree.
- Another 'what if' variant of Artoria Avalon, Altria during her time went far and beyond anything her original counterpart could hope to accomplish.
- Through her travels, she acquired many things, one of which is the elusive and powerful Second Magic: Kaleidoscope (Operation of Parallel Worlds) which she not only practiced but also masteredto its fullest.
- She had done many great things, both good and bad.
- 'The First Outlander who visited Teyvat'
- Sea of Souls Status: Partially Dormant
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