God of Liyue

Prologue | 1

Once upon a time, in a land somewhat far away, lived a city surrounded by mountains. With two volcanos on either side and trapped by the mountainous landscape, there was nothing to be done if an eruption should take place. However, one day, although their worst fears had come true and both volcanos began to erupt, a dragon flew from the sky and protected the city with a massive golden shield. 

They called him Morax, from Latin "to delay, stop". Because he had stopped catastrophe from happening. And so, the people of Liyue, resting under the glazed dome, worshipped this beast from the sky. They invited him to participate in a festival for his honor and insisted that he be given a gift. 

"You have nothing to offer me," Morax spoke, voice booming from his place on top of the golden shield. "Your city is but a fetus." 

"Please," the village chief pleaded. "There must be something we can do to show our thanks." 

"Wait," the vice-chief spoke. "We have ourselves to offer! Please, choose one of us as a sacrifice." The people whispered amongst themselves and nodded in agreement. 

"Very well," Morax shifted from his dragon form into a celestial being. A hooded figure taking the vague shape of a human descended to be among the people. He sat on top of a pillar he formed and rested his chin in his hand. "Let us make a contract since you humans will not accept free protection." Holding out his hand and forming a cube, he inscribed words. "I shall protect you from the natural and supernatural that might seek to harm this city, and in return, every one-hundred years, you shall offer me whomever you choose from among this city. Are we in agreement?" 

The people nodded amongst themselves and the village chief spoke for all of them saying: "We accept this contract!" 

Morax placed the cube inside the pillar. "This shall work as a clock to count the years for you. Now then, who am I taking?"