"How? How is it that you remind me so much...of what those dark times...denied me?"
The choice and realization that he had to step down had not been an easy one. However being the eldest of the Seven he knew it would come. However that one day he ha...
[A/N: Zhongli watches the fight unfold, he's prepared to step in if needed but is amazed at what he sees his dear Liyue and even Lumine do. I like to call the Cryo Archon, "Annastasia" or just "Anna" for short by the way. It will be that way until her real name is revealed.]
Lumine growled as she braced herself with her sword after Childe had left, turning her head to spit out a splatter of blood to the ruined and cluttered basement of the golden house. She felt a sea of emotions towards what had happened and the recent revelations that the Geo Archon was in fact alive. "Did Rex Lapis stage a pseudocide?"she thought clutching her side that had a rather long and nasty gash that still sparked a bit with electro. She was naturally very fast and agile and that had saved her from getting more serious injuries.
However that fall was another story as she could feel her body screaming. Blood stained half her face from a gash to her head and countless more cuts and bruises from the fall covered her body. But she couldn't afford to stop despite Paimon's words of concern that went in one ear and out the other as she hurried out of the golden house. Once outside the girls were welcomed by howling winds and thundering grey skies as a heavy squall had started to wash away the dirt and blood from her body and clothes, stinging her eyes.
"Wha — What in the world is going on!?"squeaked Paimon in fright as overhead the Jade Chamber was flying straight for the harbor where the growing threat of the water spouts were. Lumine's grew wide in horror as from the ocean a sea serpent-like hydra made what seemed to maybe be hydro made itself known.
"Paimon we gotta hurry!"Lumine growled, forcing herself to ignore the pain as she raced off after the jade chamber.
"Right!"agreed Paimon as she hurried after her companion.
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Well this was very unexpected.
But he could not interfere for regardless of young Tartaglia's intentions this actually proved to fit well with his plans to test Liyue to begin with. The geo archon himself stood on the lone cliff face that overlooked Liyue as his tailcoat swayed wildly in the wind. His keen eyes scanning around as he clutched his gnosis to his chest. Everywhere he looked he saw the humans of Liyue band together — Vision weilders and not — to protect the Liyue they held so dear. Meanwhile he decided to move to get a better look of what was going on against his old nemesis as the fiend roared stirring up the storm and making the sea's waves grow and swell dangerously.
He did manage to get close enough by going to another peak closer to the sea. His eyes growing wide at spotting Lumine with Gangyu, Xiao, and Keqing along with several millith going off against a hoard of Fatui. He could see and sense the heavy adaptal aura on Lumine that was steadily growing thicker and mixing with something more ethereal. Faster, stronger, and more agile she danced around the floating battlefield while defending the ballistas the other adapti were manning against the Lord of the Vortex.
Every part of him screamed at him to hurry to his beloved's side. But he had to keep reminding himself that Lumine was not weak like Guizhong had been. But then he remembered another problem. She was under the strain of not one but several adpeti energies. The witnesses seemed amazed as Lumine had been unleashing not just geo attacks but her anemo which was strengthened by the storm. Like a tigress she leaped, pounced, and struck again and again with such graceful furiosity. Lumine even without the adepti's help was a force of nature in her own right.
Seeing them all fighting so hard and working together and even Lumine fighting to protect Liyue. It left a him feeling mixed feelings. The biggest shock before his eyes was watching Ningguang with Lumine's help sacrifice the Jade Chamber to seal his old nemesis once more. However that pride for his Liyue turned to fear at seeing Lumine begin to fall. "Lumine!"he gasped and was about to jump in but stopped seeing young Xiao catch her. Causing him to relax and sigh in relief as the skies began to clear.
Lumine would be safe with young Xiao and the others. She also had her energetic fairy companion to watch her back. His mind wandered as he looked out on his beloved Liyue with a mixture of pride, sadness, and nostalgia. "Look, Guizhong are you watching? Our little nation has come so far. Our people no longer have need of an archon or the adepti to watch over and guide them. Even so,"Zhongli smiled as he began to leave to head back to the city towards Northland Bank. "I have no doubt in my heart they will continue to prosper for centuries to come."
Zhongli slowed his pace as he entered the city looking around as people left and right scurried to clean up the mess and repair any damages that the storm had caused. Young and old, local and foreign, human and adepti...all of them working so hard to look after what he and Guizhong had worked so hard to create. As he walked down the stairs to head for the upper town and the bank he smiled tucking his gnosis out of sight in his inner coat pocket. "You can rest easy now Guizhong. You need not worry for our beloved Liyue or for me. Now, I believe I have my end of the contract I must fulfill."he thought reaching the doors of Northland bank. Slowly he opened the doors to find the pale blonde, elegantly dressed woman before him as well as young Childe who looked right down livid.
"Ah welcome."came her greeting.
The time to seal the contract to end all contracts had finally come. Annastasia would get her end of the contract as he promised since Liyue no longer required his protection and guidance.
