hunt. (on hold)

5. Regret

[ currently no beta, will probably contain misspellings and grammar mistakes ]
[ possible ooc characters ahead ]

[ i am very sorry, this was rushed bc i am about to have eight tests later this day and may not be able to update tomorrow. until then, enjoy reading and happy saturday! <3 ]

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HU TAO OPENED her eyes to a sight of orange hair. She realized it was the harbinger Zhongli was always with and was shocked to also see him tied up. Zhongli's not home by the sound of silence echoing throughout the room and possible the house, but she kept an esr out to hear any subtle noises. He must've not expecting either of them to wake up early. Hu Tao looked at the clock and realized it has been an hour since she was caught. The Director then slowly inched near him and bumped his head, forcing the other to wake up.

"Hey! That hurts you know— Hu Tao?" Childe was also shocked to see the lady beside him. They both shared a look, seeing each other tied up and nodded, planning to escape. Realizing they're on a bed, Childe signalled Hu Tao to burn the ropes that binds them, and became confused when she couldn't do it.

"I can't... burn it." Hu Tao grunted, trying a few more times before spotting a glowing blue orb in the back of the man's head.

"What...?"

"I see your vision behind you. Is my vision behind mine?"

Childe nodded, spotting the square shaped pyro vision near her head, he ushered her to touch the vision with a body part so she can use it. Luckily the back of her head did, and she burnt the ropes.

Hu Tao immediately burnt the ropes around Childe and they both hid their vision inside their clothes to avoid getting it removed so easily. Summoning their respective weapons, they silently walked out of the house, Childe following Hu Tao into the Funeral Parlor.

Finding a vacant room, she ushered the redhead to sit down across her and they both said the same sentence. "That was not Zhongli." Childe nodded and let Hu Tao speak first.

"He asked for a leave, since he said he wasn't feeling well. I thought it's gonna be for a day or two but it's almost a week now and it worried me so I went to his house and... fought him? But the Zhongli I know isn't aggressive while fighting, or sparring."

Childe nodded and said his experience right after. "I was walking around in Nantianmen when I saw him on his robes. When he spotted me, I ran away but he caught me immediately and choked me. He was looking like a half-dragon too."

"An adepti." Hu Tao corrected. "So Zhongli's an adepti. But which adepti?" Realizing what Childe said, her eyes widened. She looked at the harbinger, waiting for the answer.

The harbinger took a deep breath and leaned closer to the Director. "Morax, Rex Lapis." He dropped the bomb. She gasps in horror at what the man said and was even more shocked with what he added.

"I don't know why but I think he's taking visions."

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Ningguang smiled at 'Zhongli' as he sat down in front of her with a bouquet of Glazed Lily. The man clad in a suit offered a smile back, bowing right after. "It is a pleasure to have a moment of your time, Lady Tianquan. Thank you for agreeing to meet me."

"Oh, it's not a bother, Mister Zhongli. I was merely trying to pay you back after the help you've given us at the Rite of Parting. We're very sorry that we couldn't handle it that much, we were fighting The God of Vortex Osial." Ningguang replied as she fixes the bouquet into a nearby flower pot, secretly signalling someone in the room to be ready when she indicates the signal.

'Zhongli' shook his head and smiles once more. "I am a Liyue citizen, am I not? I am also obligated to help since our beloved Archon has passed away, and it is our duty to send him off for he has serviced us for the past 2000 years."

"Yes, that is correct. And for that I am grateful. So, Mister Zhongli, what would you like to have as a... gift for helping us? Do not worry, the Funeral Parlor has a separate gift too as a whole, since they also contributed."

'Zhongli' thought about the position deeply and smirked, immediately putting Ningguang off and was close to push a button below her desk for a lockdown. The man stood up, horns and a dragon's tail that looks awfully a lot like Rex Lapis' went near her and held her wrists.

"I want... to rule Liyue once more."

To Morax's surprise, Ningguang merely smiled back at him before realizing he fell into a trap. Keqing jumped out and slashed him with electro energy as she teleported from one place to another, making him immobile due to shock. The Tianquan takes a hold of his jaw and makes him face her as he feels the other lady bind him.

"Mister... Morax. You might've regretted coming here to take back your place, but we have regretted meeting you, for you have merely watched as Liyue almost got decimated by an old god."