✧.* 𝐆𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐲𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐞 // Gᴇɴsʜɪɴ Iᴍᴘᴀᴄᴛ* ˚ ✦

Chapter 11 - Morax, But He's Not Really Morax Anymore

!Spoiler Warning, Includes 'Perilous Trail' Lore!

For the next couple of weeks, Gorm is sent to examine the Chasm, in case of any additional activity from Dainsleif that was left around. Fortunately, Dain was not anywhere to be seen, and the site was clear.

But one day, the Abyss Mage notices a tall brown-haired figure, lingering around the Glowing Narrows.

Morax!

Gorm floats down the steep cliffs to catch up with Morax, who is striding towards the fallen celestial nail.

"What are you doing here, Morax?" the Hydro Abyss Mage asks, a little out of breath. The man finally takes notice of Gorm, turning around to face him.

"Ah, it's you," he says, "I have quite the urgent matter to attend to right now." He turns his back to Gorm again, hurriedly crouching down at the hole formed beneath the fallen nail.

"My baby boy... hasn't come back to Wangshu Inn for several days now..." Morax mutters under his breath. The Hydro Abyss Mage leans forward to look at the gaping hole. It whirls with bright blue light, omitting a low, disoriented hum. For sure, this was not anything of the Abyss Order's doing.

"Who's 'baby boy'?" Gorm asks.

Morax shakes his head, his eyebrows furrowed. "Xiao, my dear boy... I told him it would be dangerous to look for Bosacius". The man then stands up again, looking at Gorm.

"Come, we must look for him"

Zhongli is a daddy? Gorm thinks to himself, surprised.

--------

Soon enough the two are out of the underground mines and back on the Chasm's surface again. They climb up onto the cliffs on the rims of the mines.

"How are you going to find Xiao from up here? Isn't he underground?" The Abyss Mage asks.

"Yes," Morax responds, "I know every bit of the Chasm, so it'll be easier to oversee it rather than wandering down there." "Therefore, I can observe for any elemental movement in the area"

Gorm nods and feels that he should be quiet to let the man concentrate. Morax closes his eyes, shimmers of gold flicking around him.

A deep rumble pierces the quiet air of the Chasm, and the sky turns dark. The space around Gorm and Morax becomes distorted and the rumbling grows louder. The man's left arm is outstretched, with golden shards wrapped around it.

The Abyss Mage clutches tightly onto Morax's trousers, his heart beating fast and hands sweating.

What is this old man doing?!

Darkness envelopes the two, and all Gorm could see now was the golden light from the God's arms.

"Down there," Morax says.

Gorm looks down to see a circular blue platform tumbling upwards and towards them, and some dots on top, which seemed to be some human figures. Morax points his arm downwards and his eyes glow gold. Golden shards spear through the air and towards the blue platform.

The blue platform shatters, and a small figure drops from the cracks and spirals downwards into the dark. Morax directs the golden shards towards it, gently catching the figure in a cocoon.

Gold light flashes around Gorm and soon enough, they return to where they were standing just before.

From far below in the distance, he notices several figures huddled together, and within them was the small figure Morax had saved just then.

A teary relieved sigh escapes the man, and he crouches down to pet Gorm on the head.

"You can let go now," Morax tells him.

Gorm blushes, quickly letting go of his trousers.

"Ah, sowwy".

Morax softly chuckles to himself, then turns away, walking back towards the city.