𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧

5 - dust & contracts

(y/n's pov)

As the dragon landed with a thud, the woman dismounted and stepped onto the warm grass of the mountain. Her gaze was fixed on the immense beast, watching in awe as it morphed into an equally imposing man.

Zhongli- no, Morax - has the same piercing amber eyes that held a commanding presence. Unlike his in-game avatar, he was dressed in a brown hanfu that accentuated his long, elegant hair, which shimmered a brilliant amber at the tips. His hands were marked with glowing symbols imbued with geo energy, and two dragon horns protruded from his forehead. He was truly regal and formidable, a sight to behold.

So this is Zhongli with less character development, I thought.

Beside him stood a woman just as striking in her appearance. Dressed in white with the night sky pattern adorning the inside of her sleeves, her long grey hair faded into a blue hue. Her piercing grey eyes glimmered with intelligence, hinting at a depth of knowledge beyond human comprehension.

This must be Guizhong, I thought to myself, recalling her fate from the game. Despite knowing that fate in Teyvat was set in stone, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, something could change.

But my thoughts were interrupted as Morax's frown deepened. "So it really is gone," he murmured.

Guizhong added, "Yes, exactly as Cloud Retainer predicted." She slowly turned her head in the direction of my hiding spot. "Hmm...do you happen to be the girl who was sleeping here earlier? You can come out, we won't harm you."

I froze. I knew I could never hide from them...

I slowly walked toward the two gods, trying to maintain my composure. Keep calm. Don't reveal too much about yourself. They were not mere characters from a video game anymore, but real entities with immense power that I could not match.

**********
(3rd person pov)

The girl walked out from behind the tree, holding a half-eaten apple. Morax's first impression of her was that she is...mysterious. At just first glance, she looked just like any other mortal. However, Morax had never seen such clothing before, so he thought she might be a traveler from a foreign nation. He doesn't know why, but something made Morax think that she is so much more than that.

The girl appears to be a bit wary of them, but she still looks extremely calm compared to other mortals when they interact with Morax (y/n is freaking out on the inside), as the girl spoke in a soft tone, "Who are you?"

**********
(y/n's pov)

As I stood before the two godly figures, Morax's presence alone sent shivers down my spine. His amber eyes bore into mine, and for a moment, I felt as though he could see right through me. Guizhong, on the other hand, was all smiles, radiating a cheerful energy that put me slightly more at ease.

"I'm Guizhong, and this is Morax," she introduced, her voice as gentle as a summer breeze. "We are the rulers of the Guili Assembly. We just came here to investigate a little something. Did you happen to come near a huge floating rock before you went asleep on top of the mountain?"

My mind raced, trying to piece together what they were talking about. "Rock? I'm sorry, I'm not aware that there are any floating rocks around... Do you mind if you describe it for me?" I asked, trying to hide any hint of nervousness in my voice.

Just keep calm and everything will be fine.

"The object that once hovered in this location was a floating boulder that is known to induce mortal slumber for days. Rumors have circulated that it was a meteorite that descended from the skies eons ago. However, there has been a recent development. During her patrol, an Adeptus detected its absence and observed your presence at the precise location where the rock had been," he explained, his voice low and menacing, and I could feel his power radiating off of him like an invisible force.

As soon as the word "meteorite" left his lips, my eyes widened in shock. I knew exactly what he was describing.

"According to the directions the meteorite is heading, you are going to land nearby Guili Assembly," I remembered, very clearly, what Istaroth said.

My mind was raced with questions and thoughts.

Morax told me that the rock had been here since 'eons' ago. So seemingly, I had been hibernating in the meteorite for thousands of years.

I couldn't help but ponder if I had been asleep since the dawn of time itself - I mean, Istaroth was involved, so who knows what kind of time-traveling shenanigans she pulled! But, the fact that only a single day had passed on Earth since I'd been living the meteorite life was mind-boggling.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice Morax summoning his spear as a precaution. It was only when he cut me off from my thoughts that I realized he was holding the Vortex Vanquisher, his signature weapon. I mean, I get it, he's in the midst of an archon war and he's bound to have enemies. But, this Morax was a far cry from the Zhongli I met in the game. He meant business and had no qualms about spilling blood.

Well, this is it! My short-lived adventure was coming to an end.

I felt a chill run down my spine as Morax's eyes narrowed and scanned my face. "You're aware of a meteorite, yet you don't know that one used to be right here. And you just happened to sleep in the same spot? Care to explain?" he demanded.

Guizhong's eyes lit up.

"Morax, please put away your spear." She said.

Morax reluctantly complied, but his eyes never left me. Guizhong was practically jumping up and down in excitement.

"I think I figured it out!" she exclaimed, her voice vibrating with enthusiasm. She approached me, movements measured and methodical as she took in my features. "I'd just like to ask you a few questions to corroborate my findings," Guizhong continued, her gaze full of intense concentration. "I don't sense any ill will from you, so I trust you to be honest."

I nodded, and Guizhong wasted no time in asking me, "What is your name and where are you from? Judging from your attire, you're clearly not from around these parts, nor do I know any other civilizations with people who dress like this."

I looked at my black hoodie and sweatpants and chuckled nervously, suddenly became extremely self-aware. "Y/n, and I'm from a place called [country]. It's quite far from here."

Guizhong's curious eyes didn't falter, but Morax's gaze felt like it was piercing right through me. He couldn't comprehend how Guizhong had so quickly deduced the mystery of the meteorite.

Guizhong continued with her line of questioning, "What were you doing before you fell asleep?"

"I was lying on my bed, attending a class," I answered, trying my best to sound convincing while also omitting some important information.

She arched a curious brow. "Interesting... How in Teyvat do you attend classes in a bedroom? Anyway, one more question. Do you harbor any ill intentions towards Guili Assembly?"

"No, of course not!"

Guizhong smiled excitedly. She held out a hand for me to shake it.

"Well, Y/n, it doesn't seem like you're lying... and I'd say you probably don't have any places to stay for the night either, so... I'd like to welcome you to our city! I hope we will get along. Let's head back, Morax!"

Morax nodded, his usual intimidating and stoic expression unchanged. "I shall trust you for now, but please do not breach our trust. Should you take any actions to cause harm to the Assembly, I shall not hesitate in bringing you to an end. We are currently at war, after all, and it is my divine obligation to safeguard the nation."

I smirked, recalling Zhongli's quote, "Ones who break their contracts shall suffer the Wrath of the Rock."

"It's a deal," I replied, watching as Morax shifted back into his dragon form.