𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

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Zhongli opened his eyes. He felt the pain sink back into his body. He reached for his head to feel the horns slightly larger than the day before. He forced himself up. The pain was worst than the day before. He now had to take action. Leaving the life he worked so hard to have. He stood up only to almost fall. Each day got harder and harder for him. Soon it'd be to hard to stand. A knock landed on the door. He limped over ti the door, feeling Xiao's aura through the door. He put his hand on the nob. He would definitely see the horns and ask. He'd just make something up. Like he was mid-way through changing form or..
"I can sense you right there," Xiao broke right through his thoughts. Ah shit.. oh dang it. He had cursed to, even if it was in his thoughts. Unlike Zhongli, Morax would be a lot more violent. He also cursed. But Zhongli wasn't. He thought he had pulled Morax away but he was coming back, lingering on him like a bug. He opened the door slightly. Enough for half his body to peek out. Xiao was there, the usual blank expression that appeared on his face. You could tell though, he saw the horns. Zhongli sighed. Even sighing hurt too now.. Xiao took notice as well.
"The horns are just an issue," Zhongli said slowly and softly. So nobody could hear him of course. Not because of the growing pain in his chest making it so hard to breathe. Xiao nodded, "You mind if I join you for your work?" Zhongli sighed again, "I'm quitting today because of the horns..."
He looked away slightly, "and I'm trying to speak to Childe again as well." Xiao shook his head in disappointment.
"That's fine, I don't need to come," Xiao knew he would though anyways. It was suspicious of him to quit work immediately after he asked to join. So just in case. But he easily regretted his choices. He saw a little too much.

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Zhongli walking slowly to the bank, maybe he was not ready. Maybe he had to recover from Hu-Tao's reaction when he quit. It was out of his behavior to. He sighed, walking was harder by the hour. Zhongli stood at the door. Almost fighting the urge to leave. He opened it, slightly creaking the door. As expected Childe was there. He had looked up. He was surprised at first, but then disappointed and angry.
"Can I at least talk? Once I promise," Zhongli said as he entered fully. Childe shook his head and looked to the table. Zhongli sighed and sat down of the opposite side of Childe.
"It's one talk, then I'll be gone. Permanently."
Then Childe looked up, he didn't know. He didn't know, but he thought. And his thoughts were pretty damn close.

Zhongli and Childe had stepped outside. Xiao followed them as they went to the statue. The one Zhongli always was.
"Listen Childe.." Zhongli started to begin but got cut off. Childe lifted his hand to stop the apology.
"No, whatever. I Don't even care. You apologize, I forgive you, Then you go into hiding. I wouldn't be able to see you. Why'd I want that?" Childe looked at him. Direct eye contact.
"And even if you weren't, you'd lie again! Who even wants to be friends with you?"
"Childe I-"
"No! No, no no! You almost ruined me! My job! My fun! You tried to ruin me just to be human! That's sick! Who does that, Zhongli?"
Zhongli looked down, exhaling painfully. He knew he couldn't apologize anymore. Too late for that.
"I know you hate me. Yet I need you to calm down, Ajax," Zhongli looked up. Only to be quick enough to block a strike from Childe. A mix of shock and pain twisted across his face.
"Fight me then! Show me who you really are you MotherFxcker!"

Xiao watched from afar. He was shocked, almost horrified. He knew that they didn't like each other but not that much. But he wouldn't intervene. Of course they could slip something. Something Xiao could need. They had been fighting for 10 minutes. Yet Zhongli had not used his vision or Adepti power. He didn't want to hurt Childe. Obviously, Childe had other ideas. He had used his vision the entire time, fight with both spear and arrow. Finally, Childe had struck Zhongli hard enough. He couldn't fight. Zhongli knew, in his condition he's lose. He responded by rolling on the ground. Unable to pull himself up. He couldn't, not without his vision. But he wouldn't hurt Childe. He never would. He sighed, giving up was never Morax's idea. But then, Morax had other ideas. He pushed himself up. He was weak in his knees. Zhongli clutched his side to grab his spear. Childe switched sides.
"You're weak for somebody of your kind," Childe put his bow away. He looked up, "No wonder it was easy to take the Gnosis from you."
Zhongli stood there. Even after Childe left. He'd never realized that. But had he really gave Childe's dream away? Had he really been that horrible? His pain pursued as he fell to his knees. He had wasted all his energy. He couldn't do anything anymore.

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Childe walked amongst the town. Was that a good idea? Leaving him like that? Of course it was, he destroyed the happy thing in your life. All Archons do is take, take, take. Barely give, just take. For once, after falling in the abyss, he felt angry. Finally not calm. Not happy. But hurt and angry. He stormed around. His time watching over the bank was over now, so he couldn't go there. He couldn't sit at home, that'd drive him nuts. Why not go to the mountains? Somewhere peaceful and free. So he'd do that. Take a climb. Didn't sound ideal but what else would he do? He was completely injure free, and he needed a cool off. So he started up the hill. Climbing quickly and agilely. He may had been the lowest ranked Fatui Harbinger but he was one of the fastest climbers. He caught a ledge. He swiftly pulled himself up, only to meet somebody.
Xiao stood there. He wanted to know what happened. Why did Zhongli have the Gnosis? Who's Gnosis? If it was Morax's he'd get it back. Even if he had to kill every Fatui. He'd. Get. It. Back. Childe shooed him. It wouldn't work though. Xiao stood his ground.
"Who's Gnosis?"
Childe grinned, "So you were listening. I expected it."
"Who's Gnosis?" Xiao repeated.
"Make your guess, hint hint, they make contracts," Childe grinned. If anything would cool him down annoying a Adeptus made it fun. And he might even get to fight him. It was a bad idea, obviously, but why not? Xiao pulled his spear, "Why and how do you have that?" He held it up to Childe's neck, who was in a sitting position.
"Now Now, it's okay little lad," Childe felt Xiao get angered. He retightened his grip on his spear.
"Where is it?" Xiao spat the question at him.
Childe grinned, not responding.
"Why you.." Xiao pulled his spear back. Ready to kill Childe.

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Zhongli finally woke up. He opened his eyes slightly, letting light enter his head. He stood up, but something felt different. His arms and legs felt dislocated, or not in the right spot. He opened his eyes fully to realize it wasn't him. He'd changed forms to save energy. He was now a small dragon. A very, small dragon. He blinked. He could transform back didn't want to, it was quite painless. He still felt it but it was a small linger. He looked around, nobody was around. Maybe he should get an overlook. He wasn't as tall as he is as a human. He had fainted anyways, he could go to another statue. Or even better, a mountain. Where the glaze Lillies lay. So he waddled his tiny chubby dragon legs up to where he'd come across a fight. Between Fatui and Adepti.