𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞

Zhongli's eyes flickered, adjusting to the light. He groaned in pain. Did he turn back into a dragon? No, he could move his arms in a human way. He sat up feeling a sharp pain in his side, it forced him to lay back down.
"Be careful, the stitch won't hold with you moving," Baizhu responded in his calm cunning tone. Zhongli sighed, "Two questions. One, how long was I out. And two, did I draw blood in here?"
Baizhu chuckled, "You've been out for a few hours. And the blood was taken care of."
"Mm," Zhongli stirred, "My mistake. Can't really come in with that wound and expect a few painkillers to do the trick. Thank you, I really am in owe because of this."
Baizhu responded with another laugh, "That one's on me, I did help you with a fatal wound after all. Anywho, how did you get in this predicament?"
Zhongli closed his eyes, "A fight with Childe, he struck me in the stomach. Then I walked around for a bit."
Baizhu sighed this time, shaking his head, "You two don't get along anymore do you? You should try and avoid each other for awhile."
Zhongli mumbled in response.
"I can't I need to apologize, it doesn't sit right with empty forgiveness," He opened his eyes staring at the ceiling, "When can I get out of here?"
Zhongli started to notice his demon wasn't around him. M̴̢̭̺͇̋͂̀͐̀ọ̶͕̄͊ͅr̸̭̩͙̯̈a̷̺͂͛̐x̴̬̹̳͕̊̈́͘ seemed to be gone for now. It would come back. It must of went to walk around. No adepti lived in Liyue so it'd be fine. At least that's what Zhongli thought.
"You'll be out in a few days, the longest 2 weeks,"
Baizhu said without looking up from his work. Then Zhongli felt M̴̢̭̺͇̋͂̀͐̀ọ̶͕̄͊ͅr̸̭̩͙̯̈a̷̺͂͛̐x̴̬̹̳͕̊̈́͘ enter the room. The creature stalked around him.
"What's wrong?" It mocked.
Zhongli shook his head, stupid voice.
"Oh well. I thought you'd like a visitor!" M̴̢̭̺͇̋͂̀͐̀ọ̶͕̄͊ͅr̸̭̩͙̯̈a̷̺͂͛̐x̴̬̹̳͕̊̈́͘ said grinning. A visitor? Oh no..
The bell on the desk rang. Baizhu looked up, "QiQi? Sweetie who is that?" He cooed. He stood up and walked into the lobby. He was met with a tesl and blue haired boy. Baizhu smiled, "Do you need something?"
Xiao nodded, "I'm here to visit Zhongli, a little bird told me that he was here?"
Baizhu nodded, grinning, "Oh of course, he just got in yesterday night."
Baizhu led him to were Zhongli was but only to stop in shock. Xiao entered too, stopping in his tracks. Zhongli was gone, and all that lingered was a trail of blood. Xiao followed it until it stopped at a wall. That bastard really is hiding something from me! He used his Adepti powers to get away! I'll find you I swear! Xiao cursed in his head. Then stood from his crouch.
"Zhongli ran away. It's alright, I'll find him." Xiao looked at the stunned Baizhu. Baizhu's response was a shaking of his head, "He must of known you were coming, he seemed concerned a few moments before you rung. And now he's gone. He ripped his stitch too. It'll be fatal if he stays out there for to long."
Baizhu's paragraph made Xiao head hurt. But he could catch on to the important words.
Fatal. Gone. Concerned.

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Childe had laid along the silt covered chair in his home. Mainly lazy. The furniture around his house was middle class style. Childe had never liked first class but was never too fond of being poor. The home had a lion rug, one that was hung. Childe had bought it. They claimed the creature was from another universe. Even the traveler knew it. Maybe, it's possible. The creature seemed brave and fiece. Also like a massive cat. Childe sighed shuffling his crossed legs. He got kicked out today. It was totally worth it though. He annoyed Pantalone so he was temporarily on timeout. He had enough of the blood and tears. His paychecks were on hold too. It'd be like that for 2 weeks. Childe sighed, once again he was bored. But this time in his own home. No people drove him nuts. He leaned back resting his head on the chair's sturdy frame. The traveler visited him here and there but he really didn't know anybody else.
Hm, I wonder what that Morax Shenanigans is at.
And as if the world answered his call, a knock was on the door. The traveler wasn't there today so he immediately knew who it was.
"Go away Zhongli!" Childe hollered at the door. There was no response. The knock came again.
"I said shoo!!" He repeated, but was it even him? Maybe it was somebody else? Childe argued with himself until he gained the guts to go to the door. The "visitor" had stopped knocking then. Maybe they were gone? He decided to open the door with nothing to greet him. He smelt something though, something familiar. A mix of the sent of blood and a person. He looked down. The person had collapsed. But this was no normal "person" he knew. This was Zhongli.
The "traitor."

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Zhongli didn't expect to wake up. He jumped, feeling the pain of the wound cut across his body. He yelped and went back down. I need to stop jumping up like that.. He said to himself. He looked at his surroundings. He wasn't back in the pharmacy which was good. He could not get caught by Xiao now. If caught he'd definitely get asked questions. He wasn't anywhere he knew though. He wrapped his hand around the wound. It was definitely bandaged and stitched. He wondered who knew how to do that.
"Oh, you're awake, Xiansheng."
Well that voice was familiar, Zhongli could notice it anywhere. With the nickname it was clear.
"I didn't expect you to actually help me, Childe."
Childe scoffed from the doorframe.
"I'm not a monster," He stated.
Zhongli smiled, "At least you aren't a monster, like that dumb spirit."
"What does that mean-?"
"The ghost illusion, remember? A spirit only Adepti can see. My stupid Morax remainder made Xiao think I killed it or something."
Childe responded in a laugh, "It screwed you over didn't it?"
Zhongli nodded, "He's after me now, probably to kill me."
"Hmm, well your horns have completely grown out since you slept," Childe walked to the side of the bed and flicked one of them.
"Geez- y'know I have nerves in the horns too-?"
Childe laughed out loud, covering his mouth to hide it. Zhongli looked at him, "What..?"
"I've never heard you speak so informally."
Zhongli responded with a glare, "Don't remind me of the counterpart of my mind getting my speech."
Childe grinning, putting his hands on his hips.
"This will be amusing won't it?"
Zhongli grumbled, "No it won't."

---------------------------------------------------------------

Xiao nearly yelled. It had been 4 days since Zhongli disappeared and he looked everywhere. He must of left Liyue at this point! He was working so hard to get away, he must of killed Morax! Xiao slammed on the table he sat at. It aggravated the hell out of him. Morax's spirit had met him! He asked who had brought him back. He said Zhongli! It obviously was him! There was no way Morax's soul was stuck to Zhongli if he didn't kill him! Now he ran- but the soul was with Xiao. M̴̢̭̺͇̋͂̀͐̀ọ̶͕̄͊ͅr̸̭̩͙̯̈a̷̺͂͛̐x̴̬̹̳͕̊̈́͘ grinned behind his back. Clean revenge for getting shut away. It planned to kill Zhongli. Or get control over his body. Either was a great idea. Atalus just had to find the man. Of course he trusted the boy, he was a Yakasha. Zhongli would never reveal he was the present Morax, but would not go down without a fight. It was a fight. Alatus and God's Ghost vs A weakened pathetic God. A pathetic god that couldn't hurt somebody who hated him. Wait.. that somebody. They hadn't check there.
"Alatus," M̴̢̭̺͇̋͂̀͐̀ọ̶͕̄͊ͅr̸̭̩͙̯̈a̷̺͂͛̐x̴̬̹̳͕̊̈́͘ said, "Have you asked the Fatui? Perhaps he knows something."
Xiao waved the idea off, "Childe hates Zhongli, I saw it with my own eye," Xiao paused for a moment.
"Or wait, maybe that is a good idea Morax. They want me to think they hate each other!" He looked at M̴̢̭̺͇̋͂̀͐̀ọ̶͕̄͊ͅr̸̭̩͙̯̈a̷̺͂͛̐x̴̬̹̳͕̊̈́͘.
"Thank you! I'll go ask.-!"
He stood up and ran out. M̴̢̭̺͇̋͂̀͐̀ọ̶͕̄͊ͅr̸̭̩͙̯̈a̷̺͂͛̐x̴̬̹̳͕̊̈́͘ grinned, knowing this was going to be a fight he enjoys.
M̴̢̭̺͇̋͂̀͐̀ọ̶͕̄͊ͅr̸̭̩͙̯̈a̷̺͂͛̐x̴̬̹̳͕̊̈́͘ teleported to Zhongli. Zhongli was strong enough to stand and move around. He basically had been like a dog to Childe. He was monitored and almost stalked. Zhongli looked up at the sinister spirit.
"What?" He asked. The spirit grinned.
"We win," M̴̢̭̺͇̋͂̀͐̀ọ̶͕̄͊ͅr̸̭̩͙̯̈a̷̺͂͛̐x̴̬̹̳͕̊̈́͘. said.
The color drained from Zhongli's face. He lifted hand to his mouth. He was stunned. Did that mean Xiao found him? Childe was not in the home at that time. Zhongli shook his head,
"He won't find me, now I'll make sure nobody will."
Then he stood up and turned to the door. His tail swaying behind him.
"And you're coming with me, like it or not."
M̴̢̭̺͇̋͂̀͐̀ọ̶͕̄͊ͅr̸̭̩͙̯̈a̷̺͂͛̐x̴̬̹̳͕̊̈́͘ laughed, "What will you do? You cannot force me."
Zhongli glared, "You think but I can. You're still a part of my soul now."
Then the spirit disappeared. Put back where it belonged, the empty half of Zhongli's soul.

A/N:
I just made a playlist for this story!!! Go check the description! <3