His Eyes Never Change (Gold like Cor Lapis, Blue as Noctilucous Jade)

One Who Bore Golden Eyes

A festival meant that the city was warm and loud, brimming with energy. It was a stark contrast to the stillness that the mountains brought. Haolan sat atop a discarded crate, the tanghulu in his hands nearly gone. He found that he missed the chill of the mountain air and the clarity of the heavens. His eyes wandered towards the sky as he became lost in thought.

The gold and crimson city sat against a backdrop of the deepest blue of night. Even the brightest stars had to compete with the city lights for visibility. After witnessing and learning so many things, he couldn't help but feel the absence. There was a void left behind by the things the city hid from view.

But where some things had become hidden, others became very clear. During his time in the mountains, Haolan had practiced sensing Qi in all of its different forms. Now that he had returned to the city, he felt he understood why so many adepti chose to live in solitude.

After Haolan learned to detect it, it was hard to imagine life without the constant presence. Yujing had once asked him to describe what he felt as part of an exercise. His answer?

A steady heartbeat that ran deep beneath the earth and spiraled up to the peaks of mountains.

Ripples like raindrops splashing on the surface of a pond, echoing out to the farthest reaches of land and sky alike.

All things held life energy, each one a little different. These two grand, underlying currents undoubtedly belonged to the gods of the region, a show of their immense strength.

Haolan's eyes were still closed when he felt a shift. The air around him became too warm for comfort, almost as if he was being bathed in direct sunlight. He could picture the sun bearing down on him, a heart of liquid gold several times larger than the city itself. Yet, he remained unharmed by it. It felt protective, like a shield.

"Haolan!"

The atmosphere cooled the moment Childe called out to him. He blinked open his eyes. The overbearing energy dissipated as if concealed by a shroud of mist, leaving him with a slight chill. His shifu was clad in reds and grays with a vibrant smile upon his face. He looked much more relaxed than he had been earlier that day. Haolan was glad to see it.

It was only after the heat had subsided that he had noticed Childe's unique signature. It reminded him of the ocean, some places with gentle rolling waves and others cast in an onslaught of rain and wind. And like the ocean, there was something hidden in the depths that he couldn't quite reach.

The young boy hopped off the crate and ran up to Childe, giving him a hug, "Shifu!"

"Hey there bud," Childe laughed and ruffled his hair, "I'd like to introduce you to my good friend."

It was only then that Haolan noticed the man standing at his shifu's side. The man was tall and imposing, with an aura as strong and knowledgeable as the mountains. Stoic golden eyes held him in place.

Yujing had taught him many things, which included the significance of the one who bore golden eyes. The Lord of Geo, the Warrior God, Rex Lapis. This god was known to take many forms, but there was one thing he could never change about his appearance.

Haolan immediately knew who this friend was.

A thousand thoughts raced through his mind in an instant, eyes wide and unable to move. This was the friend his shifu had been talking about? No one had prepared him for this! No one could have prepared him for this! Among the chaos plaguing him, he couldn't help but think back to the conversation he was forced to witness earlier in the day.

I don't want to admit it, but maybe they were onto something...

Oblivious to his troubles, the friend in question acknowledged him with a dip of his head, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. You may call me...Zhongli."