Ascension of the Celestial Archon (Genshin Isekai AU)

Shades of Darkness

"Don't trust any strange guys with orange hair. They are no good." Axo's words from this morning echo in my head.

I blink, my heart racing. "T-That was the Abyssal Archon? I thought his name was Tartaglia."

Kaeya nods with a serious expression. "It is.Tartaglia is his Fatui Harbinger name."

A sinking feeling grips me as I make the connection. "I knew the Fatui and the Abyssal Archon are working together... but I never suspected Tartaglia himself was a Fatui Harbinger."

"I don't think he knows he is the archon either." His expression darkens, and he speaks with a seriousness that sends a chill down my spine. "Unlike the elemental archons, the Abyssal Archon wasn't supposed to have a physical form. But after the Abyssal Archon swallowed you, he took the form of an unsuspecting human host."

My stomach twists, yet his words remain just out of reach. "But what about the Celestial Archon? Did I not have a physical form either?"

He shakes his head. "When you were reincarnated on Earth, you also took on a host, and when you returned to Teyvat, you kept that form. By having a body, you are able to feel his presence."

"I see." I frown. "It's true; something did feel off about him. Yet his presence was pulling me in, and I couldn't escape."

He puts his hand on my shoulder. "The Abyssal Archon will always have that affect on you. In the legends, the Celestial Archon's love for him still remains."

"Yes, Amber did tell me that." My voice soft. "But I don't understand. What about the festival goers? If Tartaglia is the Abyssal Archon, why didn't anyone notice him? Why hasn't he done anything to me? He's had every opportunity!

"His physical form is only known among the Knights of Favonius. No one else knows about this. It's confidential information—kept under strict guard for a reason."

"Why? Why keep something like that a secret? Especially when he's walking around, posing as a Harbinger. Shouldn't everyone know what he is?"

"Because the truth about the Abyssal Archon's physical form would cause panic, not just in Mondstadt, but across all of Teyvat. Imagine if the general public knew the archon could disguise himself, infiltrate society, and take on random hosts without anyone realizing. People would start questioning everyone around them, living in fear of who might secretly be under the Abyssal Archon's control."

I bite my lip. "So, this has been kept quiet to avoid chaos?"

"Exactly. The Knights of Favonius are sworn to protect the people, and sometimes that means keeping certain truths hidden." He pauses, his eyes narrowing as if piecing together a puzzle. "As for why he didn't strike at that moment, Tartaglia is dangerous, but he's also calculating. If he didn't act when he had the opportunity, it's because he's waiting for the right moment. He wants something from you—whether it's power, control, or something we haven't figured out yet."

"So, he's just biding his time?" A shiver runs down my spine.

He nods grimly. "And that's what makes him even more dangerous. He's not impulsive. He knows exactly what he's doing."

I narrow my eyes. "So if the Knights are the only ones who know about his physical form, does that mean you've encountered him before?"

"I personally haven't. But Lisa has."

My breath catches. "Lisa?"

"A few weeks before you arrived, Lisa had a dream—a strange one. In it, the Abyssal Archon claimed Tartaglia as his host. And since Lisa is an oracle, her dreams are always accurate. We couldn't dismiss it." He explains with a serious expression.